The new feature film The Garden of Earthly Delights, directed by Morgan Knibbe, is set for its highly anticipated run at this year’s QCinema International Film Festival, happening from November 14 to 23. A powerful testament to global collaboration, the film is produced by Amsterdam-based powerhouse BALDR Film, known for titles that have screened in Cannes, Berlinale, Venice, and Sundance, together with respected Filipino production company Popple Pictures and co-produced with Belgium’s CZAR Film. The project garnered early recognition and support from the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), the Netherlands Film Fund, and the Flanders Film Fund.
Set against the raw, electric backdrop of Manila, the film follows eleven-year-old Ginto, a young scavenger who dreams of becoming a gangster while navigating his emerging sexuality. His story intersects with that of Michael, a Dutch tourist whose world unravels after discovering he has been deceived by his online Filipino girlfriend. His desperate search for answers pulls him into the city’s red-light district, where desire, exploitation, and power violently collide. As their paths converge, the film paints a stunning yet brutal portrait of the meeting point between Western privilege and postcolonial poverty.
This marks Knibbe’s feature directorial debut. He co-wrote the screenplay with Roelof Jan Minneboo. Knibbe is internationally recognized for his award-winning documentary Those Who Feel the Fire Burning (2014), the Dutch entry for the Oscars, which earned more than 30 international accolades. His first encounter with Manila’s street children came in 2015, when he spent over a year in the Philippines as cinematographer on a European documentary project. The experience sparked the idea for The Garden of Earthly Delights. In 2019, together with Minneboo and associate producer Kristine Kintana, Knibbe deepened this immersion while developing the screenplay.
“The film exposes postcolonial inequalities that continue to shape our world,” Knibbe shares. “It confronts audiences with realities often overlooked or ignored. Privilege is the ability to look away. Through cinema, we aim to spotlight exploitation and marginalization, inspire collective action, and push toward a more equitable and inclusive society while maintaining the utmost respect for the communities we portray. This project was a true collaboration between West and East, enriched by diverse viewpoints and authentic voices to dismantle harmful stereotypes.”
The partnership between BALDR Film and Popple Pictures played a crucial role in navigating the film’s sensitive themes. Armi Rae Cacanindin, CEO of Popple Pictures, highlights the importance of this collaborative process: “This film required an honest meeting of minds. Our Filipino team was firm in ensuring that the depiction of the Philippines remained truthful, grounded, and never exploitative. The Dutch producers embraced that guidance wholeheartedly. Real artistry, especially in a story like this, demands cultural sensitivity and local insight.”
The Garden of Earthly Delights has already earned acclaim, including Best Director at the recently concluded Golden Calves (Dutch Academy Awards), widely regarded as the Netherlands’ equivalent of the Oscars. Following QCinema, the film will have its international premiere at the Torino Film Festival in Italy.
Unorthodox Casting: Real Kids, Real Stories
In its pursuit of uncompromising realism, the film employs an unconventional casting strategy: non-actors whose real-life experiences mirror those of their characters. The team conducted street casting across Metro Manila, meeting children whose natural presence and lived realities brought authenticity to the screen.
JP Rodriguez, who previously worked as a fruit-stand vendor and porter at Manila’s largest trading hub, takes on the powerful leading role of Ginto. The young actors playing his friends were also first-timers: John Michael Toling as Jojo, Paula Mikaela Padon as Lourdes, and Ada Belamide as Liwa.
The cast also includes theater and film artists Francesca Dela Cruz and Bunny Cadag, with acclaimed Dutch actor Benjamin Moen starring as Michael. Moen has appeared in numerous productions, including the short film Pizzamonster, for which he received a Best Actor nomination at Shortcutz in 2018.
Screening Information
The Garden of Earthly Delights screens under the Before Midnight section of the 13th QCinema International Film Festival.
Gala Premiere: November 15 at Gateway Cinema.
Full screening schedule available on the QCinema website.
