Quezon City launches QCinema Film Fest

MANILA, Philippines – Quezon City is gearing up to become the country’s “Film Capital,” said the organizers of the ongoing QCity Film Festival being held until 5 at Trinoma Mall Cinemas.

Given that Quezon City is home to major broadcast and film corporations, the Quezon City Film Development Commission (QCFDC) had thought of furthering the city’s potential to be the center of the filmmaking and media community.

The first-ever QCinema Film Festival hopes to encourage and help emerging filmmakers turn their vision into well-crafted movies, inspired by such values as nationalism, gender sensitivity, freedom, and excellence.

Aside from the aforementioned themes, an essential requirement for the entries is that their team or crew must include at least one bona fide resident of Quezon City.

The selected filmmakers were each given a grant of P800,000 and a year to turn their scripts into full-length films. Only 3 films make up the pioneering batch of entries, but the QCFDC hopes to fund more films in the future.

New Breed entries from the recent Cinemalaya Film Festival will also be shown alongside the official films.

Tickets are sold for P100. The complete screening schedule may be found on the QCFDC Facebook.

The entries are as follows:

“Lucas Nino” by John Torres

John Torres’ entry dives into lost instances, lost moments, and lifelong mourning, coupled with elements of fantasy and folklore. The narrative follows Lukas, an awkward teenager who discovers he has a tikbalang (half-horse, half-man creature) for a father.

Consequently, a movie about a mystical river with the power to erase one’s most painful heartbreak is shot in the neighborhood. While the villagers are in a frenzy trying to take part in the production, Lukas’ father is granted a small role.

But a storm suddenly disrupts the filming, leaving the crew to shoot handheld footage with their remaining cans of film. The mundane lives of the villagers are depicted as the river becomes more relevant in their everyday lives, and Lukas, a witness to the events, experiences his own heartbreak.

The film takes inspiration from Ishmael Bernal’s filmography of roughly 50 titles.

“I want to make a film out of the space left by Ishmael Bernal’s lost film,” said Torres. “I initially tried to construct a narrative by making plot points out of the chronology of the film titles and posters, either as spoken dialogue or blocked scenes that move the story forward.”

Watch the trailer for ‘Lukas Nino’:

“Hello, World” by John Elbert Ferrer

“Hello, World” is a comedy about a rite of passage.

Two  friends, Jeff and Johan, are at a crossroads in their young lives. Both fresh from high school, the young boys face life-altering decisions concerning their relationships and college plans.

Jeff refuses to migrate to the US because of issues with his mother, while Johann would rather bum around and spend time with his girlfriend than go to college.

Disorder ensues when the boys decide to rebel and live separately from their families.

Director John Ferrer considers his film an ode to his younger years. He shares how it’s a way of looking back and experiencing his life all over again.

“It’s like writing a memoir of some sort, as it is really close to my heart and really personal,” he said.

“The best thing about it is that something this personal could be universal.”

Watch the trailer here:

“Gaydar” by Alvin Yapan

From the director of acclaimed films “Ang Sayaw ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa” and “Rolyo” comes a romantic comedy about a woman seemingly cursed with falling in love with gay men.

After her recent date reveals his true sexuality, Tina, played by Pauline Luna, vows to never fall in love again. But an FX driver named Richard cuts that pledge short. To be certain about Richard’s orientation, she employs the help of her best friend Nick, whom she believes to be gay.

But he isn’t. Ironically, Nick is in love with Tina.

– Rappler.com