MANILA — Film directors on Wednesday lauded the Quezon City local government for organizing the QCinema International Film Festival to give Filipino filmmakers greater opportunities to produce and show more independent movies.
The QCinema, the official film festival of Quezon City, was established in 2013 by Mayor Herbert Bautista and Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte under the Quezon City Film Development Commission.
“Naalala ko before, years ago, wala pa talagang chance to make a film. Ang Cinemalaya noon palabas pa lang, the same with CinemaOne Originals. Ang hirap makahanap ng producer (I remember before, years ago, there was really no chance to make a film. There was Cinemalaya and CinemaOne Originals. It was difficult to look for a producer),” QCinema 2018 film entry “Hintayan ng Langit” director Dan Villegas said in an interview.
“Ang hirap makahanap ng chance for you to show your stuff. Dahil sa mga film festivals like QCinema, nagkakaroon ng chance, maraming magagaling, magagaling tayong mga Pilipino. Mas nagkakaroon tayo ng (It was difficult to look for a chance for you to show your stuff. But because of film festivals like QCinema, we get a chance. We Filipinos are good. We will have more) chance to show or to tell our stories,” Villegas added.
Residents of Quezon City may enjoy five movie entries under QCinema 2018’s “Circle Competition”, as well as those under non-competition categories: RainbowQC for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) international films; DocQC for documentary films; Screen International for critically acclaimed films worldwide; Digitally Remastered for the iconic films during the 70s and 80s; French Classics; Special Screenings that will showcase five films from China, Austria, France, and Denmark; and Children’s Films, which will be screened for free.
The film director noted that QCinema also provides a venue for the new breed of directors to showcase their craft without the usual restrictions.
“Para sa mga (new directors), ‘yung mga grant-giving bodies lang talaga ang nagtitiwala sa kanila. So malaking bagay talaga ang mgagrant-giving festivals like this QCinema. Nag-start din ako sa grants (Grant-giving bodies are the only ones who trust new directors. Grant-giving festivals, like QCinema, are thus a big thing. I also started in grants),” Dwein Baltazar, director of QCinema 2018 film entry “Oda sa Wala”, said in a separate interview.
“Yun ang nagbigay-tiwala sa akin para makagawa ako ng pelikula. Yung mga made naman na directors, I think ‘yung QCinema ang nagingplayground nila para makapaglaro sila na walang nagsasabi sa kanila on what to do (Its trust enabled me to make a film. For self-made directors, I think QCinema is their playground so they could make films according to their wish, without anyone telling them what to do),” Baltazar said.
The QCinema 2018 “Circle Competition” entries are Samantha Lee’s “Billie & Emma”; Timmy Harn’s “Dog Days”; Villegas’ “Hintayan ng Langit”; Gutierrez Mangansakan’s “Masla A Papanok”; and Baltazar’s “Oda sa Wala”.
The QCinema International Film Festival is celebrated every year during the founding anniversary of Quezon City in the month of October.
In line with the city’s 79th founding anniversary, QCinema 2018 will run on October 21-30.
Its opening film is “Shoplifters” by Hirokazu Kore-eda and closing the festival is the film “Piercing”, starring Christopher Abbott and Mia Wasikowska.
The festival will be held at Gateway Mall, Robinsons Galleria, SM City North Edsa, SM Megamall, SM Manila, SM Mall of Asia, Ayala Malls Cinemas in Trinoma, and UP Town Center.
The admission fee is PHP150 for each film. (/PNA)
