Philippines QCinema Film Festival Adds Southeast Asian Project Market (EXCLUSIVE)

The QCinema International Film Festival in the Philippines has beefed up its industry program by introducing a project market strand, QCinema Project Market (QPM). It acts as a networking and funding platform for Filipino and Southeast Asian projects in advanced development.

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With the support of the Quezon City Film Development Commission (QCFDC) and the Quezon City local government, QPM will award over $300,000 in grants to selected projects. 

To be eligible, the director must have at least a draft of the full script of a feature-length fiction film project, and the film must not yet be completed by the time QCinema 2023 commences and must not yet be fully financed. Southeast Asian directors with at least one short feature film may apply. Deadline for submissions is Sept. 15.

“In recent times, this region has showcased remarkable advancements in its cinematic endeavors, boasting production values that rival international benchmarks. This is clearly evident in the diverse collaborative film ventures between the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations, as exemplified by acclaimed works like ‘Autobiography by Makbul Mubarak’ (Indonesia-Singapore-Philippines), ‘In My Mother’s Skin’ (Philippines-Singapore-Taiwan), and ‘Arnold is a Model Student’ (Thailand-Philippines-Singapore),” said Liza Dino-Seguerra, the newly appointed executive director of the QCFDC.

“With QPM, we now have the opportunity to nurture and endorse similar projects from this region, facilitating access to funding avenues and exclusive networking prospects. This, in turn, will amplify the presence of these narratives on the grand cinematic stage.”

Diño-Seguerra previously served as the chairperson and CEO of the Film Development Council of the Philippines. There she was involved in the creation of the country’s first national film incentives through the FilmPhilippines program.

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