For the first time, a short film program will kick off the QCinema International Film Festival. Now in its 12th edition, the festival will open with the Asian premiere of Directors’ Factory Philippines, an omnibus film project initiated by Cannes Directors’ Fortnight. The film debuted at the 77th Cannes Film Festival earlier this year.
The four short films featured are “Walay Balay,” directed by Eve Baswel from the Philippines and Gogularaajan Rajendran from Malaysia; “Nightbirds,” directed by Maria Estela Paiso from the Philippines and Ashok Vish from India; “Silig,” directed by Arvin Belarmino from the Philippines and Lomorpich Rithy (aka YoKi) from Cambodia; and “Cold Cut,” directed by Don Eblahan from the Philippines and Tan Siyou from Singapore.
Directors’ Factory Philippines is the first Directors’ Factory program to take place in Southeast Asia since its inception in 2013 in Taiwan.
Each year, it collaborates with a new partner country to mentor eight promising filmmakers at the start of their careers: four from the partner country, and four from other nations. They work in pairs to develop new short form works, which are then combined into an omnibus film.
Directors’ Factory is the first international venture of QCinema and the Quezon City Film Commission under the QCinema Project Market, in collaboration with Cannes Directors’ Fortnight.
#QCinema International Film Festival runs from November 8-17, 2024. Stay tuned for more details.