Discoveries from Philippines World Cinema

Tasya Fantasia: Directed by Carlo J. Caparas. With Kris Aquino, Peter Aguilar, Bong Alvarez, Benny Cheng.

Set in a dystopian futuristic Philippines, Viktor—a son of a working class family—was abducted for being mistaken as the leader of an anti-government resistance group called KUMAG sa Bayan (Movement Against Nation). Forced to clean up yet another mess, Viktor’s abductors tortured him into admitting that he is indeed the KUMAG leader, and later killed Viktor to cover their mistake.

A student who just got home doze off just to see himself in situations that bring him uncanny circumstances.

A documentary film on the lives of Philippine election seasonal workers

In a country where fascism, foolishness of people, and foresight of leadership come into play, Filipino artists tell all how it is to be catalysts of sociopolitical conversations through art.

In a public high school comfort room, Lilibeth found herself pregnant. After confronting Makoy, her lover, about her pregnancy, they both explored the possible ways to escape their situation. But later on, Lilibeth became unsure of what she really wants.

Rochelle, a PUI quarantined in an empty house, starts noticing that she has there is something wrong with the house something that also causes her nightmares. One day, after a meal of Alaminos Longganisa and a video call with her grandmother, for the first time, she sleeps peacefully. After then, she goes from eating to inherently devouring servings of longganisa to ward off her nightmares and sleep peacefully. Come the day her longganisa was already out of stock, she experiences a series of aggravating nightmares leading to unimaginable experiences either in her subconscious or her awakened state of mind.

Heavily occupied by his daytime job as a delivery rider, Jim experiences the magic of self-love when he forgets to eat on time.

Grace, an aspiring writer embarks to a surreal quest of light and darkness as she experience writer's block that causes her a major trouble to write a decent screenplay. Her morals and creativity will be called into question.

A woman goes through the stages of grief in a dystopian, monochromatic world.

Before their mother left for work, 17-year-old Amando was tasked to take care of Kit, his sick younger brother. From their shack, both boys traverse a long way to the next hill to get a bottle of an illegal herbal remedy for Kit.

A nurse assures her anxious mother in their video call that everything at work is fine. But beyond the screen, a lot is left unsaid.

Marla and her father escape the city in the midst of the threatening spread of an infectious virus. With their lives at stake, both face the past they keep running away from.

Orson, an awkward multimedia specialist, discovered that he has 'Keratoconus', an eye condition that can quickly deteriorate one's eyesight, and lead to blindness. His friends, Stanley and Francis, come up with a plan to make sure that Orson will be ready when the day comes.

A collapse of multiple lifetimes into pieces of amnesia; us, experiencing itself in dreams of life and death. A direct expression of the slow vibration as it currently is; you, a brief movement in the vestiges of nothingness.

A pandemic period film bio of retiring government front-liner Art Tibaldo who narrates his ordeals as COVID-19 positive and cerebral stroke patient as he reactivates his lifelong passion as an artist.

The documentary features two notable practitioners of the Sama traditional dance or 'Igal' -- Hadja Sakinur-Ain Delasas from Simunul Island and Nursida Diamson Jaludin from Sibutu Island. They recount their own experiences of learning the dance, explain what the dance is all about, and shares their thoughts on the art form and Sama culture.

While everything is now slowly settling in its new normal state, a group of hospital workers commemorates the life of a “lost” colleague through a virtual necrological service. The solemn gathering suddenly turns into a recollection of dark and haunting memories. This short is a stand-alone sequel to the 2020 QCinema short film “Miss You, George!”.

Everyone is dealing with the lockdown brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, face to face classes were not permitted but education must continue in the “new normal setting”. The short film will follow the journey of Abby, a teacher tasked to distribute and retrieve self-learning modules to an isolated and disadvantaged area in Mindanao.

Mysterious images shot around a wadi (a waterway in North Africa or the Middle East, often dried up), perceived as too calm by the filmmaker and his brother hence the “windless” of the title, are the setting for excerpts of audio conversations. In these, three men painfully describe their unmentionable traumas, which they have buried since childhood.

Lucas and Claire navigate through daily family life without their son, who leaves them a letter before his passing.

Kokoy, a 5-year old inquisitive boy, dwells on the idea of how his environment has changed. Everyone wears masks, shields, and people have become distant. As a young kid, he finds it hard to understand the circumstance that also affected his mom's presence. He seeks answers through his own ways: one of those being from his neighbor.

Bantayan Island, located at the northernmost tip of Cebu, is rapidly undergoing change because of the presence of many private resorts that deprive the local residents of their livelihood. High school classmates, Jared and Salome, have an idea on how the fishing community can help each other save their island.

A global health crisis has created a scarcity of basic needs, affecting the people of a small snack-loving community, some more than others.

In Zambales, two siblings try to survive the trials of living on their own by following the pieces of wisdom they remember from their grandmother.

Bored with his daily routine, an athlete travels to Zambales with his best friend. In the surfing town of Liwa-Liwa, they meet a mysterious girl who sends mixed signals to the two friends. What happens after remains unclear.

A group of young people on the small island in Mambacayao Dako located in the Visayan Sea are fighting to protect their sea. Until this day, they continue to aim to have a formally legalized marine protected area.

Arthur is at the cemetery visiting his mother's grave. John Carlo, his father, and Mariel, a new partner, buys ingredients at the market in the hope to win Arthur's approval.

An artistic interpretation of how violence can affect self freedom.

Julie shares how she started creating art and how it became a way to come to terms with the trauma she experienced when she was a child.

A young woman seeks safety and solace for herself and her newborn, away from her violent husband.

The unexpected death of Inday occured in the family Amparo which lead them to bury her body with a traditional coffin in a long journey from their home. Secrets and family issues were revealed as they continue to walk before the sun sets.

People around the world try doing bizarre things to have fish and in the end, the last fish decides to leave them.

A documentary film about three foreigners who have spent years of living in the Philippines and their struggles with facing discrimination as they interact with the Filipino community. Public historian Xiao Chua explains the historical background of the Filipino's discrimination against other races and white skin glorification.

Typhoon Maring is about to hit, and people are preparing for this coming disaster. With nowhere else to stay and nobody to be with, a boy made the pavement his home, with only the memory of his mother's lullaby to comfort him.

Tumang Kalinaw is a film in which follows the story of Kaloy, who is an aspiring poet that becomes the breadwinner of his family at a very young age after his father died. Kaloy faces the adversities of extreme poverty and the judgment of the society towards the marginalization. Kaloy's life is a mirror of those who aspire to go against the strong current of fate in the pursuit of their dreams. However, his life takes the greatest turn as he continues to write his art by showing that the reality of the poor is something that one should never coat with euphemism; as the loudest cry is sometimes the most silent screams one can never let the world hear.

Angel, a successful woman in her 30's -- is struggling with accusations from her mentally opressed sister, Susan. The conflict resulted to a session with a Psychiatrist who later found out something unusual between the two.

Aisah is a young teenage girl who is struggling with her mental illness and despite of experiencing this illness, she still insists to be better. There's still goodness in her like she is trying to act like how normal individuals do.

Ahmad and Abdul is story of two young men who happened to be best friends. They both dream for a peaceful and safer community. Their friendship and principles have been tested when their individual family go against each other because of Rido (Clan Feud). It is a question of sincerity, patience and true friendship after all challenges they’ve gone through. Will Ahmad and Abdul’s friendship and love with each other prevail till the end?

A COVID-19 patient embarks on the hike of his life.

A vaudeville Chaplin impressionist, in love with the star singer of their troupe, helps her deal with the attention of three infatuated audience members who refuse to leave her alone.

Set in 2051, a fisherman and his son sail across an ocean to earn their dreams.

A private eye faces existential ennui in a world he can no longer catch sight of.

Recto Mercene was one of the few photographers who was able to get a visual record of the moments after Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. was shot at the tarmac of the then Manila International Airport in 1983. He recounts his story today.

Named after the famous composition by Leopoldo Silos, Dahil Sa Isang Bulaklak is an interpretive number that embodies the truth of affection through subtle glances of the eyes, quick turns of the head, and flicks of hesitation coupled with courage and longing. It is a love story that moves against the grain of classic Filipino folk dance.

A ghost follows its non-existent shadow across a series of windows that gives light but no direction. As the ghost moves, a poem is read that serves as its guide.

A story about the blossoming of LGBT people in a conservative muslim barangay (community) in Mindanao, and highlights their customs. While this community has exercised tolerance towards LGBT people, there is still much that needs to be done in order to achieve acceptance and inclusion. Through education about human rights and SOGIE, the community has the potential of becoming a model barangay for tolerance and acceptance of LGBT people in Mindanao.

The struggle of a young woman led her to a decision she thought could change everything.

Collection of memories during the pandemic and the alienation in the city.

A gay farmer, typhoon Haiyan survivor, with his live-in partner, are expecting their first child. He provides food for their soon to be big family by sustainably growing rice and local fruits for sale. He worries that the next generation may not take farming seriously -or worse, avoid becoming a farmer because of how little benefit farmers get in the countr

During Aquino Administration, the Lumads unite to fight for their rights about the militarization, the attacks in their community, and plundering of ancestral land.

A child who longs for a childhood memories juggles on dirtying her hands to provide for her family who is a victim of post pandemic.

This is a story of a father who is part of the ukbu or HUKBALAHAP (Hukbong Bayan Laban sa mga Hapon), a group who fights the Japanese, to attain democracy. The father wants to change the wrong things he had done from the past. That is why he, together with his son, escapes from the group, and takes care of a Japanese captive. The father becomes hospitable to the Japanese by cooking and feeding him original buru, an authentic Kapampangan food. He also teaches his son how to cook and to always choose the right thing.

Pamagsadia tells the story of Tricia, a member of a multi-generational household whose members maintain a happy disposition despite the apparent deterioration of the grandfather. All the while, Tricia focuses on preparing for her university transferee applications.

Khent uses the online platform to perform various requests for his viewers who seeks sensual pleasure. He changes from one personality to another depending on the demand. During one live show, a glitch occurs revealing the face behind the camera.

Forced into an island life, not of his own making, Josh, a Korean-Filipino, dreams of returning home to South Korea to be with his estranged father. Despite having the help of his best friends and favorite uncle, Josh has to come to terms with his mother, his identity, and realizing that home is what he makes of it.

A boy neglects the rules of his mother and faces the consequence of being stubborn.

A xerox machine examines the narratives attached to the documents being reproduced.