The festival’s historic opening film, Ella Arcangel: The Battle of Tooth and Claw, directed by Mervin Malonzo is competing in the prestigious Asian Next Wave section . Animation takes a triumphant leap into the spotlight at the 14th QCinema International Film Festival, perfectly embodying this year’s theme, Genre’teurs—a clever portmanteau of “genre” and “auteur.” By integrating animated works across three competitive sections, alongside a dedicated short film lineup and a beloved anime classic, QCinema is offering a much-larger, well-deserved platform for the medium. This programming underscores why animation is so vital: far from being confined to children's entertainment, it is a boundless cinematic art form. The limitless visual possibilities of animation grant filmmakers the ultimate freedom to bend reality, craft intricate worlds, and express deeply personal visions across any genre imaginable. This philosophy is powerfully manifested in the festival’s historic opening film,...
Fashion storyteller Norman Peñaflorida together with the NCCA and The Metropolitan Theater, opened Karilagan on November 9. More than a showcase of style, the exhibit is a vital cultural bridge connecting the rich heritage of the past with the dynamic sensibilities of the present. Below, the ribbon-cutting ceremony Art has always been a mirror of a nation’s soul, and nowhere is this more vividly expressed than in the vibrant threads of traditional Filipino textiles. The recent opening of the “Karilagan: Mga Tradisyunal na Habi at Kasuotan sa Makabagong Kapanahunan” (Karilagan: Traditional Weaves and Attire in the Modern Era) exhibit at The Metropolitan Theater stands as a magnificent testament to this truth. Spearheaded by fashion storyteller Norman Peñaflorida of The Closet Couture, in collaboration with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and The Metropolitan Theater, the exhibition is much more than a showcase of style—it is a vital cultural bridge connectin...