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QCinema International Film Festival Unveils 2024 Lineup
QCinema International Film Festival returns with The Gaze as its theme, inviting audiences to explore diverse perspectives through film. From the masculine and feminine gaze to new ways of seeing the world, this year’s festival showcases 77 titles, including 22 short films and 55 full-length films, across 11 sections.
Featuring a mix of Asian competition films, world cinema, genre works, and arthouse gems, The Gaze offers a rich and immersive experience that opens new insights into politics, gender, race, and more.
Kicking off the 12th edition of QCinema is Directors Factory Philippines, an exciting omnibus film project created in collaboration with Cannes Directors’ Fortnight. This groundbreaking initiative features the works of four filmmakers from the partner country and four from other nations.
This year’s Directors Factory Philippines features four films: Walay Balay, directed by Eve Baswel (Philippines) and Gogularaajan Rajendran (Malaysia); Nightbirds, directed by Maria Estela Paiso (Philippines) and Ashok Vish (India); Silig, directed by Arvin Belarmino (Philippines) and Lomorpich Rithy (Cambodia); and Cold Cut, directed by Don Eblahan (Philippines) and Tan Siyou (Singapore).
QCinema 2024 will close with Cloud by acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Kiyoshi Kurosawa. Premiered out of competition at the 81st Venice International Film Festival, Cloud has garnered international attention and was selected as Japan’s Best International Feature Film entry at the 97th Academy Awards.
Competition Sections
QCinema 2024 will feature two main competition sections: Asian Next Wave and QCShorts International. This year, QCShorts has expanded to include films from across Southeast Asia, with six Filipino short film grantees competing alongside the region’s best.
The Asian Next Wave Competition showcases some of the most exciting films from emerging Asian filmmakers, each at the onset of their storytelling careers.
Among the lineup are films from three debuting female directors: Don’t Cry Butterfly by Duong Dieu Linh (Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore), the Grand Prize winner at Venice Critics’ Week; Pierce by Nelicia Low (Taiwan, Poland, Singapore), Best Director at the recent Karlovy Vary Crystal Globe Competition; and making its Asian premiere, Mistress Dispeller, a feature documentary by Elizabeth Lo (China, USA), winner of the NETPAC award for Best Asian Film at Venice.
Four other debuts include Happyend by Neo Sora (Singapore, UK, USA), which also recently premiered in Venice; Tale of the Land (Indonesia, Philippines, Qatar, Taiwan), winner of the Fipresci prize in last month’s Busan; Viet and Nam by Truong Minh Quy (Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore, France, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, USA), from Cannes’ Un Certain Regard; and finally, making its world premiere is Moneyslapper by Bor Ocampo (Philippines).
Competing in QCShorts International are 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, and Water Sports by Whammy Alcazaren from the Philippines.
Joining them from Southeast Asia are Are We Still Friends? by Al Ridwan (Indonesia); Here We Are by Chanasorn Chaikitiporn (Thailand), which made its international premiere at the Berlinale: Forum Expanded; In the Name of Love I Will Punish You by Exsell Rabbani (Indonesia), which made its world premiere at the Fantasia Film Festival; Peaceland by Ekin Kee Charles (Malaysia); Saigon Kiss by Hồng Anh Nguyễn (Vietnam/Australia/Germany), which received the Special Mention: Queer métrage Prize at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival; and Locarno-winning WAShhh by Mickey Lai (Malaysia/Ireland).
For this year’s edition, RainbowQC and New Horizons are now both international competition sections under the Special Critics Prize awards, with their respective juries.
RainbowQC continues to celebrate LGBTQIA+ films, showcasing diverse stories of identity, love, and community with bold and authentic voices from queer cinema worldwide. New Horizons presents groundbreaking debut feature films from visionary new directors.
RainbowQC includes three Cannes Queer Palm nominees: Baby by Marcelo Caetano, from Critics’ Week; The Balconettes by Noémie Merlant, from Midnight Screenings; and My Sunshine, by Hiroshi Okuyama, from Un Certain Regard. Two other titles round up this competition – Pooja, Sir by Deepak Rauniyar from Venice Orizzonti, and Sebastian by Mikko Mäkelä from this year’s Sundance World Dramatic Competition.
The New Horizons section includes Blue Sun Palace by Constance Tsang, winner of the French Touch Prize at Cannes Critics’ Week; Cu Li Never Cries by Phạm Ngọc Lân, which won this year’s Best First Feature in Berlin; Santosh by Sandhya Suri from Cannes’ Un Certain Regard, which is the UK’s entry for Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards; The Major Tones by Ingrid Pokropek, selected for the Generation Kplus section at the 74th Berlin Film Festival; and Toxic by Saulė Bliuvaitė, which won this year’s Locarno Golden Leopard.
Exhibition Sections
The most awaited section of QCinema 2024, Screen International, showcases 10 films from world-renowned directors, each celebrated for their distinctive styles and acclaimed works.
This year’s lineup includes two very recent titles from the San Sebastian Film Festival – Afternoons of Solitude by Albert Serra, a documentary feature that won three awards, including Best Film, and When Fall is Coming by François Ozon, which won Best Screenplay.
From Cannes are four of its big winners: All We Imagine as Light by Payal Kapadia, the first Indian film in decades to compete in Cannes’ main competition, where it won the Grand Prix; the Best Director award winner, Grand Tour by Miguel Gomes, which is Portugal’s entry for the 97th Academy Awards; Critics’ Week section Grand Prize winner, Simon of the Mountain by Federico Luis; and the Palme d’Or winner, Anora by Sean Baker, touted as a strong Oscar contender.
Fresh from its Venice world premieres are from its out-of-competition berth, Pinoy auteur Lav Diaz with Phantosmia; The End, a musical-fantasy by Joshua Oppenheimer; The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre de la Patellièr and Matthieu Delaporte, the most expensive French film of 2024; and the Venice Golden Lion winner, The Room Next Door by Pedro Almodóvar.
QCinema also introduces exciting new sections to its lineup: QCLokal, highlighting local Filipino talents; Rediscovery, which brings classic films back to the big screen; Contemporary Italian Cinema, showcasing the best of modern Italian filmmaking; and QCinema Selects, a curated selection of standout films from around the world.
The QCLokal section includes Room in a Crowd by John Torres, featuring a special live sound performance and stitched-together footage from the lockdown, and Makamisa: Phantasm of Revenge by Khavn, which recently won Best Feature at the Lausanne Underground Film and Music Festival, inspired by José Rizal’s unfinished third novel.
It will also have the Shorts Expo, which presents five world premieres of remarkable short films such as Brownout Capital by Pabelle Manikan, Forgetting Clara by Nicole Matti, May Puso ba ang Manika? by Shiri de Leon, Objects Do Not Randomly Fall from the Sky by Maria Estela Paiso, and Yung Huling Swimming Reunion Before Life Happens by Glenn Barit, and the Southeast Asian premiere of Invisible Labor by Joanne Cesario.
The Rediscovery section lineup includes Delicatessen by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro; Dogtooth by Yorgos Lanthimos, which won the Prix Un Certain Regard at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 83rd Academy Awards; and Ran by Akira Kurosawa, his final epic and widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made.
Contemporary Italian Cinema takes center stage with a compelling lineup of films that showcase the best of modern Italian storytelling. Antonio and Marco Manetti bring us Diabolik, while Matteo Garrone presents Io Capitano. Marco Bellocchio’s Kidnapped: The Abduction of Edgardo Mortara delves into historical drama, and Carlo Sironi’s My Summer with Irene offers a captivating summer tale. Alice Rohrwacher’s La Chimera and Michele Riondino’s Palazzina Laf complete this exceptional selection, showcasing the brilliance of Italian and European filmmaking.
QCinema Selects includes Ghost Cat Anzu by Yoko Kuno and Nobuhiro Yamashita, QCinema’s first anime film, which premiered at Cannes and won the Audience Award at Fantasia Film Festival; No Other Land by Rachel Szor, Yuval Abraham, Hamdan Ballal, and Basel Adra, winner of the Panorama Audience Award at the Berlin International Film Festival; Shahid by Narges Kalhor, a debut feature that took home two awards at Berlin; Sujo by Fernanda Valadez and Astrid Rondero, which won the World Cinema Dramatic Grand Jury Prize at Sundance; The Sparrow In The Chimney by Ramon Zürcher, premiered at Locarno; and Twilight Of The Warriors: Walled In by Soi Cheang, one of Hong Kong’s highest-grossing films and its official entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards.
Other favorite sections are making a comeback at QCinema 2024. Before Midnight section embraces genres, delving into the fantastic, erotic, action thrillers and everything for late-night chills and thrills. Lastly, Special Screenings offer exclusive, must-see films for a truly unique cinematic experience.
The Before Midnight section includes Motel Destino by Karim Aïnouz, which competed for both the Palme d’Or and Queer Palm at the 77th Cannes Film Festival; Gazer by Ryan J. Sloan, a self-financed debut that had its world premiere at Directors’ Fortnight, Cannes; Infinite Summer by Miguel Llansó, which premiered at the Fantasia International Film Festival; A Samurai in Time by Junichi Yasuda, winner of the Audience Award for Best Asian Feature at Fantasia; and The Wailing by Pedro Martin-Calero, which premiered in official competition at the San Sebastián International Film Festival.
The Special Screenings section includes An Errand by Dominic Baekart, If My Lover Were a Flower by Kaung Zan, The Marching Band by Emmanuel Courcol, A Thousand Forests by Hanz Florentino, and Lost Sabungeros by Bryan Brazil. Each film presents a distinct narrative, adding depth and variety to the festival’s rich program.
The festival will take place from November 8 to 17 across Gateway Cineplex 18, Ayala Malls Cinema at Trinoma, Red Carpet at Shangri-la Plaza, and Powerplant Mall.
The Marching Band
Acclaimed orchestra conductor Thibaut (Benjamin Lavernhe) is diagnosed with leukemia, and is in need of a bone marrow donor. A DNA test reveals that he is adopted, and might have a potential donor in an older brother. He travels to Lille, where he meets his brother and learns that he is a musician as well, playing trombone in a local marching band. When the band loses its conductor, Thibaut volunteers to step in, and becomes entangled in the lives of the people of the town.
Ang sikat na orchestra conductor na si Thibaut (Benjamin Lavernhe) ay may leukemia, ang nangangailangan ng bone marrow donor. Nalaman niya sa DNA test na siya ay ampon, at meron siyang kapatid na pwede maging donor. Pumunta siya sa Lille para makilala ang kanyang kapatid, at nalaman niyang musikero rin siya na tumutugtog ng trombone sa marching band ng barrio. Nang mawala ang conductor ng banda, pumasok si Thibaut, at naging bahagi ng buhay ng mga tao sa barrio.
Dogtooth
Dogtooth established Yorgos Lanthimos as a filmmaker to watch. It takes audiences into a very strange home, where three teenagers are taught an entirely new vocabulary with the help of homemade tapes given to them by their parents. Methodically, the film depicts the breadth of control their parents have over them, and how the couple manages to maintain this tyranny.
Itinatag ng Dogtooth si Yorgos Lanthimos bilang direktor na dapat tangkilikin. Sa isang kakaibang tahanan, may tatlong teenager na tinuruan ng bagong paraan ng pananalita sa pamamagitan ng mga tape na binigay ng kanilang mga magulang. Unti-unti, pinapakita ng pelikula ang hangganan ng kontrol ng mga magulang, at kung paano nila pinapatili ang kanilang paniniil.
A Thousand Forests
Five teenagers join an annual Forest Camp, which gives them the chance to become the Philippines’ camp ambassadors and travel the world. Each of them come with their own baggage and issues, but will soon gain a sincere appreciation for nature and the wonders that it brings.
Sumali ang limang teenager sa Forest Camp, na magbibigay sa kanila ng pagkakataong mga camp ambassador ng Pilipinas sa mapadala sa iba’t-ibang sulok ng mundo. Lahat sila ay may sariling mga problema at issue, pero magkakaroon sila ng panibagong pagpapahalaga sa kalikasan at ang mga kabutihang dala nito.
Lost Sabungeros
During the pandemic lockdown, cockfighting in the Philippines moved online. This new, lucrative avenue for the local gambling industry came with some violent consequences, as over thirty sabungeros were mysteriously abducted, never to be seen again. Lost Sabungeros examines these disappearances, interviewing the families of the victims, and looking into the dark underbelly of cockfighting, and its ties with people in power.
Sa pandemic lockdown, ang sabong sa Pilipinas na pumunta sa online. Itong bagong, malakas kumita na panig ng local gambling industry ay may kasama marahas na kahihinatnan: higit sa tatlumpu’t sabungero ay dinukot at hindi na nakita mumuli. Sinisiyasat ng Lost Sabungeros ang pagkawala na mga ito: kinakausap ang mga pamilya ng biktima, at tinitignan ang madilim na mga sulok ng sabong, at ang mga koneksyon nito sa mga makapangyarihang tao.
If My Lover Were a Flower
Based on a novel by Ponnya Khin. In the village of Nang Pan, Mya Lay (Wutt Hmone Shwe Yi) meets the visiting Nay Mon. The two promptly fall in love, despite the objections of Mya Lay’s brothers. Nay Mon brings Mya Lay to the city of Yangon, and the two look forward to a happy future. But Mya Lay continues to be torn between her love for Nay Mon and her obligations to her family.
Hango sa nobela ni Ponnya Khin. Sa barrio ng Nang Pan, nakilala ni Mya Lay (Wutt Hmone Shwe Yi) ang nagbibisitang si Nay Mon. Nahulog ang loob nila sa isa’t-isa, kahit na umaangal ang kanyang mga kapatid. Dinala ni Nay Mon si Mya Lay sa Yangon, at umaasa silang magkaroom na masayang kinabukasan. Pero nahihirapan pa rin si Mya Long na piliin ang pag-ibig habang may obligasyon pa siya sa kanyang pamilya.
An Errand
Sid Lucero plays Moroy, the driver for a lawyer in hiding in Baguio. He is called one night to perform an errand: he is to drive back to the lawyer’s house in Manila to retrieve a designer shirt. As he takes the long trip South, Moroy reflects on his journey of serving his master, and all the things he’s witnessed along the way.
Si Sid Lucero ay si Moroy, drayber na abogadong nagtatago sa Baguio. Tinawag siya isang gabi para utusan: babalik siya sa bahay sa Maynila para makuha ang isang designer shirt. Habang pabalik siyang Timog, nagmumuni-muni si Moroy tungkol sa mga ginawa na niya para sa kanyang amo, at ang mga bagay na nakita niya sa daan.
The Sparrow in the Chimney
Karen (Maren Eggert) lives with her husband Markus (Andreas Döhler) and their children in her childhood home, an idyllic house located in rural Switzerland. Karen’s younger sister Jule (Britta Hammelstein) arrives at their home to stay for the weekend, visiting to celebrate Markus’ birthday. The sisters have opposing personalities: Karen is strict and domineering, while Jule is cheerful and happy-go-lucky. The tension between the sisters leads to the reopening of old wounds, and the revelation of current secrets, all of it boiling over into intense, at times violent confrontations.
Nakatira si Karen (Maren Eggert) kasama ng kanyang asawang si Markus (Andreas Döhler) at mga anak sa kanyang kinakalikahang tahanan, sa lalawiganing bahay sa Switzerland. Ang kanyang nakakabatang kapatid na si Jule (Britta Hammelstein) ay namimisita para ipagdiwang ang kaarawn ni Markus. Magkaiba ang mga personalidad ng magkapatid: si Karen ay mahigpit at dominante, habang si Jule at masayahin at happy-go-luck. Ang tensyon sa gitna ng magkapatid ay nagbukas ng mga lumang sugat, at nagbunyag ng mga bagong sikreto, hanggang umabot na sa mga matindi, at pag minsan marahas na konfrontasyon.
Forgetting Clara
In a surreal visual journey, Forgetting Clara navigates the shadowy intersections of memory and identity, where fragmented images and silent echoes reveal the complexities of desire and the weight of unspoken truths.
Sa isang surreal na visual journey, ang Forgetting Clara ay naglalakbay sa makulimlim na pinagdadanan ng alaala at pagkakakilanlan, kung saan ang pira-pirasng imahe at mga dayangdang ay nagbubunyag ng pagnanasa at ang bigat ng mga lihim na katotohanan.
May Puso Ba Ang Isang Manika?
In the impoverished barangay Kinaiya, an 8-year-old boy grows attached to a deflated sex doll that he found in a trash heap. He names it ‘Manika,’ and even though several men try to take Manika away from him, the boy clings to the doll as if it were his only friend.
Na mahirap na barangay Kinaiya, ang isang 8-year-old na bata na napalapit sa isang deflated na sex doll na nahanap niya sa basura. Pinangalanan niya itong ‘Manika,’ at kahit na sinubukan ng ilang tao na kunin ito sa kanya, kumapit ang bata dito na parang ito lang ang kanyang nag-iisang kaibigan.
Brownout Capital
In the outskirts of Palawan, a man hunts for ice after dark while a woman struggles to keep her ice business afloat amidst erratic electricity. Brownout Capital delves into the lives of different townsfolk while navigating the constant power outages in their hometown.
Sa Palawan, naghahanap ang isang lalaki ng yelo sa gabi, habang naghihirap ang isang babae na mapanatili ang kanyang negosyong nagbebenta ng yelo sa gitna ng papatay-patay na kuryente. Isinusuri ng Brownout Capital ang iba’t-ibang pamumuhay ng mga tao sa barrio na kailangan mag-adjust dahil sa sunud-sunuran sa power outage sa bayan.
Invisible Labor
Marcos then, Marcos now. Filipino workers unite and lead the struggle for economic and political rights, determined to shape the course of history. In between, a janitor painstakingly rewinds videotapes featuring these struggles, unknowingly aiding in the preservation of history.
Marcos dati, Marcos ngayon. Nagkakaisa ang mga magagawang Filipino para mamuno sa pakikibaka para sa karapatang economic at political, determinadong hubugin ang takbo ng kasaysayan. Sa pagitan, maingat na nirerewind ng isang janitor ang mga videotape na nagpapakita ng pakikibakang ito, hindi namalayang tumutulong sa pangagalaga sa kasaysayan.
Yung Huling Swimming Reunion Before Life Happens
In 2010, a group of high-school classmates reunite for a swimming trip, not knowing it’s the last one they’ll ever be fully together. A meditation on death and all things dying. A short film commissioned for the US video release of Cleaners.
Noong 2010, nagsama-sama ang isang grupo ng mga high-school classmate para sa isang swimming trip. Hindi nila alam na ito na ang huli nilang pagkikita. Isang meditasyon tungkol sa pagkamatay, at sa mga bagay na namamatay. Isang maikling pelikula na kinomisyon para sa US video release ng Cleaners.
Objects Do Not Fall Randomly From the Sky
A young girl turns into a fish and recounts the struggles of the fisherfolk in her hometown, Zambales.
Isang batang babae ay naging isda, at kwinekwento niya ang hirap ng mga mangingisda sa kanyang bayan, ang Zambales.
Rizal’s Makamisa: Phantasm of Revenge
Inspired by Jose Rizal’s third, unfinished novel, discovered in 1987. A Spanish priest (Khavn) and a Filipino poet (John Lloyd Cruz) vie for the affections of an American woman (Lilith Strangenberg) who is going mad. Shot on expired film stock, which was then hand painted and scratched by the director, Makamisa: Phantasm of Revenge is made to feel like an unearthed relic; some newly discovered silent film from an experimental filmmaker from a century past.
Hango sa pangatlong, di-natapos na nobela ni Jose Rizal, na na-diskubre nung 1987. Isang paring Español (Khavn) at makatang Filipino (John Lloyd Cruz) ay parehong nanliligaw sa isang babaeng Amerikano (Lilith Strangenberg) na nababaliw. Gumamit ang pelikula ng panis na film stock, na siyang piniturahan at ginasgas nang mano-mano. Ang Makamisa: Pastasma ng Higanti ay nagmumukhang bagong tuklas na silent film mula sa isang experimental filmmaker mula sa nakalipas na siglo.
Room in a Crowd
Accompanied by a special live performance. Filmmaker John Torres stitches together disparate footage taken during lockdown – among them video submissions from his students, Zoom recordings with his daughter, dashcam video from an ambushed journalist, and commercial stock footage – assembling them into a diaristic collage that serves as a personal documentary of an artist’s journey into a new phase of life.
May kasamang special live performance. Ang direktor na si John Torres ay naghabi ng mga iba’t-ibang footage na kinuha noong lockdown – mga video submission mula sa mga studyante, mga Zoom recording kasama ang kanyang anak, dashcam video mula sa mamahayag na inambush, at commercial stock footage – upang makabuo ng diaristic collage na nagiging dokyumentaryong personal ng pagdating ng mga yugto ng buhay.
Kidnapped: The Abduction of Edgardo Mortara
Recounts the true story of Edgardo Montara, a Jewish child from Bologna who in 1858 was abducted by the Catholic Church due to having been secretly baptized by his family’s Christian maid back when he was an infant. Montara was taken to Rome, where he would end up being raised and tutored personally by Pope Pius IX, who sought to preserve the primacy of the Church and its laws. This choice would prove to be controversial, causing an uproar that reverberated throughout Italy and Europe.
Ikinikwento ang buhay ni Edgardo Montara, isang Hudyong bata galing sa Bologna na dinakip ng Simbahan noong 1858, nang malaman na lihim siyang bininyagan ng Kristyanong kasambahay ng kanyang pamilya. Dinala si Montara sa Roma, kung saan ipinalaki siya at tinuruan ni Papa Pius IX, na umasang mapanatili ang kapangyarihan ng simbahan at ang kanyang mga batas. Magiging kontrobersyal ito, at magiging dahilan ng gulo na umusbong sa Italy at buong Europe.
My Summer with Irène
Shy Clara (Maria Camilla Brandenburg) meets the outgoing Irène (Noée Abita) at a summer camp organized by the hospital where they are both being treated. The two seventeen-year-olds form a quick bond, in spite of the differences in their personality. The two impulsively decide to go on a trip together to Sicily, putting off their return to their families, and instead going on a journey to discover who they really are, and what they want out of this tragically short life.
Nakilala ng mahinhin na si Clara (Maria Camilla Brandenburg) si Irène (Noée Abita) sa isang summer camp na gawa ng ospital kung saan sila ginagamot. Kahit magkaiba ang kanila personalidad, naging magkaibigan ang dalawa. Biglaan nilang napagdesisyunan na pumunta sa Sicily, at hindi muna bumalik sa kanilang mga pamilya. Sa halip, naglakbay sila para matutunan kung sino sila talaga, at kung ang kanilang nais sa kanilang mga maikling buhay.
Palazzina Laf
Based on a true story. Set in 1997, the film follows cleaner Caterina Lamanna (played by director Michele RIondino), who works in the massive Ilva Steelworks in Taranto. He is forced by his superior to spy on his co-workers, reporting on any talk that might prove detrimental to the company and its bottom line. What he finds along the way is a systematic attempt by the company to psychologically crush its employees, the revelation of which would set an important precedent in Italian labor laws.
Hango sa totoong pangyayari. Sinunsundan ng pelikula ang tagalinis na si Caterina Lamanna (ginaganap ng direktor na si Michele Riondino) na nagtatrabaho sa Ilva Steelworks sa Taranto. Pinilit siya ng kanyang boss na pagmasdan ang mga katrabaho niya, at magsumbong tungkol sa kahit anong pag-uusap na pwede maging pahirap sa kompanya at sa kanyang kita. Ang nahanap niya ay sistematikong proseso para maipit ang mga empleyado, na siyang naging basehan para sa mga batas maggagawa sa Italy.