Filipino queer film ‘In This Moment’ heads to two film festivals in US

Filipino-American filmmaker Mike Talplacido’s feature directorial debut, “In This Moment,” is set to screen at two more LGBTQ film festivals in the United States this September, following its world premiere in San Francisco last month.

The LGBTQ drama will have its Southern California premiere at Cinema Diverse in Palm Springs on Sept. 18 before making its East Coast and North Carolina premieres at the OUT at the Movies International Film Festival in Winston-Salem on Sept. 25.

“These two upcoming festivals are meaningful to us,” said Talplacido in a statement. “Cinema Diverse marks our Southern California Premiere, and I’ve never been to Palm Springs before.”

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“I’m looking forward to connecting with our Filipino American community in Palm Springs and with other queer filmmakers and creatives at the festival,” added the director.

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The film previously had its world premiere in August at the Roxie Theatre in San Francisco as part of the 6th San Francisco Queer Film Festival.

Set in North Carolina, “In This Moment” follows a Filipino-American writer and his husband as they navigate infidelity, caregiving, loss and the possibility of redemption.

READ: Anna Kendrick to direct film adaptation of LGBTQ book ‘Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo’

Talplacido, a queer filmmaker, said the film’s North Carolina premiere carries particular significance after spending nearly 17 years in the state with his husband.

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“This marks our homecoming premiere. The film is my love letter to North Carolina. I lived there for almost 17 years with my husband, who grew up there. It became my home in the U.S.,” shared Talplacido, who was born and raised in the Philippines.

“The majority of our cast and crew are also from North Carolina, so I’m excited to finally screen the film with them and our local community,” he added.

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“In This Moment” will also serve as the opening film of this year’s OUT at the Movies International Film Festival.

“It’s so amazing that our film gets to be an Opening Film for the festival. Last year, the festival’s opening film was this amazing movie called ‘Four Mothers’ by Darren Thornton, and they also screened one of my favorite LGBTQ films from last year, ‘Plainclothes’ by Carmen Emmi, starring Tom Blyth and Russell Tovey. To be among these films is an incredible honor,” he said.

The film was a finalist in the 2026 AAPI Renaissance Rally and received a 2025 Filmed in NC Grant from the Cucalorus Foundation and the North Carolina Film Office.

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Its screenplay was also workshopped at Lambda Literary, where Talplacido served as a 2025 Writing Fellow. /ra