Cinephiles have more reasons to nourish an inflow of excitement with the opening of cinemas. QCinema International Film Festival returns with a hybrid edition from November 26 to December 5 with in-person screenings at Gateway Cineplex 10 and online streaming via KTX.ph.
“This will be the first film festival to be held after cinemas opened their doors again and we are very happy to be part of the jump start of our much-loved industry” says Ed Lejano, festival director.
The 10-day festival opens with Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s “Memoria,” Cannes Festival 2021 Jury Prize winner and Colombian entry to the 94th Academy Awards. The film, which stars Tilda Swinton, is the acclaimed director’s first English language film. Its Southeast Asian premiere is with QCinema 2021.
The films under Screen International, which is one of QCinema’s most awaited sections, are “The Worst Person in the World,” “The Box,” “Happening,” “Vengeance is Mine, All Others Pay Cash,” “Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy,” and “Drive My Car.”
“The Worst Person in the World” by Joachim Trier will also have its Southeast Asian premiere at QCinema 2021. The film premiered in competition at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival, with Renate Reinsve winning the award for Best Actress for her performance in the film. This film is co-presented by the Film Development Council of the Philippines.
Another film having its Southeast Asian debut is “The Box’’ by Lorenzo Vigas. This film won the Leoncino d’Oro Agiscuola Award at Venice Film Festival 2021.
Venice Film Festival 2021 Golden Lion winner “Happening” by Audrey Diwan is having its Asian premiere.
“Vengeance is Mine, All Others Pay Cash” won the Golden Leopard at the Locarno International Film Festival 2021.
QCinema is also hosting the Southeast Asian premiere of RyÅ«suke Hamaguchi’s 2021 films, in partnership with The Japan Foundation. “Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy” premiered at Berlinale 2021 and won the Silver Bear, while “Drive My Car” played in competition in Cannes Film Festival 2021 and brought home the Best Screenplay trophy.
Aside from these Screen International selections, QCinema will also screen at Gateway Cineplex 10 “Great Freedom” under RainbowQC section; “Lamb” under New Horizons section; and “Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle” and “Historya ni Ha” under “Special Screenings.”
“Great Freedom” by Sebastian Meise is the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize winner at the Cannes Film Festival 2021 and Austrian entry to the 94th Academy Awards. This is the prison drama’s Asian premiere.
Premiering in Asia is Scandinavian folk-horror film “Lamb” by Valdimar Jóhannsson, Cannes Un Certain Regard Prize of Originality award winner and Icelandic entry for the 94th Academy Awards.
The biopic of a World War II holdout in the Philippines will have its Southeast Asian premiere at QCinema 2021. “Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle” opened the Un Certain Regard of the Cannes Film Festival 2021. Angeli Bayani is part of this film.
Completing this section list is Lav Diaz’ “Historya ni Ha,” for its Asian premiere.
QCinema will also screen for free select Patrick Alcedo films: “A Will to Dream” and short films “They Call Me Dax” and “Am I Being Selfish.”
Those who are still not comfortable going to the cinemas or are staying outside Metro Manila can still be part of the QCinema experience. The festival is presenting an equally exciting lineup for its online edition.
Under the Screen International section are “My Salinger Year,” “The Great Movement,” and “Miracle.”
“Apples,” “Magnetic Beats,” “El Planeta,” and “Playground” will be part of the New Horizons section, which ushers debut films all over the world.
New section Asian Voices features new opus from Asian directors. This section includes “Yuni” and “Islands.”
Also having their online streaming are “The Girl and the Spider” under RainbowQC; and “Baboy Halas” and “Suburban Birds” under Netpac Reloaded.
For the first time since its founding in 2013, QCinema will have two Shorts Programs: QCShorts and Asian Shorts. QCShorts include “Skylab” by Chuck Escasa, “Ampangabagat Nin Talakba Ha Likol” by Maria Estela Paiso; “i get so sad sometimes” by Trishtan Perez; “MIGHTY ROBO V” by Miko Livelo and Mihk Vergara; “Henry” by Kaj Palanca; and “City of Flowers” by Xeph Suarez.
These films received production grants from QCinema.
Asian Shorts includes “Dear to Me” by Monica Vanesa Tedja, “Sunrise in My Mind” by Danech San, “New Abnormal” by Sorayos Prapapa, and “Live In Cloud-Cuckoo Land” by VÅ© Minh NghÄ©a & Phạm Hoí ng Minh Thy. It also includes the Philippine premiere of “How to Die Young in Manila” by Petersen Vargas and “Filipiñana” by Rafael Manuel.
Both Shorts Program will have theatrical screenings and online streaming.
More details about the festival at qcinema.ph.
