‘The Treasure Hunter’ is an out of touch documentary about a British man trying to live out his imperial fantasies in the Philippines. He wants to find Yamashita’s gold so he can ‘live the high life,’ suspiciously sounding like a 16th century conquistador.

‘The Voice of Hind Rajab’ depicts the attempt to save the life of five-year-old child, Hind Rajab, from the bloodlust of the Israeli military in northern Gaza. It features at its center the actual audio recordings from that day: her voice crying for help.

‘The Encampments’ captures the Columbia University student protests for Palestine that ignited a global movement, and has since been met with widespread arrests, suspensions, and expulsions.

‘Lost Sabungeros’ suggests through interviews with insider whistleblowers that the criminal mastermind behind the violent disappearances within the e-sabong industry is the notorious gambling tycoon, Charlie “Atong” Ang.

QCinema’s inaugural Shorts Expo is an unevenly curated, but ultimately, necessary addition to the festival. There are many great shorts here, so hopefully, it can be expanded on further in its future editions.

‘Lost Sabungeros’ suggests through interviews with insider whistleblowers that the criminal mastermind behind the violent disappearances within the e-sabong industry is the notorious gambling tycoon, Charlie “Atong” Ang.

‘Inshallah a Boy’ is a riveting portrait of a widow trying to keep her family afloat following her husband’s sudden death.

‘Asog’ is a transgressive docudrama that defiantly stands up in resistance against the powerful forces of oppression that dominate Filipino society. It’s a reminder of the importance of solidarity and resilience in the face of human tragedy.

‘Alipato at Muog’ is a documentary that follows the futile search for truth and justice by the families of those missing by “enforced disappearance,” focusing on the case of Jonas Burgos, a farmer-activist who has been missing since 2007.

This year’s Asian Shorts film program for QCinema features a diverse selection of socially relevant films from filmmakers from China, Nepal, Indonesia, and the Philippines. In their own ways they each deal with issues that afflict their local communities and continue to exemplify the unbridled power of cinema as a tool for reflection on the state of human society today.