THE PHILIPPINES' PREMIER international film festival, QCinema, returns for its fourteenth edition this weekend with a keen curatorial focus on spotlighting 'Genreteurs,' a portmanteau of 'genre' and 'auteur'—two words that are rarely mixed, or at least they used to be. But as festival director Ed Lejano puts it, "Genre gives filmmakers a framework, while the auteur brings a personal voice."

Genre films are often relegated to smaller festival programs, but in QCinema 2026 they are the focus. The films work within supposed genre conventions, but the directors' fingerprints give them singular texture.

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Omnibus trailer for QCinema 2026. ©QCinema

QCinema 2026 happens from November 13 to 22, 2026, across five venues across Quezon City: Gateway Cineplex 18, Robinsons Galleria, AyalaMalls TriNoma, Fisher Mall, and SM City Fariview. The city's M.I.C.E. Center also lends itself as the venue for the film's opening night.

With the festival rushing upon us, it's as good a time as any to put together Unreel's festival guide to the 2026 QCinema International Film Festival: Find every film by section, where to watch, how to book, and an interactive schedule to plan your festival run.

Official posters for QCinema 2026 Asian Next Wave entries.

QCinema 2026 — Asian Next Wave

QCinema's competition showcase features some of the most exciting films across Asia, highlighting emerging Asian filmmaking voices at the onset of their careers.

9 Temples to Heaven

Drama, Comedy | 140 min | dir. Sompot Chidgasornpongse | 🇹🇭

When his boss predicts that his ailing mother may not have much time left, a man packs her and nine relatives into a one-day pilgrimage to nine temples. A Caméra d’Or nominee at Cannes and winner of the Sutherland Award in London.

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Festival trailer for 9 Temples to Heaven (dir. Sompot Chidgasornpongse) ©Kick the Machine

A Girl Unknown

Drama | 128 min | dir. Zou Jing | 🇨🇳

Passed between three families from ages six to eighteen, a girl collects new names and new identities while searching for somewhere—and someone—to belong to. Winner of the FIPRESCI Prize at Cannes Critics’ Week.

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Festival trailer for A Girl Unknown (dir. Zou Jing) ©Maneki Films

Ella Arcangel: Awit ng Pangil at Kuko

Animation, Fantasy, Horror | 90 min | dir. Mervin Malonzo | 🇵🇭

A young mambabarang from Manila’s slums hunts for her missing best friend and finds monsters, both supernatural and societal. QCinema’s opening film and a world premiere.

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Festival trailer for Ella Arcangel: Awit ng Pangil at Kuko (dir. Mervin Malonzo) ©Twenty Manila

Fruit Gathering

Drama, Romance | 98 min | dir. Aung Phyoe | 🇲🇲

In industrial Yangon, a factory worker who dreams of going home to her village watches her bond with a co-worker drift as their hopes for the future pull them apart. Winner of the Crystal Globe at Karlovy Vary.

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Festival trailer for Fruit Gathering (dir. Aung Phyoe) ©D1 Film

Fujiko

Drama | 95 min | dir. Taichi Kimura | 🇯🇵

After her husband’s family takes her daughter, a mistreated wife wins the child back with her own mother’s help and decides to raise her on her own terms. Winner of the Golden Mulberry at the Far East Film Festival.

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Festival trailer for Fujiko (dir. Taichi Kimura) ©EPISCOPE

Hearing

Drama | 128 min | dir. Lê Bảo | 🇻🇳

A mechanic who installs decibel meters in homes and public spaces starts tuning in to the silences inside his own family. In competition for the Golden Leopard at Locarno.

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Festival trailer for Hearing (dir. Lê Bảo) ©E&W Films

The Burning Giants

Drama, Mystery | 114 min | dir. Phuttiphong Aroonpheng | 🇹🇭

As an invisible smoke blankets western Thailand, a displaced Karen couple holds on to the dream of returning home. A Venice Orizzonti premiere that went through the QCinema Project Market back in 2023.

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Festival trailer for The Burning Giants (dir. Phuttiphong Aroonpheng) ©13 Little Pictures

The World Before

Drama, Romance, Coming-of-Age | 115 min | dir. Yoon Dan-bi | 🇰🇷

A young woman who has never left her road-less island home is unsettled when a childhood friend comes back for his grandmother’s funeral and decides to stay. Special Mention in San Sebastián’s New Directors section.

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Festival trailer for The World Before (dir. Yoon Dan-bi) ©Cheonggwa

QCinema 2026 — QCShorts International

This year, we're seeing QCShorts in its most expansive, with four five-film volumes that feature notable Southeast Asian short films, including the five QCShorts grantees, each backed by a ₱700,000 production grant.

Program 1: At Night We Lead Different Lives

Program 2: A Little Blasphemy Never Hurt Anyone

Program 3: All Mothers Were Once Girls

Program 4: The Mountains Always Ask for More

*QCShorts grantee

Official posters for films in the QCinema 2026 New Horizons section.

QCinema 2026 — New Horizons

New Horizons showcases the first and second features of emerging directors across the globe.

Official posters for films in the QCinema 2026 RainbowQC section.

QCinema 2026 — RainbowQC

QCinema's queer section offers stories with LGBTQIA+ characters and perspectives that highlight the diversity of experiences in an increasingly complex world.

Official posters for films in the QCinema 2026 Screen International section.

QCinema 2026 — Screen International

Screen International programs award winning, critically acclaimed films from all over the world.

Official posters for films in the QCinema 2026 QC Selects section.

QCinema 2026 — QC Selects

A curated selection of films that highlight powerful stories and exciting visions.

QCinema 2026 — Before Midnight

QCinema's section that features horrific and fantastic tales, from Parisian vampires to body-swap mysteries to romantic neo-noirs.

Official posters for films in the QCinema 2026 Dokyu Days section.

QCinema 2026 — Dokyu Days

A showcase of documentaries that shows real range, highlighting true stories from all over the world.

Official posters for films in the QCinema 2026 Rediscovery section.

QCinema 2026 — Rediscovery

A selection of landmark films from cinema’s vast and colorful history, digitally restored and handpicked by the artistic director of QCinema.

QCinema 2026 — Special Screenings

QCinema also opens its doors to the regions. On November 19, Gateway Cinema 17 is hosting Cinema Rehiyon, and all three screenings are free with talkbacks:

For something nostalgic, QCinema at the Park brings Peque Gallaga and Lore Reyes’ 1997 fantasy epic Magic Kingdom: Ang Alamat ng Damortis to the Quezon Memorial Circle for a free outdoor screening on November 15 at 5 PM. Bring a banig.

Finally, November 22 is reserved for the winners: two encore screenings of the Asian Next Wave / New Horizons Best Picture and one of the RainbowQC Best Picture, with titles announced after the awards.

When and where to watch QCinema films

QCinema 2026 screenings happen within Quezon City across five different venues: Gateway Mall, Robinsons Galleria, TriNoma, Fisher Mall, and SM City Fairview.

Here’s the full list of theaters.

QCinema 2026 screening schedules

QCinema has published its full screening schedule on its website.

Do note that schedules and cinema assignments can change without notice, so it’s best to follow QCinema on Facebook for real-time updates and to double-check with the cinema on the day itself.

We’ve built this interactive festival schedule, which lets you browse all 170 screenings by day, venue, or section and see the full lineup of every shorts program.

You can also save screenings to your watchlist. The scheduler flags when two or more of your picks overlap. And don’t worry, it keeps your picks even if you close the tab. Just come back using the same browser and device.

QCinema 2026 · Festival Schedule
All sections Asian Next Wave QCShorts International New Horizons RainbowQC Screen International QC Selects Before Midnight Dokyu Days Rediscovery Special Screenings
Official schedule from qcinema.ph (updated Nov 13) — schedules and cinema assignments may change, so check with the cinema on the day.
Talkback = post-screening Q&A. Free screenings are marked; regular tickets at the partner cinemas.

QCinema 2026 Ticket information

Looking to book your QCinema 2026 screenings? Here’s what you need to know.

Ticket prices

Regular QCinema screenings go for ₱200 per ticket. Even better, a good chunk of the program is free. Sulit! Here are the free screenings this year:

QCinema 2026 Festival badges

QCinema sold its QCinephile Festival Badge for ₱2,000, which came with ten screening credits, early online booking, and a full merch set (tote bag, shirt, cap, leather pouch, coaster, and lanyard).

All badges are sold out as of this writing.

Book tickets via partner cinemas

Tickets for regular screenings are sold through each partner cinema’s own booking channel, linked in the theater list above. If you’re eyeing a talkback screening, book early as those screenings tend to get booked out.

For real-time info and updates, check out QCinema on Facebook.

Read our previous QCinema coverage

QCinema Pride 2026 returns with septet of acclaimed queer films
Now in its second year, QCinema's special edition features a titillating mix of queer titles.
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QCinema 2025 Festival Guide: One film city to the world
QCinema programs a wealth of local and Asian filmmaking visions for its first year as a UNESCO Creative City. Here's your Unreel festival guide.
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