2024 QCinema filmfest sparks conversations through fearless storytelling

As the QCinema International Film Festival reaches its 12th year, it remains committed to being an avenue for fearless storytelling through full-length and short films, while standing as a pillar for filmmakers, producers and actors.

QCinema 2024 follows the theme “The Gaze,” which will run from Nov. 8 to 17 at the Gateway Cineplex 18, Ayala Malls Cinema in Trinoma, Red Carpet in Shangri-La Plaza, and Powerplant Mall. This year’s lineup includes a total of films including 55 full-length and 22 short films spread across 11 sections.

“Over the past years, QCinema was a steadfast anchor for our fledgling young independent filmmakers, producers, and other film talents. Because it has been institutionalized as a cultural pillar for Quezon City, QCinema will continue to support and encourage our budding and homegrown artists,” Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said at the festival’s press conference.

While Belmonte is proud of how the festival has grown through the years, she hoped it will stay true to its goal of “elevating appreciation” among citizens, especially the youth.

“QCinema has gone a long way, but I believe that we can do more and be more. We have the potential to serve a greater purpose to help us break the glass ceiling of global cinema,” she said.

The festival opens with the Directors’ Factory Philippines featuring eight local and international filmmakers including:

• “Walay Balay” by Eve Baswel (Philippines) and Gogularaajan Rajendran (Malaysia)
• “Nightbirds” by Maria Estela Paiso (Philippines) and Ashok Vish (India)
• “Silig” by Arvin Belarmino (Philippines) and Lomorpich Rithy (Cambodia)
• “Cold Cut” by Don Eblahan (Philippines) and Tan Siyou (Singapore)

Staying true to its goal of celebrating Asian filmmakers, this year’s QCinema will have two main competition sections, Asian Next Wave and QCShorts International.

The Asian Next Wave finalists include:

• “Don’t Cry Butterfly” by Duong Dieu Linh (Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore)
• “Pierce” by Nelicia Low (Taiwan, Poland, Singapore)
• “Mistress Dispeller” by Elizabeth Lo (China and United States)
• “Happyend” by Neo Sora (Singapore, United Kingdom, United States)
• “Tale of the Land” by Loeloe Hendra (Indonesia, Philippines, Qatar, Taiwan)
• “Viet and Nam” by Truong Minh Quy (Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore, France, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, United States)
• “Moneyslapper” by Bor Ocampo (Philippines)

Meanwhile, here are the QCShorts International entries featuring short films by six Filipino short film grantees and other Asian filmmakers:

• “Alaga” by Nicole Rosacay
• “Kinakausap ni Celso ang Diyos” by Gilb Baldoza
• “Refrain” by Joseph Dominic Cruz
• “RAMPAGE! (o ang parada)” by Kukay Bautista Zinampan
• “Supermassive Heavenly Body” by Sam Villa-Real
• “Water Sports” by Whammy Alcazaren
• “Are We Still Friends?” by Al Ridwan (Indonesia)
• “Here We Are” by Chanasorn Chaikitiporn (Thailand)
• “In the Name of Love I Will Punish You” by Exsell Rabbani (Indonesia)
• “Peaceland” by Ekin Kee Charles (Malaysia)
• “Saigon Kiss” by Hồng Anh Nguyễn (Vietnam, Australia, Germany)

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For exhibition

Other categories include the RainbowQC and New Horizons, which will be recognized as international competition sections under the Special Critics Prize awards.

The nominees under RainbowQC, which celebrates love and identity among the LGBTQIA+ community, include the following:

• “Baby” by Marcelo Caetano
• “The Balconettes” by Noémie Merlan
• “My Sunshine” by Hiroshi Okuyama
• “Pooja, Sir” by Deepak Rauniyar
• “Sebastian” by Mikko Mäkelä

Here are the entries for the New Horizons section:

• “Blue Sun Palace” by Constance Tsang
• “Cu Li Never Cries” by Phạm Ngọc Lân
• “Santosh by Sandhya Suri
• “The Major Tones” by Ingrid Pokropek
• “Toxic” by Saulė Bliuvaitė

Also making a mark at the festival is the Screen International exhibition which features 10 movies from award-winning filmmakers:

• “Afternoons of Solitude” by Albert Serra
• “When Fall Is Coming” by François Ozon
• “All We Imagine as Light” by Payal Kapadia
• “Grand Tour” by Miguel Gomes
• “Simon of the Mountain” by Federico Luis
• “Anora” by Sean Bake
• “Phantosmia” by Lav Diaz
• “The End” by Joshua Oppenheimer
• “The Count of Monte Cristo” by Alexandre de la Patellièr and Matthieu Delaporte
• “The Room Next Door” by Pedro Almodóvar

Also part of the exhibition are the QCLokal (focusing on Filipino talents); Rediscovery (highlighting classic films); Contemporary Italian Cinema; and QCinema Selects. Other sections returning to the festival are the Shorts Expo, Before Midnight, and Special Screenings.

Under the Special Screenings category is a lineup of films aiming to shed light on controversial topics, in hopes of “adding depth and variety” to the annual festival:

• “An Errand” by Dominic Baekart
• “If My Lover Were a Flower” by Kaung Zan
• “A Thousand Forests” by Hanz Florentino
• “Lost Sabungeros” by Bryan Brazil

“Cloud,” a psychological thriller by Kiyoshi Kurosawa will close the festival. The film tells the story of a reseller named Ryosuke Yoshii (Masaki Suda), who finds himself at the brunt of mysterious events that put his life at risk.