In its 11th year, QCinema continues its QCShorts program where six story concepts were given grants to transform into short films. In recent years, the competition has produced works that focus on filmmakers’ artistic vision, with programming that is strong and consistent. This year, while it can still be said that QCShorts showcased promise, the selection left much more to be desired. Even though themes between films intersect (with half of the program directly tackling queer narratives), the selection felt disjointed and incoherent with an equal number of hits and misses.
Editor’s note: The following reviews contain minor spoilers.
First on the program is the animated “Tumatawa, Umiiyak” (dir. Che Tagyamon). Reminiscent of Tagyamon’s “Judy Free” from QCShorts 2019, it is a eulogy of sorts to a lost relative. If “Judy Free” is a child’s poignant attempt at reconnecting with her estranged father, “Tumatawa, Umiiyak” recounts a man’s memories as a child living in the city with his grandfather. The former is a narrative film featuring the father as a doodled cutout. The latter maximizes animation to best suit its story of a child remembering innocent times as he compartmentalizes harsh truths he will soon understand later on with age. Its style references a child’s notebook drawings. QCShorts have always been a playground of form and filmmakers are free to explore how best they could deliver their stories. In this selection, “Tumatawa, Umiiyak” exploits this opportunity most effectively. Compared to “Judy Free,” Tagyamon lets loose in “Tumatawa, Umiiyak,” but still with disciplined restraint to not overdo it.
‘ ‘2’: ‘image’: ‘jcr:24723841-edb1-4b8b-8af9-d6c1f0d5cb71’ ‘imageCaption’: ‘ “Tumatawa, Umiiyak” is a eulogy of sorts to a lost relative.
“Animal Lovers” (dir. Aedrian Araojo) falls into the trap satirical comedies of its ilk often do as it builds its entire run up to a singular punchline. Sometimes, it works. Sometimes, it risks making the entire film hollow. “Animal Lovers” elicits rapturous claps and chuckles, but one can’t help feeling it rings empty as time passes. It follows a pregnant couple, Guadalupe (Iana Bernardez) and Arturo (Karl Medina), who live on a farm. There is a rupture between the two as their animal companions, a dog and a carabao, seem to get between their relationship. It’s easy to guess the film’s punchline as it has a propensity of giving it away. Araojo risks being gauche, even distasteful, because the locale was not integrated thoughtfully into the comedy, relegating its characters’ milieu as backdrop.
It’s hard to overstate disappointment in “Tamgohoy” (dir. Roxlee) mostly because of the filmmaker attached to it. Roxlee is an ‘80s alternative cinema stalwart known for his avant-garde approach to filmmaking. Unfortunately, it seems that this energy does not extend to his latest work. “Tamgohoy” follows the beginnings of the Tamblot and Dagohoy revolts of Bohol against Spanish colonization that lasted for roughly 80 years. The film is structured like a shamanic ritual, which can explain its incoherence akin to a dream. Some sequences shine, and it’s those featuring Roxlee’s signature animation, which uses paint on frames, and a cameo of Roxlee as a masked friar in a bacchanalian dance. Other techniques like dip-to-black transitions and wonky frame rates look outdated. Casting Ronnie Lazaro as Tamblot was also a waste of great talent. In a lot of ways, Roxlee paved the path that led countless other filmmakers after him to experiment with film form. This one last hurrah for glory fumbled. One wishes he sat this one out and let other promising talents get their slot in the spotlight. Where do you draw the line between rebellious and inept?
‘ ‘9’: ‘image’: ‘jcr:c5515303-8530-46a2-b91e-667129dbb03e’ ‘imageCaption’: ‘”Tamgohoy” follows the beginnings of the Tamblot and Dagohoy revolt of Bohol against Spanish colonization that lasted for roughly 80 years.
“A Catholic Schoolgirl” (dir. Myra Angeline Soriaso) has the most straightforward plot. Kaya (Ora Palencia), the eponymous Catholic schoolgirl, is an outstanding student in Iloilo much to the delight of Sister Agnes (Sharon Idone). Kaya is close with Sister Agnes until their relationship is revealed to be romantically one-sided for Kaya. Ora Palencia shines as the timid and pining Kaya. As Director of Photography, Martika Ramirez Escobar lensed a scenic world that made the small confines of its location feel grand. The film’s position in the program shows how simple, conventional narratives executed well are far more rewarding than those with out-there ideas but fall short with their aspirations.
Like in “A Catholic Schoolgirl,” “Microplastics” (dir. Lino Balmes) is about queer yearning. This time, we follow protagonist Hero (played by Skylee Alcalde as a child, Gian Bernardino as a teen, and Arnold Reyes as an adult) at various stages in his life much like in Barry Jenkins’ coming-of-age drama “Moonlight.” Hero meets someone at a young age and they become close friends through adolescence. When his romantic advances get violently rejected, he carries this pain into adulthood. Hero’s life journey is garnished with microplastics. Why? The reason is unclear. Maybe it symbolizes Hero’s suffocation? His insincerity with himself? Literal pollution? The ending baffles even more. What supposedly is a story about the full circle acceptance of one’s self is marred once again by a deference to plastic. “Microplastics” is rendered ineffective because it relies so much on this narrative device which does not serve its plot.
‘ ’12’: ‘image’: ‘jcr:f0ad7b8d-b82e-426b-a37e-0307245b8906’ ‘imageCaption’: ‘ “Microplastics” follows its protagonist Hero at various stages
“Abutan Man Tayo ng House Lights” (dir. Apa Agbayani) is the final film in the program. It contains the stellar selection-stealing performances of Jon Santos and Bart Guingona. They play Junie and Chito as aging forlorn lovers meeting in the middle of the night for a last drug-laced rave together. In their trance-like solitude (heightened by how DOP Martika Escobar captured the film, like in her work for “A Catholic Schoolgirl”), they enter their own world. Time fades fast, but every second counts. And in those seconds, they are triumphant. This dance sequence is as tender as the animation of “Tumatawa,Umiiyak” and as raw as the paint sequence in “Tamgohoy.” But it is more palpable because the stakes of a final farewell are high and likely. And then it comes. With everything they carry, they are able to take each heavy step without a backwards glance. They are willing to only go forward. Then the screen turns black.
‘ ’14’: ‘image’: ‘jcr:cf125396-4e70-4395-a7f0-ad280bf3771b’ ‘imageCaption’: ‘”Abutan Man Tayo ng House Lights” contains the stellar selection-stealing
QCShorts 2023 is imperfect. It is a far cry from the complete thematic programming of previous years. But the program has its moments. The most impactful scene of the whole selection is Junie and Chito’s parting in “House Lights.” One may say it saved the program. But Kaya’s intrusive yet decisive action to kiss Sister Agnes in “School Girl” is arguably a worthy contender. Araojo’s choice to end “Animal Lovers” in a tableau evoking the Nativity of Jesus is also eruptive. Hero emerging from a sea of plastic in “Microplastics” is a production marvel. Animation is a feat in itself, especially like in “Tumatawa, Umiiyak” where its director blossomed into the medium. With everything said about “Tamgohoy” as a full film, snippets of brilliance radiate from some parts of it once isolated.
Like the kid remembering, like Tamblot and Dagohoy, like Kaya, like Junie and Chito, QCShorts must go forward. And it will.
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