@QCIFF
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BY KARA SANTOS of Philstar.com
The QCinema International Film Festival is slated from November 17 - 26, 2022, will feature 58 films, including six short film production grantees, with seven sections of full-length films and three shorts programs. The festival this year, dubbed in10City, will employ a hybrid setup with screenings in select cinemas in Quezon City and Makati as well as online.
Bookending the festival, is the much-awaited screening of two acclaimed European films with notable performances by Filipino thespians, which were revealed in a press conference Thursday, Nov. 3.
Meanwhile, the closing film is Venice Film Festival entry To The North by Romanian director Mihai Mincan, starring Soliman Cruz.
Based on a true story, the film features Joel, a religious Filipino sailor, who discovers Dumitru, a Romanian stowaway hidden between some containers during a transatlantic ship's voyage. If he is spotted by the Taiwanese officers running the vessel, Dumitru risks being thrown overboard. Joel decides to hide him, as a sign of his gratitude towards God. Soon, a dangerous cat and mouse game begins.
Competition section
Asian Next Wave
Elehiya by Loy Arcenas, which showcases the late iconic actress Cherie Gil in her last screen performance, is making its world premiere at QCinema 2022.
Speaking with media on the sidelines of the press conference, the award-winning director who helmed the 2017 Philippine musical film Ang Larawan (The Portrait) said they were not aware that it would be Gil's last film when they finished shooting in 2018. He said he loved working with the late actress on the set, and that the poignant film is certainly "one of Gil’s best performances."
Originally titled as Mirador, Elehiya chronicles the downward spiral of Dr. Celine de Miranda (played by Gil), as she tries to piece together the shattered remains of a childless marriage.
“Death leaves behind many unanswered questions, some beautiful and some painful. I will always treasure the zest that Cherie poured into her life and art. She is stunning in the film and Elehiya will be her exquisite swan song,” said Arcenas.
Another Filipino title to look forward to is 12 Weeks by Anna Isabelle Matutina starring Max Eigenmann, which won the NETPAC Award in the recent Cinemalaya 2022. 12 Weeks is a coming-of-age film about Alice, a humanitarian worker in her 40s who discovers she is pregnant, just right after she has broken up with her much-younger boyfriend. The role bagged a Best Actress award for Eigenmann, who dedicated the win to her aunt Cherie Gil.
Other films under the Asian Wave category include:
Ajoomma by Shuming He (Singapore)
Plan 75 by Chie Hayakawa (Japan)
Return to Seoul by Davy Chou (South Korea)
Arnold is a Model Student by Sorayos Prapapan (Thailand) • Arnold Is A Model STUDENT Q & a (Sorayos P...
Autobiography by Makbul Mubarak (Indonesia)
QCinema short films
Six films competing in the QCinema short films section this year received production grants of P350,000 each. These films are:
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
The winners for the long and short film competition will be announced on the Awards night on November 23, 2022.
Exhibition Section
RainbowQC
Joyland by Saim Sadiq
Angry Son by Kasho Iizuka
You Can Live Forever by Mark Slutsky and Sarah Watts
Stranger By The Lake by Alain Guiraudie
Portrait of a Lady on Fire by Céline Sciamma
Billie And Emma
The Divide
RainbowQC Shorts:
#QCShorts 2021 Best Picture i get so sad sometimes by Trishtan Perez
#QCShorts 2019 film Isang Daa't Isang Mariposa by Norvin delos Santos
2021 silent film Alingasngas ng mga Kuliglig by Vahn Leinard Pascual
Dikit by Gabriela Serrano
QCinema Asian Shorts film entry How to Die Young in Manila by Petersen Vargas
Special Screenings
The Sales Girl by Janchivdorj Sengedorj
Love Life by Kōji Fukada
The Damned Don't Cry by Fyzal Boulifa
When The Waves Are Gone or Kapag Wala Nang Mga Alon by Lav Diaz • Lav Diaz's When The Waves Are Gone Q & A i...
QCinema film festival returns with midnight series including Chai Fonacier-starred 'Nocebo'
Midnight Series
As a treat for lovers of genre and fantasy movies, QCinema is relaunching its Midnight Series section, the late-night festival screenings, with three chilling titles, including one which stars Filipina actress Chai Fonacier, with themes of traditional folk healing.
Nocebo revolves around fashion designer (Eva Green), who’s suffering from a mysterious illness. A Filipino caregiver (Fonacier) arrives and soon offers traditional folk healing. The immediate recovery of Green’s character soon leads to a revelation of a horrifying truth..