The QCinema International Film Festival, now in its ninth year, returns with a hybrid edition from Nov. 26 to Dec. 5, featuring theatrical screenings at Gateway Cineplex 10 and online streaming via KTX.ph.
QCinema will feature two Shorts programs this year: QCShorts and Asian Shorts.
Here is my capsule reviews on the 6 short films competing in this year's QCShorts Competition:
“i get so sad sometimes” directed by Trishtan PerezIn the little town of Pagadian, Jake (JC Santiago) sits in front of his computer eagerly awaiting the response of a much older guy (Russ Ligtas) with whom he is having an anonymous sexual relationship. But when the man stopped speaking to him, he fell into a tailspin of sadness and disillusionment consequently affecting his relationship with her mother (Janice Suganob) and best friend (Karl Louie Caminade).
Finding connection and belonging in this digital world is difficult since it is so easy to fall for and engage with someone who has a false face and identity. However, despite all of this, we continue to trust everyone we encounter. That may be the humanity in all of us. We have a great deal of faith in people we meet.
“i get so sad sometimes" isn't only about the bad side of the internet and/or the nature of people to connect; it goes deeper than that, or so it hopes. It's about teenage dissatisfaction and desire. It's about the fantasies that form throughout a relationship and the disappointments that follow when it fails terribly.
Although this film excels in letting us feel the problems and the sadness Jake experienced, there are still a lot of things about him that we have never been able to truly comprehend. Maybe if it’s a little longer we can get to know the protagonist more.
2.5/5
Ampangabagat Nin Talakba Ha Likol (It's Raining Frogs Outside) directed by Maria Estela PaisoWhile frogs fall like rain outside, Maya (Alyana Cabral) sits inside their family home in Zambales expressing her thoughts on the world and what it has become.
"It's Raining Frogs Outside" is a unique piece that relies heavily on surrealism to tell its narrative.
Despite the fact that the theme isn't really new, Paiso's ingenuity makes everything so intriguing and compelling to watch. The film’s visuals are really impressive. In one scene, there is a CGI face of Maya that, at first glance, appears to be quite believable. Other than that, there were unexpected images, buried memories, and profound symbolisms that added emotion and intensity to the narrator's frustrations, despair, and contempt for the life she endured during the global pandemic.
In essence, “It's Raining Frogs Outside” is a visual treat! Paiso and her crew did everything they could to get their point across. There is no shortage of technical excellence from start to end. They throw all they have at the audience and it works magnificently.
3/5
Henry directed by Kaj Palanca
Henry (Carlos Dala) and his family were only making ends meet until his brother, Ian (Io Balanon), fell from a scaffolding. He was badly injured and was forced to stay at home with his ailing mother, Marita (Wenah Nagales). Due to financial constraints, Henry headed to the building site to seek compensation for his elder brother's workplace injuries. But instead of his supervisor, he met his coworker, Danilo (Tommy Alejandrino).
The story in "Henry" flirts with the concept of poverty porn. A lot of times it feels like Henry’s poor living condition will be used against the viewers to gain empathy. There's always a sense of anxiety and tension building, it is as if something unpleasant will happen that will force the story to take a darker route. But no. The film makes all the right choices and, in many ways, it moves against expectation, which makes everything about it better.
More importantly, Palanca was able to include his critique on worker’s rights. Employees deserve better, whatever job it may be. There are already various labor laws in place to protect them from unfair treatment and harmful working conditions, yet for some reason, company owners get away with it. In one scene, Danilo expresses his disappointments of not being compensated by his employers. That is why the last scene is so dramatic and effective, since even though it is just a small and modest gesture from Henry, it's a symbol of compassion.
3.5/5
MIGHTY ROBO V directed by Miko Livelo & Mihk Vergara
After the original crew who flew the MIGHTY ROBO V was killed in action during a monster encounter, public trust starts to plummet. So in order to boost public trust in the Philippines Giant Monster Defense Institute, Dr. Benhur "Rody" Rodriguez, and his assistant Lani "Laser" Panganiban, organized for a documentary team to film their day-to-day operations for transparency. That day, Dr. Rody plans to introduce the crew that will pilot the MIGHTY ROBO V 2. But it turns out that the new team doesn't get along so well.
MIGHTY ROBO V is perhaps this year's most entertaining film. It's upbeat and awfully familiar, which makes it quite absorbing as audiences can easily draw from their childhood memories of the beloved mecha anime this was inspired by.
But even though it seems like mindless fun and all for show, this film is not shallow. At its core, this is a satire on Philippine politics. It is intended to mock the government's incompetency and their misplaced focus and attention.
4/5
Skylab directed by Chuck Escasa
Rumors of the impending crash of the American spacecraft Skylab was circulating around Tonton (Dylan Ray Taleon) and Martin's (Alexis Prins Negrite) school in 1979. They say that the approaching fall of the Skylab bodes the end for Earth. So the two troubled boys attempted to persuade their school to make that day a holiday.
It may not sound like it, but “Skylab” is actually a critique on Martial Law. It is difficult to dispute the fact that in the 1970s a lot of terrible things happened to the country. Hundreds of people disappeared or died, the country's debt skyrocketed to new heights, and the government began censoring the media for their benefits. But does this message on oppression get across in this short film? No, not really.
Everything was subdued. The film knows the terror of Martial Law that is for sure as “Skylab” brilliantly let the viewers experience it in a straightforward manner through the teacher’s dictatorial method of disciplining her students. Yet it feels weak.
“Skylab” lacks the punch and bite to realize the danger of Martial Law. For some reason, the film feels unsure how to handle such a topic. Though, to be fair, stories like these need a lot of patience and time to get right. Unfortunately, this feature does not have the luxury of either.
1.5/5
City of Flowers directed by Xeph Suarez
Nasser (Ramli T. Abdurahim), a farmer in Zamboanga City, was preparing to sell his flowers to the people in honor of the Feast of the Nativity of Mary. The drought hasn't been kind to his farm, and Elena's (Czarina Yecla) pregnancy is driving him to do everything it takes to make ends meet. So when Nasser was invited to a peace protest in exchange for P10,000, he gladly accepted. But there is a lurking danger in the distance.
The 2013 Zamboanga Siege is a day in history that people should learn more about. It happened when the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and a faction of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) clashed on September 9, 2013. The fighting caused millions of dollars in damage, thousands of displaced families, and the destruction of hundreds of homes.
Suarez's "City of Flowers" stands out by acting as a reminder to the viewers of the crisis that Filipinos in Mindanao faces. It highlights the grief war brought to peacefully living families and the sacrifices farmers made in order to survive. The film’s brilliant symbolism, cinematography and pacing keeps everything in frame engrossing. Yecla and Abdurahim’s performance are also noteworthy and deserving of recognition.
3.5/5
