QCinema opens 13th edition, celebrates Quezon City as UNESCO Creative City of Film

The much-anticipated QCinema International Film Festival has opened its 13th edition this weekend, running from 14 to 23 November and 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,” aligning with Quezon City’s recent designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Film. A total of 93 titles across 12 sections — including 33 short films — will be screened throughout the 10-day event.

Mayor Joy Belmonte said QCinema remains 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,” 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,” she added.

The festival opened with the premiere of Alice Winocour’s Couture starring Angelina Jolie — a “film within a film” centered on an American director arriving in Paris for Fashion Week.

Leading QCinema are its core competition sections, including Asian Next Wave, featuring powerful new works from Asia with entries such as A Useful Ghost, Diamonds in the Sand, Family Matters, Ky Nam Inn, Lost Land, Luz, Open Endings, Renoir, and The World of Love.

Also featured is the RainbowQC competition, championing LGBTQ+ narratives through award-winning titles from South Korea, Mexico, France, Chile, and Vietnam. The lineup includes 3670, Bel Ami, Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingoes, On the Road, Skin of Youth, Strange River, Summer’s Camera, and The Little Sister.

The New Horizons section returns as QCinema’s platform for debut features that push the boundaries of world cinema, with entries such as Amoeba, Blue Heron, Brand New Landscape, Chronology of Water, DJ Ahmet, Lucky Lu, Manas, On Your Lap, and The President’s Cake.

QCinema also expands support for emerging filmmakers through QCShorts International — showcasing 21 short films, including six world premieres from QCShorts 2025 grantees, and multi-awarded titles such as Neo Sora’s A Very Straight Neck and Christopher Radcliff’s We Were the Scenery.

Beyond competition films, the festival presents 22 exhibition titles under Screen International, Before Midnight, Rediscovery, and QC Selects.

Two new sections debut this year: Dokyu Days, dedicated to thought-provoking documentaries, and Focus On: Sandra Hüller, presented with Goethe-Institut Manila to honor the acclaimed German actress.

Screenings are being held across Gateway, Robinsons Galleria, Eastwood, Trinoma, Fishermall, and Cloverleaf, with tickets priced at P250.