SUMMARY
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MANILA, Philippines – For its 3rd edition, QCinema International Film Festival has expanded its program to include 8 brand new feature length films from an exciting roster of directors, more than half of which are first time feature filmmakers, and 5 intriguing documentaries that tackle diverse topics.
The 13 new films will of course be accompanied by top films from around the world that have prominently been featured in prestigious film fests.
The QCinema Film Festival will be from October 22- 31, with screenings at Gateway, Trinoma, and Robinson’s Galleria. For more information, click here.
The 8 Circle Competition Films are:
Water Lemon
A grieving widow, a socially-handicapped genius, a helpless granpa connect and disconnect to create bumps in their flatline coastal lives. #qcinema2015 #circlecompetition
Posted by QCinema on Saturday, 17 October 2015
Director: Lem Lorca
Synopsis: A grieving widow, a socially handicapped genius, a helpless grandpa connect and disconnect to create bumps in their flatline coastal town lives.
Why you should get excited: With Intoy Shokoy ng Kalye Marino (2012) and Mauban: Ang Resiko (2014), director Lem Lorca has exhibited his knack for exploring the lives of men and women engulfed by personal and social miseries. Based on its synopsis, Water Lemon seems to be of the same mold, with Lorca revisiting his hometown of Mauban to further examine rural truths underneath all the drama.
Kapatiran
Director: Pepe Diokno
Synopsis: In an elite law school fraternity, ironically, law is out of the question. Kapatiran follows a week in the lives of a neophyte, a master, and a lawyer alumnus, and crosses the lines of money, power and connections within Manila’s society. This all culminates on a Sunday, at the grand final initiation rites of the brotherhood.
Why you should get excited: Pepe Diokno expands the cinematic lore on fraternities by focusing not on the hazing but on the personal and societal motivations of joining a fraternity.
He sets his eyes on the legal profession, which has been predominantly lorded over by men and women who are bonded by brotherhood and sisterhood. Diokno, who in Engkwentro (2009) has shown how uncompromising he is when it comes to political and social issues, is bound to ruffle a few feathers given that the topic of his film seems to close to reality.
Iisa
“Iisa” by Chuck Gutierrez is a thriller about a never-ending war, a town ravaged by a devastating storm and the woman caught in between. Gutierrez is a multi-awarded film editor and producer and is co-founder of Voyage Studios together with Babyruth Gutierrez. This marks Gutierrez’ first feature as director, with last year’s QCinema grantee, Arnel Mardoquio as co-writer. #qcinema2015
Posted by QCinema on Saturday, 10 October 2015
Director: Chuck Gutierrez
Synopsis: A thriller about a never-ending war, a town ravaged by a devastating storm and the woman caught in between.
Why you should get excited: Chuck Gutierrez has served as editor for Arnel Mardoquio in Riddles of My Homecoming (2013) and Alienasyon (2014). With Iisa, Gutierrez will now serve as the director of a screenplay written by the award-winning filmmaker.
This is a collaboration that is worth looking forward to, considering that Mardoquio is known for how he frames his political statements in enduring narratives that break boundaries, while Gutierrez is doubtlessly an impassioned craftsman.
Patintero: Ang Alamat ni Meng Patalo
Another debuting filmmaker is Mihk Vergara with “Patintero: Ang Alamat ni Meng Patalo." This first feature is about a young neighborhood underdog or a “patalo” who assembles an unlikely team of losers to join her in the ultimate battle for the streets: patintero. Vergara previously worked as director of the TV series, “Rakista” as well as music videos. #qcinema2015
Posted by QCinema on Saturday, 10 October 2015
Director: Mihk Vergara
Synopsis: “A young neighbourhood ‘patalo‘ assembles an unlikely team of losers to join her in the ultimate battle for the streets: patintero.”
Why you should get excited: Replace patintero with soccer and the synopsis would eerily seem to refer to Stephen Chow’s Shaolin Soccer. However, patintero is what makes all the difference. It is this mix of a game that is endemic to the Philippines and a narrative that is too ripe for the comedic machinations of Mihk Vergara that will essentially be the game changer here.
Gayuma
GAYUMA (QCinema 2015) Teaser#QCinema2015: GAYUMA is dark tale of fatal obsession and erotic passion that centers on a young student artist mesmerized by a beautiful and mysterious figure drawing model in his art school. Mike is a young student artist at the UP College of Fine Arts. He is happy with his relationship with his girlfriend named Joy who is also a student taking up a film course. A beautiful and mysterious figure drawing model in their school catches his attention and is slowly drawn to her. He gets to meet her finally whose name is Stella, but Stella is quite elusive. Mike’s curiosity slowly turns into obsession that leads to a discovery of a dark heritage and ends in deep erotic passion linked from his family’s roots.Starring Benjamin Alves, Elora EspañoWritten and directed by Cesar HernandoGayuma is an official entry to QCinema International Film Festival 2015.
Posted by Cinema Bravo on Sunday, 18 October 2015
Director: Cesar Hernando
Synopsis: Mike is a young student artist mesmerized by a beautiful, seductive, and mysterious figure drawing model in his art school. The curiosity and attention turn into a fatal obsession that ends in deep and erotic passion.
Why you should get excited: Cesar Hernando is a legend. He didn’t need to direct a feature length film to become such legend, since his production design work with Mike de Leon, Raymond Red, and Lav Diaz has given the country classics such as Kisapmata (1981), Bayani (1992), and Batang West Side (2001). Gayuma is the long awaited debut of such a prized artist and that is enough reason for extreme excitement and grand expectations.
Sleepless
Two former freelance writers from Star Cinema, Prime Cruz and Jen Chuaunsu, collaborate for their first feature, “Sleepless,” an offbeat rom-com on two insomniacs. It charts how they start to bond while the rest of the world sleeps. Drawn together by their nocturnal loneliness, they talk about love, zombies and everything in between.
Posted by QCinema on Saturday, 10 October 2015
Director: Prime Cruz
Synopsis: An offbeat rom-com about two insomniacs, the film charts how they start to bond while the rest of the world sleeps. Drawn together by nocturnal loneliness, they talk about love, zombies and everything in between.
Why you should get excited: This has shades of That Thing Called Tadhana with its focus on conversations instead of artificial moments to elicit emotions. Prime Cruz and writer Jen Chuaunsu, who are both writers for Star Cinema, are bent on breaking the rules when it comes to local romances by turning lovers out of the most unexpected people and making passionate monuments out of the unlikeliest of settings.
Matangtubig
Jet Leyco’s “Matangtubig” tells the story of how a violent crime disrupts a quaint rural town in Batangas. A girl’s dead body is discovered and puts the whole town on trial while the former’s companion remains missing. The ensuing media spectacle slowly exposes the town’s secrets. As they celebrate its yearly festival by the lake, an unknowing sleeping evil unravels and haunts the townsfolk. A freelance documentary producer for ABS-CBN, Leyco has two previous films to his directorial credit, including “Bukas Na Lang Sapagkat Gabi Na” (2013). #qcinema2015
Posted by QCinema on Saturday, 10 October 2015
Director: Jet Leyco
Synopsis: Matangtubig is about how a violent crime disrupts a quaint town in Batangas. A girl’s dead body is discovered and puts the whole town on trial while the former’s companion remains missing. The ensuing media spectacle slowly exposes the town’s secrets. As they celebrate its yearly festival by the lake, an unknowing sleeping evil unravels and haunts the townsfolk.
Why you should get excited: Jet Leyco’s Bukas Na Lang Sapagkat Gabi Na (2013), the Best Picture winner of the 2013 edition of the Cinema One Originals Film Festival, is a mesmerizing tableau of political, social, personal, and fantastical elements woven together into something as utterly mesmerizing as it is confrontational.
Leyco is a rare filmmaker who is able to intertwine his advocacies with his cinematic experimentations without getting lost in obscurity.
Apocalypse Child
Apocalypse Child is a partnership between director Mario Cornejo and producer Monster Jimenez, who have collaborated on movies since their first film, “Big Time” at the 2005 Cinemalaya Film Festival. The film is set in surfing town of Baler where Ford is wasting his youth away. Named after Francis Ford Coppola, Ford’s mother continuously hopes that the Hollywood director would someday acknowledge her son. As another surfing season is ending, he is forced to confront his past, including the myths about his life. #qcinema2015
Posted by QCinema on Friday, 9 October 2015
Director: Monster Jimenez & Mario Cornejo
Synopsis: The film is set in surfing town of Baler where Ford is wasting his youth away. Named after Francis Ford Coppola, Ford’s mother continuously hopes that the Hollywood director would someday acknowledge her son. As another surfing season is ending, he is forced to confront his past, including the myths about his life.
Why you should get excited: Mario Cornejo & Monster Jimenez’s Big Time (2005) remains to be one of the most entertaining, and thus severely underrated, films to have come out of Cinemalaya. After Big Time, Cornejo went on to make First Day High, which while charming is burdened by being a Star Cinema product.
Jimenez, on the other hand, concentrated on creating documentaries such as Kano: An American and His Harem (2010). Apocalypse Child seems to be the perfect venue for that collaboration that will remind us why Big Time is such a hoot even after several years.
The 5 DoQC documentaries are:
Of Cats, Dogs, Farm Animals, and Sashimi
“Of Cats, Dogs, Farm Animals, and Sashimi’ is a slice-of-life documentary of the rubber plantation boys in Zamboanga Sibugay. It’s about boyhood journeys and life’s realities told in a free-spirited, yet melancholic manner. Perry Dizon, the filmmaker, is an actor and production designer from Mindanao. He was a member of the Sining Kambayoka theater group and has been a long-time collaborator of Lav Diaz. #qcinema2015
Posted by QCinema on Monday, 12 October 2015
Director: Perry Dizon
Description: Of Cats, Dogs, Farm Animals, and Sashimi is a slice-of-life documentary of the rubber plantation boys in Zamboanga Sibugay. It is about boyhood journeys and life’s realities told in a free-spirited, yet melancholic manner.
About the Director: Perry Dizon is an actor and production designer from Mindanao. He was a member of the Sining Kambayoka theater group and has been a long-time collaborator of Lav Diaz.
The Crescent Rising
“The Crescent Rising” by Sheron Dayoc presents three portraits of different lives caught in crossfire of unwavering faith and ambiguous histories to create a tapestry of Mindanao’s forgotten people. Born and raised in Zamboanga City, Sheron Dayoc’s debut film from Cinemalaya 2011, “Halaw/Ways of the Sea”, won the NETPAC Award at the 2011 Asia Pacific Screen Awards and Special Mention at the 2011 Berlinale. #qcinema2015
Posted by QCinema on Monday, 12 October 2015
Director: Sheron Dayoc
Description: The Crescent Rising presents three portraits of different lives caught in crossfire of unwavering faith and ambiguous histories to create a tapestry of Mindanao’s forgotten people.”
About the Director: Born and raised in Zamboanga City, Sheron Dayoc’s debut film from Cinemalaya 2011, Halaw/Ways of the Sea, won the NETPAC Award at the 2011 Asia Pacific Screen Awards and Special Mention at the 2011 Berlinale.
Audio Perpetua
“Audio Perpetua” by Universe Baldoza is a series of audio recordings that present an unseen America. This documentary feature unfolds through the eyes of eavesdroppers from the tropics. Universe Baldoza is a filmmaker and video artist from Manila. She completed her screenwriting residency in the Asean-in-Residence programme in Thailand and participated in the DocNet SouthEast Asia’s Summer School, the Berlinale Talents Doc Station and Script Station. #qcinema2015
Posted by QCinema on Monday, 12 October 2015
Director: Universe Baldoza
Description: “Audio Perpetua is a series of audio recordings that present an unseen America. This documentary feature unfolds through the eyes of eavesdroppers from the tropics.”
About the Director: Universe Baldoza is a filmmaker and video artist from Manila. She completed her screenwriting residency in the Asean-in-Residence programme in Thailand and participated in the DocNet SouthEast Asia’s Summer School, the Berlinale Talents Doc Station and Script Station.
Translacion: Ang Paglakas sa Altar ng Alanganin
“Traslacion: Ang Paglakad sa Altar ng Alanganin” focuses on four LGBT couples and their stand on equality and the right to marry. This documentary addresses their complicated quests in defining themselves within a conservative society.Will Fredo has directed three independent features under HUBO Productions which he founded. He took up filmmaking in the New York Film Academy and divides his time between Seattle and Manila. #qcinema2015
Posted by QCinema on Sunday, 11 October 2015
Director: Will Fredo
Description: Traslacion: Ang Paglakad sa Altar ng Alanganin focuses on 4 LGBT couples and their stand on equality and the right to marry. This documentary addresses their complicated quests in defining themselves within a conservative society.
About the Director: Will Fredo has directed 3 independent features under HUBO Productions which he founded. He took up filmmaking in the New York Film Academy and divides his time between Seattle and Manila.
Bingat
Mula sa inisyal na pagsubaybay sa paghuhukay ng mga arkiyologo ng mga labi ng nakaraan at pagsusulong ng adbokasiya ng pamanang lahi ay lumampas sa nahalungkat na material na labi ng kasaysayan ang natisod at naging katauhan ng dokumentaryong Bingat. Hindi na lamang ito maisisilid bilang naratibo ng pagturol sa pamanang lahi ngunit, higit dito’y, paghuhukay din sa larangan ng gunita at mga pag-alaalang nagbibigay tining sa saysay ng mga mumunting bingat sa pag-unawa ng salpukan ng ngayon, nagdaan at kung ano ang dakong paroon. Paghuhukay ito ng mga kuwentong bagamat sabayang nagsasalimbayan at nagsasalungatan ay konkretong manipestasyon kung paano ginugunita ng mga gumugunita ang nalalabing mga alaala ukol sa kani-kanilang pag-iral—pagbatid man ito sa nagdaan o pagdanas sa siyang nagaganap. Paghahanap ito ng mga gunita at ng mga kuwentong naisilid at unti-unti ng naibabaon ang saysay sa rumaragasang daigdig ng paglimot. Salaysay ito ng mga gunita ng mga tiga sityo Tuhian, Catanauan, Quezon. Salaysay ito ng mga residente, arkiyologo, at mga manlilikha ng dokumentaryo na may kanya kanyang taya sa pag-alala’t paggunita. #qcinema2015 #doqc
Posted by QCinema on Saturday, 17 October 2015
Directors: Choy Pangilinan, Brian Quesada, Joolia Demigillo & Abet Umil
Description: Bingat documents the archeological diggings in a remote barrio. It unearths the individual and collective recollections of archeologists and the local residents of Cabanatuan, Quezon. Its intertwining tales become a tapestry of relentless socio-cultural and historical amnesia.
About the Directors: Choy Pangilinan and Brian Quesada are both lecturers in the UP Film Institute. Joolia Demigillo is anthropology major in UP Diliman, while and Abet Umil is an award winning poet and filmmaker.
Will you be catching the films in the lineup this year? Which one are you most excited to see? Let us know in the comments below. – Rappler.com
All the films’ synopses are from QCinema International Film Festival.
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