Quezon City’s film festival, QCinema, returns from 8 to 17 November, showcasing a diverse lineup of local and international films. At a recent press briefing, QCinema executive director Liza Diño Seguerra, president Manet Dayrit and artistic director Ed Lejano shared exciting updates.

For Diño-Seguerra, guiding filmmakers and producers in creating competitive films for the international market is a big boost for our local films.

QPM serves as an industry platform connecting Southeast Asian filmmakers with funding partners, producers and international collaborators. The market facilitates one-on-one meetings, project presentations and exclusive networking events for feature film projects in development.

QCinema aims to champion Filipino and Southeast Asian voices, bridging local talent and global opportunities through co-production grants and post-production awards. With its carefully curated lineup of projects, QPM offers critical support to ensure these works are brought to life and seen on the global stage.

“At the end of the day, films are not just for culture and entertainment they are also for business we want to be sustainable to make sure that films are funded well and we want to create opportunities for our film-makers to find funding especially in this era where it’s hard to source fundings for films,” Diño-Seguerra said.

For Manet Dayrit, QCinema Film Foundation head, adapting and understanding the ever changing film landscape is a major key to stay in competition in the film market

“Since the pandemic, a lot has changed in the film industry all-over the world we are all trying to figure out how do we navigate the changes that are happening in the film landscape,” Manet said.

Awards and prizes

The QPM awards are divided into 10 categories, providing financial support and essential post-production services.

Three Filipino projects will receive the QPM-PH co-production grant, with each project awarded P2,000,000. Meanwhile, the QPM-SEA Production prize will grant P1,000,000 to one outstanding Southeast Asian project and P750,000 each to two others.

Post-production services also play a significant role in the prizes. The Mocha Chai Award offers post-production support worth $50,000, while the Kongchak Studio Awardprovides $10,000 in sound post-production services at their studios in Cambodia. Color correction services are made available through the Central Digital Lab Award which grants two projects $10,000, and the Barebones Award, offering four color-correction grants of $14,000 — two each for Filipino and Southeast Asian projects. The T6xBB Award also provides $14,000 worth of post-production services for one Filipino and one Southeast Asian project.

Additionally, the CMB Discovery Award offers equipment rental support of P1,000,000 for one project and P500,000 for another. Lastly, one project receives the Nathan Studios Development Prize of P250,000, while the TAICCA Award gives a cash prize of $5,000.

The winners of the QPM awards will be announced on 16 November.

Southeast Asian projects

Seven Southeast Asian projects featured at QPM 2024 these entries showcase the diverse narratives from the region.

The Beer Girl in Yangon (Myanmar, Indonesia), directed by Sein Lyan Tun, follows Lily, a 17-year-old navigating work, love, and hallucinations after her father’s arrest for political activism. Picturehouse (Vietnam) by Minh-Nghiem Nguyen-Vo tells the story of a young boy who finds solace in a movie house during the turmoil of 1960s Vietnam. Future Laobans (Myanmar) by Maung Sun explores the dangerous journey of three teenagers in a jade-mining town as they pursue dreams of fortune. To Leave, To Stay (Cambodia) by Danech Sanrevolves around Mera, who vanishes after traveling with a friend to meet a soldier, prompting a frantic search.

Other People’s Dreams (Singapore), directed by Daniel Hu follows two souls surviving in the shadows of Singapore by blending into the rhythms of the dreaming city. The Passport (Malaysia) by Ananth Subramaniam portrays a punk rocker’s struggle with cultural expectations within his family and community. I’ll Smile in September (Singapore, India) by Aakash Chhabra captures a brass band player’s journey through heartbreak, tooth loss and self-discovery in Old Delhi.

Philippine projects

Thirteen projects from both established and upcoming Filipino filmmakers are part of QPM 2024. This year’s selection of Filipino films demonstrate the country’s vibrant storytelling tradition across genres, ranging from period dramas to psychological thrillers and speculative fiction.

Anak Alon (Daughters of the Sea), directed by Martika Ramirez Escobar, weaves the interconnected lives of a tour guide, a pet shop owner, and a fish vendor. Molder by Kenneth Dagatan follows a Filipino immigrant in Italy racing to lift a curse threatening his wife’s life. My Neighbor the Gangster, directed by Mario Cornejo, tells the story of a young boy whose life changes when a gangster moves next door.

Bato Bato Sa Langit Ang Tamaan Magagalit (Heaven Help Us) by Eve Baswel takes place 12 hours before the collapse of the Manila Film Center in 1981, focusing on the construction workers racing against time. Baradero (A Ship of Fools) by Keith Deligero is a psychological period drama connecting two troubled men through a ship bearing witness to the trauma of history. Golden, directed by JP Habac, follows homeless gay seniors reviving their drag queen performances to fund a dream home.

Lihim Na Luha (Secret Cries) by Eileen Cabiling explores a father’s dark secret and his fear for his daughter’s future on her 13th birthday. Inahing Baka (Mother Maybe) by Sonny Calvento revolves around a son reuniting with his mother through a high-stakes Japanese game show with sinister undertones. Please Bear With Me by Gabriela Serranoexamines a single mother’s life in an alternate Philippines where dreams are a commodity.

Angel De Dios by Joel Ruiz follows a bank robber on the run who forms an unexpected bond with a baby. Hum by Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan centers on two runaway land defenders turned rodeo stars haunted by their past. Ewa (Eve) by Keith Sicat portrays a scientist stranded on an alien planet struggling to reconnect with her child. The Returning by Atsuko Hirayanagi tells the story of a homeless Japanese man joining an environmental charity in the Philippines, only to uncover a sinister cult.

As QPM 2024 approaches, directors and producers will participate in one-on-one meetings, project presentations, and networking events to further develop their projects and connect with industry partners.

Activities and events

On 15 November, QCFC will hold the Creative Industries Day, an immersive event designed to foster collaboration across sectors in the creative economy. The day’s program includes workshops, networking mixers, and roundtable discussions on film industry policies, international collaborations, and funding mechanisms, emphasizing local and international partnerships to foster the growth of Quezon City’s local film industry.

The Asian Next Wave Film Forum is on 16 November. This forum delves into the evolving landscape of Asian cinema, with panels and masterclasses focused on blending art-house and genre filmmaking, international co-productions and the role of film festivals in elevating Asian stories.

Panelists include industry leaders from major festivals like Venice, Toronto and Busan, as well as celebrated filmmakers and producers from across Southeast Asia.