The QCinema International Film Festival is just around the corner, offering a true treat for cinephiles. Now in its 12th edition, it brings the best from this year’s Cannes, Venice, and other prestigious film festivals to Philippine screens, making sure no one suffers from a dreaded case of FOMO.

Of course, I’ll watch as many films as I can, but here are the top six that I’m prioritizing — ranked by personal anticipation:

1. The Room Next Door — I’ve been eagerly awaiting Pedro Almodóvar’s Golden Lion winner for months. This highly acclaimed Spanish director’s latest film stars Oscar winners Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore in a powerful drama about death.

Marking Almodóvar’s English-language debut, The Room Next Door is adapted from Sigrid Nunez’s novel What Are You Going Through and set in upstate New York (though largely shot in Spain). Moore plays Ingrid, a best-selling author, who reconnects with an old friend, Martha (Swinton), recently diagnosed with cancer.

2. Anora — Sean Baker’s work isn’t my usual go-to, but his 2024 Palme d’Or winner is a must-watch. Currently holding a 99 percent critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, this romantic-comedy is generating major buzz. Though I didn’t particularly connect with Tangerine (2015) or The Florida Project (2017), Baker’s latest is too big to skip.

Known for his indies that are focused on marginalized communities — particularly sex workers — Baker’s Anora follows the marriage of a female stripper and the son of a Russian billionaire, played by Mikey Madison and Mark Eydelshteyn, respectively. With Greta Gerwig as Cannes jury president this year, this Neon-distributed title holds even more intrigue.