As part of Quezon City’s continuing role in shaping Philippine cinema, its homegrown film event, the QCinema International Film Festival, has officially unveiled its full lineup for its 13th edition.
With the theme “Film City,” this year’s festival brings together global and local filmmaking talent across nine full-length sections and five shorts programs. Many of this year’s entries turn the camera inward, featuring stories about storytellers and films about the art of filmmaking itself.
Opening the festival is Couture by Alice Winocour, starring Angelina Jolie, a film-within-a-film about an American filmmaker in Paris during Fashion Week.
Competition Sections
Leading the lineup are four competition categories: Asian Next Wave, RainbowQC, New Horizons, and QCShorts International.
The Asian Next Wave competition features entries from across the region, including Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke’s A Useful Ghost (Thailand, France, Singapore, Germany), Janus Victoria’s Diamonds in the Sand (Japan, Malaysia, Philippines), and Nigel Santos’ Open Endings (Philippines). The section’s Best Film winner will close the festival.
The RainbowQC section highlights queer cinema with titles such as 3670 by Park Joon-Ho (South Korea), Bel Ami by Geng Jun (France, Taiwan), and Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingoes by Diego Céspedes (Chile).
In New Horizons, the festival showcases daring first and second features, including Kristen Stewart’s Chronology of Water (USA, France, Latvia), Lloyd Lee Choi’s Lucky Lu (Canada, USA), and Reza Rahadian’s On Your Lap (Indonesia).
The QCShorts International competition presents 21 short films, including six world premieres from Filipino grantees such as Norvin de los Santos’ Hoy, Hoy, Ingat!, Racquel “Lysa” Catolico and Jazmine Gin Pateña’s RUNO!, and The Serrano Sisters’ Surface Tension.
Exhibition Sections
Beyond competition, QCinema’s exhibition lineup underscores the diversity of world cinema.
The Screen International section features acclaimed titles such as Divine Comedy by Ali Asgari (Iran, Italy, France, Germany, Turkey), Hamnet by Chloé Zhao (USA, UK), and Once Upon a Time in Gaza by Tarzan and Arab Nasser (Palestine, France).
Before Midnight showcases restored and rediscovered works, including The Garden of Earthly Delights by Morgan Knibbe (Netherlands, Philippines, Belgium) and Rabbit Trap by Bryn Chainey (USA, UK).
Rediscovery revives cult classics Almost Famous by Cameron Crowe, Linda Linda Linda by Nobuhiro Yamashita, and Showgirls by Paul Verhoeven.
QC Selects highlights Filipino and regional titles that made waves abroad, including Erik Matti’s Call My Manager, Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit’s Human Resource (Thailand), and Lakambini: Gregoria de Jesus by Arjanmar Rebeta and Jeffrey Jeturian.
Two new sections debut this year: Dokyu Days, a showcase of nonfiction storytelling, and Focus On: Sandra Hüller, honoring the acclaimed German actress.
Now in its 13th year, QCinema continues to strengthen Quezon City’s position as the hub of Philippine film culture, bridging local voices and global cinema.
