From indie gems to restorations, PH films shine at London’s Queer East Fest

From heritage to high-stakes love

“This year’s program places a strong focus on queer cinema heritage, featuring a series of screenings with 35mm prints, stunning 4K restorations, and rare archival materials spanning over six decades of queer filmmaking across Asia,” said Yi Wang, Queer East festival and program director.

“While sometimes overlooked, these films hold the collective memory of our communities, and by bringing them to the big screen again, we want to create a space for dialogues between our queer past and today’s audiences.”

Directed by Ryan Machado, “Raging” is set in the mid-1990s on Sibuyan Island and follows a young man (Elijah Canlas) grappling with trauma and isolation after a devastating incident. When he witnesses a mysterious plane crash, he is forced to confront what he has long tried to suppress.

In Fatrick Tabada’s “Flower Girl,” Sue Ramirez plays Ena, a self-absorbed influencer whose carefree life takes a bizarre turn after a supernatural encounter leaves her without her “poochy.” To get it back, she must find true love, if she’s even capable of recognizing it.

Nigel Santos’ “Open Endings” centers on four queer women navigating love, friendship, and shared history. Once romantically involved with one another, they have maintained a close bond, until a major life decision threatens to unravel it.

For more information, visit https://queereast.org.uk/festival-2026/.