Pink Fest

QC Int'l LGBTQ film festival

By Nico Erle Ciriaco

The 2018 edition of the annual QC International Pink Film Festival had successfully culminated its 12-day run with the screening of Joella Cabalu's documentary feature "It Runs In The Family" which centered on what the filmmaker learns from each of her LGBTQ family members' experience.

That year's edition was the largest ever seen with 64 titles including featured entries from Brazil (Liquid Truth), Tonga (Leitis in Waiting), Indonesia (Memories of my Body), Spain (Carmen y Lola), Taiwan (Small Talk), Japan (Boys for Sale), Thailand (The Driver), and a co-production from Syria/Turkey/UK (Mr. Gay Syria).

"Quezon City is a gender fair city that pioneered the passing of the Gender Equality ordinance to fight advocacies on awareness, diversity and equality, as well as combat stigmatization. To date, 25 other cities have followed our example in passing this ordinance in their respective constituencies. 2018 also marks the 79th founding anniversary of Quezon City. And with the annual QC Int'l Film Festival, we hope that this becomes a film tourism vehicle wherein organizers will include us in their film circuit map that draws film enthusiasts from all around the world," intoned vice mayor Joy Belmonte.

The Filipino Features included Gerardo Calagui's "Mga Gabing Kasinghaba ng Hair Ko," Rae Red and Fatrick Tabada's "Si Chedeng at si Apple," Kanakan Balintagos' " Ang Pagdadalaga no Maximo Oliveros," Cris Pablo's "Duda," Wil Fredo's "Traslacion: Ang Paglakad sa Altar Ng Alanganin," Connie Macatuno's "Rome and Juliet," Soxy Topacio's "Ded na si Lolo," GA Villafuerte's "Otoko," and a restospective of Nick Deocampo's works - #pinkQCity, The Sex Warriors and the Samurai, and Oliver.

Rene "Oliver" Villarama, who starred in the documentary short "Oliver," was bestowed the Natatanging Pink Award for blazing a trail in Manila's live entertainment scene with his unforgettable "Gagamba" routine way back in the early '80s. "The year 2018 marks the centennial of the Philippine documentary as well as Philippine filmmaking. It is also my 35th year as a filmmaker since lensing "Oliver" in 1983. Through the years, we see an upsurge of both local and global LGBTQ films, celebrating trials and triumphs from the Rainbow Pride community," enthused festival director Prof. Nick Delcampo.

The Pink Filmfest opened at the Gateway Cineplex with Jethro Patalinghug's documentary feature "50 Years of Fabulous" that centered on the history of the Imperial Council of Los Angeles, the oldest LGBT charity organization in the world, as it follows half a century of colorful history and crusade.

Since its inception in 2004, the annual Pink Festival has toured six times in seven different cities around the archipelago; essaying narratives from the Pink family and community.