QCinema International Film Festival is upon us again. Running from Nov. 17 to 26, its 11th edition is already creating buzz for its new sections and programs, as well as the addition of festival award-winning films and Oscar entries (screening in the country for the first time!) to its roster.
This year, the 10-day festival will feature 60+ titles, divided into 10 sections, including three competition sections: the main competition section Asian Next Wave, and two others for short films, QCShorts and QCSEA.
The newest addition to the festival, QCSEA, will feature 10 shorts from Southeast Asia in competition.
QCinema’s documentary section is also back and is now called QCDox. Its lineup includes “National Anarchist: Lino Brocka” by Khavn, which compiles everything the National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts has ever made that is still available in whatever format, however dilapidated.
Two new adjacent features will also debut this year: QCinema Project Market (QPM) that will connect promising projects from the Philippines and the rest of Asia with producers to help give these films funding, and The QCinema Young Film Critics Lab that will offer young Filipinos interested in creating film content access to industry professionals to help foster their burgeoning careers.
Speaking of making cinema even more accessible to everyone, selected screenings at this year’s QCinema are free.
Here is a list of free screenings across QCinema 2023 locations Gateway Mall, Robinsons Magnolia, UP Town Center, Shangri-La Plaza, and Power Plant Mall:
Nov. 22, Wednesday
“National Anarchist: Lino Brocka”
With question and answer
1 p.m., Gateway Cinema 1
“Nowhere Near”
1:30 p.m., Gateway Cinema 2
QCShorts Program
With question and answer
1 p.m., Robinsons Magnolia
QCSEA Shorts Program 1
With question and answer
1:30 p.m. Power Plant Cinema 6
Nov. 23, Thursday
“Divine Factory”
1 p.m., Gateway Cinema 1
Nov. 24, Friday
QCSEA Shorts Program 1
1 p.m. Shangri-La Cinema 3
Nov. 25, Saturday
LGBTQ Shorts Program
5:05 p.m. Shangri-La Cinema3
For tickets and the full schedule, visit QCinema’s website.
