QCinema International Film Festival 2019: Everything you need to know

QCinema International Film Festival returns for its 7th edition this October 13 to 22, 2019.  The annual film festival organized by the Quezon City Film Development Commission (QCFDC) will be featuring more than 70 movies this year.

VENUES 

QCinema will be held in various cinemas in Quezon City, comprised of Gateway Cineplex 10, Robinsons Galleria, Trinoma Mall, UPFI Cine Adarna, Cinema ’76 Anonas, and Cinema Centennario.

ASIAN NEXT WAVE

QCinema is rebranding its main competition with Asian Next Wave, which will now feature works done by Filipino filmmakers. The three Filipino films selected and received ₱1,500,000 grants for production are:

• "Kaaway sa Sulod" by Arnel Barbarona

Arnel Barbarona's "Kaaway sa Sulod"

• "Babae at Baril" by Rae Red

Rae Red's "Babae at Baril"

• "The Cleaners" by Glenn Barit

Glenn Barit's "Cleaners"

These films will be competing against other Asian titles comprised of:

• "Ave Maryam" by Robby Ertanto (Indonesia)

Robby Ertanto's "Ave Maryam"

• "Fly By Night" by Zahir Omar (Malaysia)

Zahir Omar's "Fly By Night"

• "Nakorn-Sawan" by Puangsoi Aksornsawang (Thailand, Germany)

Puangsoi Aksornsawang's "Nakorn-Sawan"

• "Suburban Birds" by Sheng Qiu (China)

Sheng Qiu's "Suburban Birds"

• "The Long Walk" by Mattie Do (Laos)

Mattie Do's "The Long Walk"

QC SHORTS

Che Tagyamon's "Judy Free"

QC Shorts returns to QCinema after a one-year hiatus last 2018. This year’s edition will feature six (6) short films, each of which received a seed grant worth ₱200,000.
• “Excuse Me Miss, Miss, Miss” by Sonny Calvento
• “Here, Here!” by Joanne Cesario
• “Isang Daa’t Isang Mariposa” by Norvin De los Santos
• “Judy Free” by Che Tagyamon
• “SPID” by Alejo Barbaza & Mervine Aquino
• “Tokwifi” by Carla Ocampo

DocQC DOCUMENTARIES

Jet Leyco's "For My Alien Friend"

QCinema will feature six documentaries coming from various parts of the world. Three documentaries of this year’s selection, coming from Filipino filmmakers, received a seed grant worth ₱500,000.

• “A is for Agustin” by Grace Simbulan (Philippines)
• “For My Alien Friend” by Jet Leyco (Philippines)
• “Spring by the Sea” by Aleia Garcia (Philippines)
• “Kabul, City in the Wind” by Aboozar Amini (Afghanistan)
• “Talking About Trees” by Suhaib Gasmelbari (Sudan)
• “The Future Cries Beneath Our Soil by Pham Thu Hang (Vietnam)

OPENING AND CLOSING FILM

Sigrid Bernardo's  "Untrue"

Sigrid Andrea Bernardo’s “Untrue,” the Xian Lim-Christine Reyes starrer about a couple with a dark, complicated past, opens this year’s QCinema via an invitational world premiere this October 13 (7PM) at Gateway Cineplex.

Anthony Chen's "Wet Seassn"

Award-winning Singaporean filmmaker Anthony Chen’s latest film “Wet Season” closes the festivities this October 22 (9PM) at Gateway Cineplex. The film is co-produced by HOOQ. 

SCREEN INTERNATIONAL 

Midi Z's "Nina Wu"

Screen International features awarded titles from Cannes and Berlin

• “Bacurau” by Kleber Mendonca Filho and Juliano Dornelles (Brazil)
• “Beanpole” by Kantemir Balagov (Russia)
• “By the Grace of God” by Francois Ozon (France, Belgium)
• “Frankie” by Ira Sachs (France)
• “God Exists Her Name is Petrunya” by Teona Mitevska (Macedonia)
• “High Life” by Claire Denis (France)
• “Nina Wu” by Midi Z (Taiwan)
• “On A Magical Night” by Christophe Honore (France)
• “Synonyms” by Nadav Lapid (France, Israel) 
• “The Whistlers” by Corneliu Porumboiu (Romania)

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

Francis Ford Coppola's "Apocalypse Now: The Final Cut"

A showcase of acclaimed titles from all over the globe.

• “Lingua Franca” by Isabel Sandoval (Philippines, USA)
• “Dogs Don’t Wear Pants” by J.-P. Valkeapää (Finland)
• “Top End Wedding” by Wayne Blair (Australia) 
• “No Data Plan” by Miko Revereza (Philippines, USA)
• “The Cave” by Tom Waller (Thailand)
• “Krabi, 2562” by Ben Rivers and Anocha Suwichakornpong (Thailand)
• “A Girl Missing” by Koji Fukada (Japan)
• “Vitalina Varela” by Pedro Costa (Portugal)
• “Apocalyse Now: The Final Cut” by Francis Ford Coppola (USA)

Rounding this section is a Flickerfest, a special program of Australian short films sponsored by the Australian Embassy.

NEW HORIZONS

Erwan De Luc's "The Bare Nexessity"

New Horizons highlight the impressive debut or sophomore films of promising filmmakers from all over the globe.

• “The Bare Necessity” by Erwan De Luc (France)
• “Buoyancy” by Rodd Rathjen (Australia)
• “Chola” by Sanal Kumar Sasidharan (India)
• “Homeward” by Nariman Aliev (Ukraine)
• “The Red Phallus” by Tashi Gyeltshen (Bhutan)
• “System Crasher” by Nora Fingscheidt (Germany)

RAINBOWQC

Santiago Loza's "Brief Story from the Green Planet"

QCinema’s dedicated section for the stories of LGBTQIA+.

• “And Then We Danced” by Levan Akin (Sweden, Georgia)
• “Brief Story from the Green Planet” by Santiago Loza (Argentina)
• “José” by Li Cheng (Guetamala)
• “Port Authority” by Danielle Lessovitz (France)
• “Song Lang” by Leon Le (Vietnam)
• “Where We Belong” by Kongdej Jaturanrasamee (Thailand)

CENTENNIAL CLASSICS

Gregorio Fernandez's "Malvarosa"

In lieu of the centennial celebration of Philippine Cinema, restored Filipino titles from various decades will be screened.

• “Biyaya ng Lupa” by Manuel Silos
• “Insiang” by Lino Brocka
• “Malvarosa” by Gregorio Fernandez
• “Maynila sa Kuko ng Liwanag” by Lino Brocka
• “Noli Me Tangere” by Gerardo de Leon
• “Tisoy!” by Ishmael Bernal

Three classic titles from Viva Entertainment is also one of the highlights under this section. One of the studio’s founding figures, Vicente del Rosario, Jr., is set to receive a Special Life Achievement Award.

Joel Lamangan's "The Flor Contenplacion Story"

• “Bituing Walang Ningning” by Emmanuel H. Borlaza
• “The Flor Contemplacion Story” by Joel Lamangan
• “Working Girls” by Ishmael Bernal

SCHEDULE

The full schedule of all screenings is now posted here.

TICKET PRICE AND FESTIVAL PASSES

Admission for one (1) regular screening is ₱200. Select exhibition titles such as “Flickerfest” will be free for the public.

Festival passes are now available here, priced at ₱1,000 (good for 5 screenings, with QCinema tote bag and notebook) and ₱2,000 (good for 10 screenings, with QCinema tote bag, t-shirt and cable organizer).