Ni NOEL D. FERRER

ANG big campaign nila at nagsasabing the QCinema International Film Festival (QCinema) 2017 opens with a major splash with the advance Philippine premiere of Loving Vincent and the digital comeback of Mike de Leon’s Batch ‘81.

Actually, nagbukas na ang festival kahapon sa Vertis North pero marami ang nagtataka kung bakit walang ingay maliban sa ilang post sa social media ng mahilig sumubaybay sa indie productions.

Nakakapanghinayang kasi marami sana ang interesado sa Loving Vincent, dubbed as the “world’s first fully painted feature film” at tumatalakay sa buhay at panahon ni Vincent van Gogh pero wala man lamang publicity.

Ogie Diaz, naniniwala kay Sonny Trillanes

QCinema will bookend the festival with Batch ’81, labeled as one of the “best Filipino classics” tungkol sa istorya ng vicious cycle ng karahasan sa fraternity sa paningin ng neophytes.

May gaganapin pang book launching coinciding the celebration of the film’s 30th anniversary. Sana naman maraming dumalo rito lalo na’t kumpirmadong dadalo ang henyo at napakailap na direktor nito na si Mike de Leon na may bagong pelikulang ipapalabas soon, ang Citizen Jake.

Simula kahapon, mapapanood ang QCinema sa Gateway Mall (Cineplex 10); Robinsons Galleria (Robinsons Movieworld); Ayala Malls Cinemas in Trinoma and U.P. Town Center; and from October 24 to 28 at Cinematheque Centre Manila, at magtatapos sa October 28.

Ang tanong, bakit napakalimitado ng mga sinehan paglalabasan sa City of Stars? Bakit walang nag-participate na SM Cinemas?

QCinema also sets the stage for its original films and other titles that are part of its competitions. The features that are part of the “Circle Competition” are Balangiga: Howling Wilderness by Jerry Gracio, Achinette Villamor, and Khavn; Dapol Tan Payawar Na Tayug 1931 (The Ashes and Ghosts of Tayug 1931) by Christopher Gozum; Dormitoryo (Mga Walang

Katapusang Kuwarto) by Emerson Reyes; Kulay Lila Ang Gabi Na Binudburan Pa Ng Mga Bituin by director Jobin Ballesteros and writer Jimmy Flores; Medusae by Pam Miras; Neomanila by Mikhail Red; The Chanters by writers Andrian Legaspi and John Bedia and filmmaker James Robin Mayo; at The Write Moment by Dominic Lim.

The QC Shorts roster will be divided into two sections. For QC Shorts A, the films are Anya ‘ti Nagan Mo? (What Is Your Name?) by Ice Idanan; Babylon by director Keith Deligero and writer Gale Osorio; Gikan Sa Ngitngit Nga Kinailadman (From The Dark Depths) by Kiri Dalena; and Kun’ Di Man by Phyllis Grae Grande.

In QC Shorts B, the films are Link by director Mike Esteves and writer Jael Mendoza; Love Bites by filmmaker Carl Joseph Papa; Pixel Paranoia by Epoy Deyto; and Si Astri Maka si Tambulah by Joseph Vincent “Xeph” Suarez in collaboration with writer Cenon Palomares.

Kaabang-abang ang “Rainbow QC” na nagtatampok ng LGBT narratives across the world. Films to be screened here are Beach Rats by Eliza Hittman; Close-Knit by Naoko Ogigami; Fathers by Thai helmer Palatpol Mingpornpichit; Mga Gabing Kasinghaba Ng Hair Ko by debuting filmmaker, Gerardo Calagui; Signature Move by Jennifer Reeder; and Tom of Finland by Dome Karukoski.

Mayroon ding “Asian Next Wave,” QCinema’s competition sections for up-and-coming Asian filmmakers with less than three features, the films are Dragonfly Eyes, the debut film of distinguished Chinese artist Bing Xu; In Between Seasons by Dong-Eun Lee; Kfc by Le Binh Giang; Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts by Mouly Surya; Pop Aye by Kirsten Tan; and Snow Woman by Kiki Sugino.

Sa non-competition sections gumastos ng medyo malaki ang QC government – sa pagdadala ng magagandang international films kaya sana talaga ay nai-publicize at nai-promote ng maayos.

It prides itself as the filmfest that brings in critically acclaimed movies from across the globe in “Screen International.” The films to be showcased here are 120 Beats Per Minute (BPM) by Robin Campillo; Loveless by Andrey Zvyagintsev; The Killing of a Sacred Deer by Yorgos Lanthimos; and The Square by Ruben Östlund.

Aabangan din ang classic titles that have been remastered by ABS-CBN Film Restoration Group and international entities. In its “Digitally Remastered Series,” the films that will have a second life are High School Scandal directed by Gil Portes; Karma by Danny Zialcita; Tatlong Taóng Walang Diyos (Three Godless Years), a 1976 period film directed by Mario O’Hara; All About My Mother written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar; Blow-Up directed by Michelangelo Antonioni; and The Graduate by Mike Nichols.

Another section is QCinema’s “Before Midnight,” an unrated section composed of controversial titles meant to shock and stir cinephiles. This category will show 68 Kill by Trent Haaga; A Prayer Before Dawn by Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire; Bang Gang (A Modern Love Story) by Eva Husson; and Revenge by Coralie Fargeat.

In “International Shorts,” QCinema will feature award-winning short films, A Gentle Night by Qiu Yang; Dadyaa by Bibhusan Basnet and Pooja Gurung; Death of a Soundman by Sorayos Prapapan; Gaze by Farnoosh Samadi; Hiwa by Jacqueline Lentzou; Mobius by Sam Kuhn; and Tesla World Light by Matthew Rankin.

In “Special Screenings,” QCinema will showcase thrillers such as Diamond Island by Davy Chou; Fading Paradise directed by Aurel Ayson; and Out Run by S. Leo Chiang and Johnny Symons.

QCinema’s collection of films created by different regional directors will be screened in “Cinema Rehiyon.” The films here are Experimental Forest by Angelica Gamolo; Squatterina by Darryl Yap; The Death of Pablo by Arvin Belarmino; and Utas by Al Enriquez.

Di ba’t kayrami-raming pelikula pero ang tanong ng mga tao, bakit parang nagtipid sa publicity?

Nanghinayang ba ang organizers na mag-release ng festival passes sa press at media establishments? AT hindi rin pala iho-honor ang MTRCB passes pala during the duration of the festival.

Ang maganda sanang maipahayag ay ang cost ng sine na 150 pesos lamang dahil mayroong subsidy ng QC local government.

Sinimulan noong 2013, sinasabi nilang QCinema has contributed to the country’s burgeoning film scene with its original feature-length and short movies. It is a one-of-a-kind film festival that appropriates up to P1 million worth of production grants to select filmmakers and allows them to retain ownership of their movie rights.

Okey naman ang lahat ng ito. Pero bakit parang feeling left-out ang ibang sektors ng ating industriya sa nangyayari?

Sana pa rin, dahil maganda ang programa nila ay suportahan natin ito.

Sana ay magkaroon ng malaking base ng suporta ang QCinema para hindi magmukhang kami-kami at sila-sila lang na festival ito.