While Mike De Leon is being honored with a retrospective at The Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan, his 1976 film—which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May–is also being shown at the 10th iteration of the QCinema International Film Festival.
Happening from Nov. 17 until Nov. 26, QCinema will feature films from all over the world, with some, like the Cannes big winner starring Filipina actor Dolly De Leon “Triangle of Sadness” screening for the first time in the country.
Other than De Leon, Filipino actors also made notable performances in international films this year. These include Chai Fonacier in Filipino-Irish psychological thriller film “Nocebo” by Lorcan Finnegan and Soliman Cruz in the true-to-life thriller “To the North” by Mihai Mincan. Both movies will also be shown at QCinema this year.
Noted Filipino auteur Lav Diaz is also screening at QCinema with another project with actor John Loyd Cruz, a nearly three-hour movie shot in 16mm black and white film called “Kapag Wala Nang Mga Alon (When the Waves are Gone).” The film, which premiered at the 79th Venice International Film Festival in September, follows a police investigator in the middle of a bloody drug war. “It is about a police investigator whose soul is sinking in an abyss of guilt and shame because of the mass murders perpetrated by his own institution,” he told Inquirer in July.
The film festival is one of the few events that are resuming its in-person nature this year. Audiences can watch the festival’s lineup at select cinemas, namely Gateway Cineplex, Trinoma Cinemas, the new Cinema ’76 in Tomas Morato, Rockwell Power Plant Cinema, and SM North EDSA.
Just as QCinema has become synonymous with bringing international films to the country, it has also become a breeding ground for budding filmmakers and their experimental works. This year, six short films will be screened in the QCShorts category:
- “Ang Pagliligtas sa Dalagang Bukid” by Jaime Morados
- “Bold Eagle” by Whammy Alcazaren
- “Luzonensis mula 7 hanggang 9” by Glenn Barit
- “Mga Tigre ng Infanta” by Rocky De Guzman Morilla
- “Ngatta Naddaki y Nuang? (Why did the Carabao cross the Carayan?)” by Austin Tan
- “sa ilog na hindi nagtatapos” by JT Trinidad
Meanwhile, joining “Triangle of Sadness” in its Philippine debut is Luca Guadagnino’s post-apocalyptic coming-of-age romantic cannibal road film “Bones and All” starring Timothée Chalamet and Taylor Russell.
Fans of Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar-wai will also be treated with the digitally restored 2000 classic “In the Mood for Love.”
A QCinema festival pass, which entitles its holder to five screenings as well as official merch, is now up for sale for P1,500. But lucky for you, two QCinema films (“Next Sohee” by July Jung and “The Damned don’t Cry” by Fyzal Boulifa) are also showing for free at Gateway Cineplex in Cubao.
Students, senior citizens, persons with disability, and Quezon City residents with QCitizen IDs are also entitled to a 20 percent discount on tickets.
And don’t worry if you miss it this time, or if you’re still adamant about going to the theater, some like QCinema’s queer cinema lineup RainbowQC shorts made up of six LGBTQ short films from previous festival editions will also be available to stream on Vivamax VOD streaming platform.