Celebrating the 75th Founding Anniversary of Quezon City, the QC International Pink Film Festival features contemporary classics of the country’s gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender films. Poised to become the largest LGBT film festival in Asia, the festival also features the best of world cinema in its program.
Opening the festival is Nick Deocampo’s “#pinQCity,” a glimpse into Quezon City’s LGBT community and its struggle for recognition. Known for his prizewinning films that set the pioneering trail for gay filmmaking in the country, Deocampo is also the Festival Director of the Pink festival.
Showcasing the best in local queer filmmaking, the line-up boasts of award-winning films that look into the young and old queer generations. Auraeus Solito’s “Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros” is paired with Sigrid Andrea Bernardo’s “Ang Huling Cha-Cha ni Anita.” The senior gay community is represented by Dolphy’s appearance as comfort gay in Gil Portes’ “Markova.” Aging prisoners attempting to live a new life provide hilarious fun in Joey Paras’ “Wala na bang ibang Title?” which premieres in the festival.
The largest program covers the indie film scene. Leading the pack is Joel Lamangan’s “Lihis” joined by other prize-winning films like Eduardo Roy Jr.s’ “Quickchange,” Jay Altarejos’ “Unfriend,” Alvin Yapan and Alemberg Ang “Ang Sayaw ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa,” Yapan’s “Gaydar,” and Benjamin Garcia’s “Philippino Story.”
The short film program sizzles with works that touch on themes of representation. Included are two works by Rod Singh like “Alindanaw” and “Bilanggays,” Chloe Ann Veloso’s “Ina-Tay,” Nerissa Pecadizzo “Astray,” and David Corpuz’s “The Ordinary Things We Do.”
The documentary program is strongly represented by both recent and classic works. Baby Ruth Villarama’s “Jazz in Love” is a sensitive cross-cultural romance of modern love. Deocampo’s classic “Oliver” paired with his “The Sex Warriors and the Samurai” are films that still remain to be relevant depictions of lives lived under the Marcos dictatorship and the onslaught of globalization.
Screening for one week at Trinoma Cinema 3, these Filipino queer film classics will be joined by films coming from the international community. For more information, visit the website: www.qcpinkfestival.com
