The 2025 QCinema International Film Festival took place from November 14 to 23, 2025 in Quezon City, Philippines. It highlights the theme of "Film City", which celebrates Quezon City's recognition as UNESCO's City of Film this year. The festival opened with Alice Winocour's drama film Couture and closed with Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke's supernatural comedy film A Useful Ghost, the winner of Asian Next Wave Best Picture.
Juries Asian Next Wave Bianca Balbuena, film producer Liz Shackleton, film journalist Martin Horyna, film festival programmer John Arcilla, actor
QCShorts International Chris Fujiwara, writer and film critic Mikhail Red, filmmaker Pearl Chan, film distributor
RainbowQC Petersen Vargas, filmmaker Don Jaucian, author Francisco Javier López Tapia, director of Instituto Cervantes of Manila
New Horizons Bastian Meiresonne, author Martika Ramirez Escobar, filmmaker Panos Kotzathanasis, film critic
Official selection Asian Next Wave English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s) Diamonds in the Sand 砂の中のダイヤモンド Janus Victoria Japan, Malaysia, Philippines Family Matters 我家的事 Ke-yin Pan Taiwan Ky Nam Inn Quán Kỳ Nam Leon Le Vietnam Lost Land Harà Watan Akio Fujimoto Japan, France, Malaysia, Germany Luz 花明渡 Flora Lau Hong Kong, China, FranceOpen Endings Nigel Santos PhilippinesRenoir Chie Hayakawa Japan, France, Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia A Useful Ghost ผีใช้ได้ค่ะ Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke Thailand, France, Singapore, Germany The World of Love 세계의 주인 Yoon Ga-eun South Korea
New Horizons English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s)Amoeba Tan Siyou Singapore, Netherlands, Spain, France, South KoreaBlue Heron Sophy Romvari Canada, Hungary, United States Brand New Landscape 見はらし世代 Yuiga Danzuka JapanThe Chronology of Water Kristen Stewart United States, Latvia, France DJ Ahmet Диџеј Ахмет Georgi M. Unkovski North Macedonia, Czechia, Serbia, CroatiaLucky Lu Lloyd Lee Choi Canada, United StatesManas Marianna Brennand Fortes Brazil, Portugal, France, Belgium On Your Lap Pangku Reza Rahadian Indonesia, Saudi Arabia The President's Cake مملكة القصب Hasan Hadi Iraq, United States, Qatar
RainbowQC English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s)3670 Park Joon-ho South Korea Bel Ami 漂亮朋友 Geng Jun France The Little Sister La Petite Dernière Hafsia Herzi France, Germany The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo La misteriosa mirada del flamenco Diego Céspedes Chile, France, Spain, Belgium, Germany On the Road En el camino David Pablos Mexico Skin of Youth Ồn ào tuổi trẻ Ash Mayfair Vietnam, Singapore, United States, Japan Strange River Estrany Riu Jaume Claret Muxart Spain, Germany Summer's Camera 여름의 카메라 Divine Sung South Korea
Screen International English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s)Couture Alice Winocour United States, France Divine Comedy کمدی الهی Ali Asgari Iran, Italy, France, Germany, TurkeyFather Mother Sister Brother Jim Jarmusch United States, Ireland, France, Italy, JapanHamnet Chloé Zhao United Kingdom, United StatesThe History of Sound Oliver Hermanus United Kingdom, United States, Sweden Little Amélie or the Character of Rain Amélie et la métaphysique des tubes Maïlys Vallade, Liane-Cho Han France, BelgiumThe Mastermind Kelly Reichardt United Kingdom, United StatesOnce Upon a Time in Gaza Tarzan and Arab Nasser France, Portugal, Palestine, Germany, United States The Portuguese House Una quinta portuguesa Avelina Prat Spain, PortugalSirāt Óliver Laxe Spain, France, Morocco The Things You Kill Öldürdüğün Şeyler Alireza Khatami Canada, France, Poland, Turkey, Singapore
Before Midnight English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s) The Garden of Earthly Delights Ang Hardin ng Makalupang Kasiyahan Morgan Knibbe Netherlands, Philippines, BelgiumRabbit Trap Bryn Chainey United States, United Kingdom The Ugly Stepsister Den Stygge Stesøsteren Emilie Blichfeldt Denmark, Norway, Poland, Sweden
QCinema Selects The first two episodes of HBO Max's comedy series Call My Manager were screened during the festival.
English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s) Call My Manager Erik Matti PhilippinesHuman Resource Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit Thailand The Kings of the World Los reyes del mundo Laura Mora Colombia, France, Luxembourg, Mexico, NorwayLakambini, Gregoria De Jesus Arjanmar Rebeta, Jeffrey Jeturian PhilippinesRental Family Hikari United States The Richest Woman in the World La femme la plus riche du monde Thierry Klifa France, BelgiumShadow Transit Pedring Lopez Philippines, Hong Kong, Canada
Rediscovery 2000 film Almost Famous was set to screen at the festival, but cancelled due to technical issues.
English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s) Linda Linda Linda (2005) リンダ リンダ リンダ Nobuhiro Yamashita JapanShowgirls (1995) Paul Verhoeven United States, France
Dokyu Days English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s)10s Across the Borders Chan Sze-wei Philippines, Singapore, Germany, United Kingdom 2000 Meters to Andriivka 2000 метрів до Андріївки Mstyslav Chernov Ukraine, United States Below the Clouds Sotto le nuvole Gianfranco Rosi ItalyThe Road to Sydney Benito Bautista PhilippinesThe Treasure Hunter Giacomo Gex United States, Philippines The Voice of Hind Rajab صوت هند رجب Kaouther Ben Hania France, Tunisia, United States, United Kingdom, Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, Italy
Focus on Sandra Hüller This year's special program is focused to showcase the work by German actress Sandra Hüller, presented with Goethe-Institut. English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s) Anatomy of a Fall (2023) Anatomie d'une chute Justine Triet FranceRequiem (2006) Hans-Christian Schmid GermanyToni Erdmann (2016) Maren Ade Austria, France, Germany, Romania Two to One (2024) Zwei zu eins Natja Brunckhorst GermanyThe Zone of Interest (2023) Jonathan Glazer United Kingdom, Poland, United States
Awards The following awards were presented at the festival: Asian New Wave Best Picture: A Useful Ghost by Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke Jury Prize: Lost Land by Akio Fujimoto Best Director: Chie Hayakawa for Renoir Best Lead Performance: Yui Suzuki for Renoir Best Screenplay: Janus Victoria for Diamonds in the Sand Artistic Achievement Award for Production Design: Rasiguet Sookkarn for A Useful Ghost
New Horizons Best Film: Amoeba by Siyou Tan Jury Prize: Blue Heron by Sophy Romvari NETPAC Jury Prize for Best Asian First Film: On Your Lap by Reza Rahadian
RainbowQC Best LGBT Film: The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo by Diego Céspedes Jury Prize: Strange River by Jaume Claret Muxart Special Mention: Summer's Camera by Divine Sung
QCShorts Best Short Film: Honey, My Love, So Sweet by JT Trinidad Jury Prize: A Metamorphosis by Lin Htet Aung Best Short Film – QCShorts Lokal: Surface Tension by the Serrano Sisters Gender Sensitivity Award: Kara: The Burning Woman by Dale Special Mention: Little Rebels Cinema Club by Khozy Rizal Critics Prize: Kara: The Burning Woman by Dale and Hoy, Hoy, Ingat! by Norvin de los Santos
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