The QCinema International Film Festival enters its eleventh year armed with a roster of exciting and acclaimed movies from around the world.
The 10-day festival runs from November 17 to 26, 2023, and will be hosted by cinemas in Gateway Mall, Robinsons Magnolia, UP Town Center, Shangri-la Plaza, and Power Plant Mall.
Like in previous years, QCinema features diverse titles that graced various prestigious festivals, including the opening film Poor Things, a dark comedy set in Victorian-era London, which won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival.
Read: Bea Alonzo paid for extra expenses of people under Team Bea in '1521' shoot — Shirley Kuan
Additionally, The Breaking Ice by Anthony Chen from Singapore will close the festival.
It was recognized in the Un Certain Regard section and set as the country's 2024 Academy Awards entry.
"Our theme this year is 'Elevated,' which translates how we try to push boundaries for our programming and other festival initiatives to reach new levels," Ed Lejano, festival director, told PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal).
"For our 11th edition, QCinema is amplifying our vision for being, not only as the premiere international festival in the country but also in the Southeast Asian region."
"QCinema steps up to the plate in November as we hold the Philippine premieres of the best films you will be hearing about next year, especially during Oscar time."
Read: Bakit ligwak ang mga pelikula nina Nora, Maricel, Claudine, Nadine, Donny sa MMFF 2023?
MOVIES FOR EVERY VIEWER
The festival will showcase 60 titles across ten sections, including competitions such as Asian Next Wave, featuring ten directorial debuts from Asian filmmakers.
Notable films in contention for the Pylon Award include award-winning entries like Abang Adik, Inside The Yellow Cocoon Shell, Love Is A Gun, and Tiger Stripes.
Abang Adik won at the Udine’s Far East Film Festival the Golden Mulberry Audience Award, the Black Dragon Critics’ prize, and Best First Feature.
Inside The Yellow Cocoon Shell won the Caméra d'Or or Best Feature Film at Cannes.
Love Is A Gun is the first Taiwanese film to win the best first feature at the Venice International Film Festival.
Tiger Stripes won the Critics' Week Grand Prize at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. Gitling is Cinemalaya’s Best Screenplay winner.
The festival's sections encompass short films (QCShorts and QCSEA) and exhibition sections, catering to diverse interests.
For QCShorts, the films that made the cut are A Catholic School Girl by Myra Angeline Soriaso, Abutan Man Tayo ng Houselights by Apa Agbayani, Animal Lovers by Aedrian Araojo, Microplastics by Lino Balmes, Tamgohoy by Roxlee, and Tumatawa, Umiiyak by Che Tagyamon.
Ten shorts from Southeast Asia comprise the inaugural QCSEA section: Basri And Salma In A Never-Ending Comedy by Khozy Rizal, Buoyant by Toan Thanh Doan and Hoang-Phuc Nguyen-Le, and Cross My Heart And Hope To Die by Sam Manasca.
Also part of the roster are Dominion by Bea Mariano, Hito by Stephen Lopez, I Look Into The Mirror And Repeat Myself by Giselle Lin, Kung nga-a Conscious ang mga Alien sang ila Skincare (The Thing About Aliens And Their Skin Care) by Seth Andrew Blanca and Niño Maldecir, The Altar by Moe Myat May Zarchi, and When You Left Me On That Boulevard by Kayla Abuda Galang.
Other sections not to be missed as well are the Screen International, New Horizons, Restored Classics, RainbowQC, and Special Screenings, each showcasing distinct works from accomplished directors and emerging talents.
Mutt by Vuk Langulov-Klotz, Passages by Ira Sachs, Peter Von Kant by François Ozon, and Woman Of… by Michal Englert and Malgorzata Szumowska are this year's entries for RainbowQC.
Nostalgic film buffs will have a field day revisiting classic works, like Wong Kar-wai's Chungking Express and Fallen Angels, Robert Clouse's Enter the Dragon and A Clockwork Orange by Stanley Kubrick, as part of the Restored Classic section.
"Last year, In the Mood for Love was QCinema’s hottest ticket. Pinoy film lovers were ecstatic to have seen Wong Kar-Wai’s masterpiece on the big screen," said Ed about the decision to screen two of the beloved films made by the esteemed director.
"This year, we bring him back on a silver platter with two of his signature works, a twin bill of stories characterized by a frenetic mood set in 90’s Hong Kong before its handover to China."
"The two films were originally written as one, envisioned as fragmented stories about heartbreak amidst Hong Kong’s underworld."
Read: FDCP salutes comedy icons at 3rd Philippine Film Industry Month
The festival also introduces new elements this year, such as the QCinema Project Market (QPM) connecting promising projects with potential producers, and the QCinema Young Film Critics Lab, which aims to nurture aspiring film critics.
The International Film Industry Conference, co-organized by the Film Development Council of the Philippines, will feature talks from industry professionals.
Moreover, the festival continues its artistic collaboration, partnering this year with renowned Filipino artist Dex Fernandez, recognized for his iconic creation Garapata.
"In our 11 years as the leading international film festival in the Philippines, we have come to realize there’s a large & captive audience out there who crave films that are hungry for top-tier, non-mainstream titles," Ed enthused.
He continued, "The followers of QCinema all through our young history have grown exponentially & our share of sold-out screenings can attest to that.
"No need to go to Cannes, Venice, Sundance, or even Busan to watch some of the best of world cinema.
"Most of the films in the Oscar Best International Feature had their Philippine premiere in QCinema last year.
With our well-curated line-up of edgy and fresh films from around the world, including the most promising young Asian directors, QCinema is top-of-mind for a truly elevated film experience."
For more details including film roster and schedule, visit qcinema.ph or letterboxd.com/qcinema/