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Manila Bulletin devider Entertainment devider Movies and TV devider 'Open Endings,' Oscar contenders to headline QCinema 2025 lineup

'Open Endings,' Oscar contenders to headline QCinema 2025 lineup

Published Oct 22, 2025 04:05 pm
QCinema 2025 executives pose with filmmakers and artists during the media conference for QCinema 2025. (Facebook)
QCinema 2025 executives pose with filmmakers and artists during the media conference for QCinema 2025. (Facebook)
Another year of pure cinema excellence, as Quezon City's homegrown film festival announced the full lineup of movies for its 13th edition.
With the theme "Film City," QCinema International Film Festival will run at participating mall theaters: Gateway, Ayala Malls Trinoma, Ayala Malls Cloverleaf, Fisher Mall, and Robinsons Galleria from Nov. 14 to 23.
Featuring a diverse selection of local and international films, QCinema offers nine full-length sections and five short film programs.
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte announced that QCinema was named Grand Winner and Hall of Fame awardee in the Best Event Hosting (International Event, Highly Urbanized City) category at the recent Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines (ATOP) Pearl Awards.
Meanwhile, Festival Director Ed Lejano shared that, in response to public demand, ticket prices have been set at just ₱250. Additionally, the first screening each day at all venues—except Gateway—will be free of charge, with senior citizen discounts still honored.

Movies galore

Kicking off the Qcinema is "Couture" by French filmmaker  Alice Winocour, starring Angelina Jolie. The film follows an American director attending Paris Fashion Week and explores filmmaking through a story within a story.

The festival’s main competitions include Asian Next Wave, RainbowQC, New Horizons, and QCShorts International.

Competition category

The Asian Next Wave section features emerging voices from Asia:

"A Useful Ghost by Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke (Thailand, France, Singapore, Germany), winner of the Cannes Critics Week Grand Prix;

"Diamonds in the Sand" by Janus Victoria (Japan, Malaysia, Philippines);

"Family Matters" by Pan Ke-yin (Taiwan);

"Lost Land" by Akio Fujimoto (Japan, France, Malaysia, Germany);

"Open Endings" by Nigel Santos (Philippines), winner of Best Ensemble Performance at Cinemalaya.

The highly anticipated RainbowQC films competition features queer-centered narratives, including: "Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingoes" by Diego Céspedes (Chile), "On the Road" by David Pablos (Mexico), and "Skin of Youth" by Ash Mayfair (Vietnam, Singapore, Japan).

The New Horizons category will premiere the films:  "Amoeba" by Siyou Tan (Singapore), "Chronology of Water" by Kristen Stewart (USA, France, Latvia), and "The President’s Cake" by Hasan Hadi (Iraq, USA, Qatar).

Closing the competition category is another fan favorite, QCShorts International. The lineup includes the world premieres of six short films created through the QCinema 2025 grant program. Among these are Hoy, Hoy, Ingat! by Norvin de los Santos, Ours Was a Timeless Night Burning by Lauviah Caliboso, and RUNO! by Racquel “Lysa” Catolico and Jazmine Gin Pateña.

Exhibition category

Moving on from the competition entries, the exhibition category will show the absolute classic films and acclaimed titles from the global festival circuit.

The Screen International section spotlights several films in the running for Academy Award nominations, including Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet and Oliver Hermanus’ The History of Sound—both featuring Paul Mescal.

Also featured are Spain’s Oscar submission and Cannes Jury Prize winner Sirat by Oliver Laxe, and Canada’s official entry The Things You Kill by Alireza Khatami, all part of this lineup of standout festival titles.

Rounding out the section are Kelly Reichardt’s The Mastermind, Ali Asgari’s Divine Comedy, the animated feature Little Amélie by Maïlys Vallade and Liane-Cho Han, and Once Upon a Time in Gaza, which earned Best Director in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard.

The Rediscovery section revisits modern classics such as Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous starring Kate Hudson, Nobuhiro Yamashita’s Linda Linda Linda, and Paul Verhoeven’s Showgirls.

QC Selects will feature acclaimed Filipino films that have made waves in other festivals, including Erik Matti’s Call My Manager, Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit’s Human Resource, and Lakambini: Gregoria de Jesus by Arjanmar Rebeta and Jeffrey Jeturian, starring Lovi Poe.

New to this year’s lineup are Dokyu Days, a program dedicated to documentaries, and Focus on: Sandra Hüller, a tribute to the celebrated German actress known for her roles in Toni Erdmann and The Zone of Interest.

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