The 2025 QCinema International Film Festival took place from November 14 to 23, 2025 in Quezon City, Philippines.[1] It highlights the theme of "Film City", which celebrates Quezon City's recognition as UNESCO's City of Film this year.[2] The festival opened with Alice Winocour's drama film Couture and closed with Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke's supernatural comedy film A Useful Ghost, the winner of Asian Next Wave Best Picture.[3]
Juries
Asian Next Wave
- Bianca Balbuena, film producer
- Liz Shackleton, film journalist
- Martin Horyna, film festival programmer
- John Arcilla, actor
QCShorts International
- Chris Fujiwara, writer and film critic
- Mikhail Red, filmmaker
- Pearl Chan, film distributor
RainbowQC
- Petersen Vargas, filmmaker
- Don Jaucian, author
- Francisco Javier López Tapia, director of Instituto Cervantes of Manila
New Horizons
- Bastian Meiresonne, author
- Martika Ramirez Escobar, filmmaker
- Panos Kotzathanasis, film critic
Official selection
Asian Next Wave
| English title
|
Original title
|
Director(s)
|
Production countrie(s)
|
| Diamonds in the Sand
|
砂の中のダイヤモンド
|
Janus Victoria
|
Japan, Malaysia, Philippines
|
| Family Matters
|
我家的事
|
Ke-yin Pan
|
Taiwan
|
| Ky Nam Inn
|
Quán Kỳ Nam
|
Leon Le
|
Vietnam
|
| Lost Land
|
Harà Watan
|
Akio Fujimoto
|
Japan, France, Malaysia, Germany
|
| Luz
|
花明渡
|
Flora Lau
|
Hong Kong, China, France
|
| Open Endings
|
Nigel Santos
|
Philippines
|
| Renoir
|
Chie Hayakawa
|
Japan, France, Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia
|
| A Useful Ghost
|
ผีใช้ได้ค่ะ
|
Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke
|
Thailand, France, Singapore, Germany
|
| The World of Love
|
세계의 주인
|
Yoon Ga-eun
|
South Korea
|
New Horizons
| English title
|
Original title
|
Director(s)
|
Production countrie(s)
|
| Amoeba
|
Tan Siyou
|
Singapore, Netherlands, Spain, France, South Korea
|
| Blue Heron
|
Sophy Romvari
|
Canada, Hungary, United States
|
| Brand New Landscape
|
見はらし世代
|
Yuiga Danzuka
|
Japan
|
| The Chronology of Water
|
Kristen Stewart
|
United States, Latvia, France
|
| DJ Ahmet
|
Диџеј Ахмет
|
Georgi M. Unkovski
|
North Macedonia, Czechia, Serbia, Croatia
|
| Lucky Lu
|
Lloyd Lee Choi
|
Canada, United States
|
| Manas
|
Marianna Brennand Fortes
|
Brazil, Portugal, France, Belgium
|
| On Your Lap
|
Pangku
|
Reza Rahadian
|
Indonesia, Saudi Arabia
|
| The President's Cake
|
مملكة القصب
|
Hasan Hadi
|
Iraq, United States, Qatar
|
RainbowQC
Screen International
| English title
|
Original title
|
Director(s)
|
Production countrie(s)
|
| Couture (opening film)
|
Alice Winocour
|
United States, France
|
| Divine Comedy
|
کمدی الهی
|
Ali Asgari
|
Iran, Italy, France, Germany, Turkey
|
| Father Mother Sister Brother
|
Jim Jarmusch
|
United States, Ireland, France, Italy, Japan
|
| Hamnet
|
Chloé Zhao
|
United Kingdom, United States
|
| The History of Sound
|
Oliver Hermanus
|
United Kingdom, United States, Sweden
|
| Little Amélie or the Character of Rain
|
Amélie et la métaphysique des tubes
|
Maïlys Vallade, Liane-Cho Han
|
France, Belgium
|
| The Mastermind
|
Kelly Reichardt
|
United Kingdom, United States
|
| Once Upon a Time in Gaza
|
Tarzan and Arab Nasser
|
France, Portugal, Palestine, Germany, United States
|
| The Portuguese House
|
Una quinta portuguesa
|
Avelina Prat
|
Spain, Portugal
|
| Sirāt
|
Óliver Laxe
|
Spain, France, Morocco
|
| The Things You Kill
|
Öldürdüğün Şeyler
|
Alireza Khatami
|
Canada, France, Poland, Turkey, Singapore
|
Before Midnight
| English title
|
Original title
|
Director(s)
|
Production countrie(s)
|
| The Garden of Earthly Delights
|
Ang Hardin ng Makalupang Kasiyahan
|
Morgan Knibbe
|
Netherlands, Philippines, Belgium
|
| Rabbit Trap
|
Bryn Chainey
|
United States, United Kingdom
|
| The Ugly Stepsister
|
Den Stygge Stesøsteren
|
Emilie Blichfeldt
|
Denmark, Norway, Poland, Sweden
|
QCinema Selects
The first two episodes of HBO Max's comedy series Call My Manager were screened during the festival.[4]
Rediscovery
2000 film Almost Famous was set to screen at the festival, but cancelled due to technical issues.[5]
Dokyu Days
| English title
|
Original title
|
Director(s)
|
Production countrie(s)
|
| 10s Across the Borders
|
Chan Sze-wei
|
Philippines, Singapore, Germany, United Kingdom
|
| 2000 Meters to Andriivka
|
2000 метрів до Андріївки
|
Mstyslav Chernov
|
Ukraine, United States
|
| Below the Clouds
|
Sotto le nuvole
|
Gianfranco Rosi
|
Italy
|
| The Road to Sydney
|
Benito Bautista
|
Philippines
|
| The Treasure Hunter
|
Giacomo Gex
|
United States, Philippines
|
| The Voice of Hind Rajab
|
صوت هند رجب
|
Kaouther Ben Hania
|
France, Tunisia, United States, United Kingdom, Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, Italy
|
Focus on Sandra Hüller
This year's special program is focused to showcase the work by German actress Sandra Hüller, presented with Goethe-Institut.[6]
Awards
The following awards were presented at the festival:[7]
Asian New Wave
New Horizons
RainbowQC
QCShorts
- Best Short Film: Honey, My Love, So Sweet by JT Trinidad
- Jury Prize: A Metamorphosis by Lin Htet Aung
- Best Short Film – QCShorts Lokal: Surface Tension by the Serrano Sisters
- Gender Sensitivity Award: Kara: The Burning Woman by Dale
- Special Mention: Little Rebels Cinema Club by Khozy Rizal
- Critics Prize: Kara: The Burning Woman by Dale and Hoy, Hoy, Ingat! by Norvin de los Santos
References
- ^ Mateo, Janvic (November 17, 2025). "QCinema International Film Fest set this month". The Philippine Star. Retrieved November 19, 2025.
- ^ "QCinema International Film Festival's 13th edition centers on theme 'Film City'". GMA Network. November 16, 2025. Retrieved November 19, 2025.
- ^ "13th QCinema International Film Festival – Opening Film 2025". Asian Film Festivals. November 13, 2025. Retrieved November 19, 2025.
- ^ "First 2 episodes of Erik Matti's 'Call My Manager' to screen at QCinema". ABS-CBN. November 6, 2025. Retrieved November 19, 2025.
- ^ @QCinemaPH (November 14, 2025). "Due to technical issues, Almost Famous will no longer be part of the lineup. It will be replaced by DJ Ahmet at Eastwood on November 15 and Strange River at Gateway on November 16. The replacement for November 20 will be announced soon" (Tweet). Retrieved November 20, 2025 – via Twitter.
- ^ Villamente, Jing (November 16, 2025). "QCinema opens 13th edition, celebrates Quezon City as UNESCO Creative City of Film". Daily Tribune. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
- ^ Ramachandran, Naman (November 22, 2025). "Cannes Winner 'A Useful Ghost' Takes Top Honors at QCinema in Philippines". Variety. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
External links