The much-anticipated QCinema International Film Festival is showcasing its 13th edition from November 14 to 23, reaffirming Quezon City’s role as an emerging center of creativity and film in the Philippines.
This year’s festival carries the theme “Film City,” which coincides with Quezon City’s recent designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Film. The lineup will feature a total of 93 titles across 12 sections, including 33 short films.
Mayor Joy Belmonte said that QCinema continues to be a proud platform for Filipino and international filmmakers to push the boundaries of storytelling and creativity.
“With Quezon City now recognized as a UNESCO Creative City of Film, we carry with us the legacy of generations of storytellers, production studios, artists, and industry workers who built our creative foundations,” Mayor Belmonte said.
“Our vision is simple but strong: to keep Quezon City as a haven for creativity, where filmmakers can freely explore their craft and share stories that inspire, challenge, and connect us all. QCinema embodies that spirit. We promise to keep shining a light on films, even those that often go unseen, so every QCitizen and every Filipino can experience the magic and meaning that cinema brings.”
The festival opened with the premiere of Alice Winocour’s Couture starring Angelina Jolie—a “film within a film” that follows an American director arriving in Paris for Fashion Week.
Leading the festival are its core competition sections, including the Asian Next Wave, which features powerful new works from Asia. This year’s selection includes: A Useful Ghost, Diamonds in the Sand, Family Matters, Ky Nam Inn, Lost Land, Luz, Open Endings, Renoir, and The World of Love.
Cinephiles can also look forward to the RainbowQC competition, which continues to champion LGBTQ+ narratives through award-winning films from South Korea, Mexico, France, Chile, and Vietnam. The lineup features 3670, Bel Ami, Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingoes, On the Road, Skin of Youth, Strange River, Summer’s Camera, and The Little Sister.
Also returning is New Horizons, QCinema’s platform for debut features that push the boundaries of world cinema: Amoeba, Blue Heron, Brand New Landscape, Chronology of Water, DJ Ahmet, Lucky Lu, Manas, On Your Lap, and The President’s Cake.
QCinema further strengthens its support for emerging filmmakers through QCShorts International. This section will showcase 21 films, including the world premieres of six short films that received the QCShorts 2025 grant, alongside multi-awarded short films such as Neo Sora’s A Very Straight Neck and Christopher Radcliff’s We Were the Scenery.
Beyond the competition, QCinema unveils a wide slate of exhibition programs, with a total of 22 entries for Screen International, Before Midnight, Rediscovery, and QC Selects.
The festival also debuts two new sections year: Dokyu Days, a showcase dedicated to thought-provoking documentaries; and Focus On: Sandra Hüller, presented with Goethe-Institut Manila, which honors the acclaimed German actress.
The QCinema International Film Festival have screenings at Gateway, Robinsons Galleria, Eastwood, Trinoma, Fishermall, and Cloverleaf. Tickets are priced at P250.
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