Cover ‘Cross my Heart and Hope to Die’ by Sam Manacsa
‘Cross my Heart and Hope to Die’ by Sam Manacsa
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QCinema International Film Festival unveils 10 titles for its short film category this year
An array of diverse and thought-provoking films from around the world will be screened during the 11th edition of the QCinema International Film Festival. The annual celebration brings together 10 short films that were carefully selected out of 380 entries from Myanmar, Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
The short films’ Philippine premieres are slated from November 17 to 26. Read on to learn more about the titles you should not miss this year:
In case you missed it: Qcinema 2022 review: Return to Seoul’ (2022) is a Melancholic—Albeit Slightly Enthralling—Watch
1. Basri And Salma In A Never-Ending Comedy
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Basri And Salma In A Never-Ending Comedy tells the story of a childless couple who has been married for five years. They own an Odong-Odong, an entertainment vehicle for children, at the carnival. They spend their days entertaining and taking care of other people's children. Between meddling relatives, self-doubt and an explosive confrontation, they uncover why they have not been blessed with a child. This Indonesian short film is directed by Khozy Rizal.
2. Buoyant
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Vietnam’s Buoyant by Toan Thanh Doan and Hoang-Phuc Nguyen-Le follows the story of a fisherman who rescues a mermaid from the fish market. They are joined by two jolly friends on a fanciful tale along the waters.
3. MOP
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From Malaysia is MOP by Joon Goh. The film is about a boss and her employee who, over a lunch break, play a dangerous sexual game.
4. Dominion
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Dominion by Bea Mariano is about a drowning narrator who recounts their experience of going through an archive of colonial photographs using a barrage of sounds and images from the past and the present in a jagged and textural play.
More from Tatler: 7 Underrated Filipino Films to Watch This Valentine's Day 2022
5. I Look Into The Mirror And Repeat Myself
Above I Look Into The Mirror And Repeat Myself
I Look Into The Mirror And Repeat Myself
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I Look Into The Mirror And Repeat Myself from Singapore is about a filmmaker who questions the meaning of her given name, her place among her four sisters, and their stories, while her family is on the cusp of change and dissolution. The film is directed by Giselle Lin.
6. Hito
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Hito by Stephen Lopez follows a 14-year-old girl who discovers that the fish she had been given for dinner is a rehabilitated bioweapon named Kiefer.
7. Cross My Heart And Hope To Die
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Cross my Heart and Hope to Die by Sam Manacsa is about Mila who struggles as she remains unpaid at work and a love interest becomes a source of comfort through his constant phone calls. But a promise of hope may also lead to tragedy and sad love songs.
Read also: ‘Cross my Heart and Hope to Die’: Sole Southeast Asian short film at the Venice Film Festival 2023
8. When You Left Me On That Boulevard
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When You Left Me On That Boulevard by Kayla Abuda Galang is about a teenager named Ly and her cousins who get high before a boisterous family Thanksgiving at their aunt’s house in Southeast San Diego in 2006.
Read more: Arden Rod Condez's 'John Denver Trending' to Screen in South Korea's Major Cities
9. The Altar
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Myanmar’s entry is an experimental short film by Moe Myat May Zarchi. The Altar is about the guilt of a childhood incident of killing an ant while washing hands in the sink animated using photographic sequences painted with golds and grays.
10. Kung nga-a Conscious ang mga Alien sang ila Skincare
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Kung nga-a Conscious ang mga Alien sang ila Skincare (The Thing About Aliens And Their Skin Care) by Seth Andrew Blanca and Niño Maldecir is a drama and comedy about aliens. As peculiar as it may sound, we have been living elbow to elbow with aliens—they are one of us.
More information about the festival is available on its social media accounts with the handle @qcinemaph.
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Images: Qcinema
Jove holds a degree in Journalism and is currently pursuing graduate studies in Philosophy at the University of the Philippines–Diliman. She has flair for in-depth, interview-driven stories that explore politics and culture, shaped by her background in national broadsheets.
When she’s not on assignment, Jove spends her days painting, sipping lemonade, and walking her dog, Jupiter. She can often be seen in Escolta with a film camera in hand, browsing novelty shops in search of rare memorabilia. For leads, reach her at Jove@tatlerphilippines.com.
