Philippines is Country of Focus at Singapore Media Festival 2018

After its successful Philippine participation in Busan International Film Festival at Busan, South Korea, the Film Development Council of the Philippines leads the country again as Country of Focus at the Singapore Media Festival, celebrating two important milestones in its history - the 100 Years of Philippine Cinema and the 50th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between the Philippines and Singapore for the following year.

The Singapore Media Festival (SMF), hosted by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) one of Asia’s leading international media events, where the industry meets to discover the latest trends, talents and content in Asia for Film, TV and digital media. It brings together Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF), Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF) and ScreenSingapore and SMF Ignite.

Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) will be the lead agency in the Philippine participation to the SMF, and will bring thirty (30) companies composed of film and content producers, buyers, distributors, animation companies, and service providers who will join SMF-established events such as the Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF), Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF) and ScreenSingapore and SMF Ignite.

"We are incredibly honored to once again have the support of an international Festival, this time from Singapore and the IMDA which we have had close ties with especially in terms of our film programs and partnerships. This time, we focus on the industry side of Cinema for SMF especially by bringing content producers and filmmakers who are geared and ready to buy, sell, and develop titles not just for local, but foreign content," said FDCP Chairperson and CEO Mary Liza Diño. 

Asia Television Forum (ATF)

The Asia Television Forum is Asia’s leading entertainment content market which lets delegates tap into the growth potential of Asia’s entertainment content industry for buyers and sellers. ATF also gives valuable market insights from some of the industry’s most illustrious experts and open doors to potential business opportunities through a dedicated series of both intimate networking sessions to large-scaled ones. 

FDCP is hosting a Philippine booth at the ATF and bringing thirty (30) producers and filmmakers to develop, buy, and sell content and films. Moreover, Filipino executives like TV5 and Cignal TV will be participating in the ATF Leaders' Summit on a panel that puts spotlight on the Philippines and its landscape as it adapts to the digital revolution.

ScreenSingapore, Southeast Asian Film Financing (SAFF), ad Ties That Bind

ScreenSingapore is a marketplace for filmmakers, producers, distributors, financiers and film buyers to explore co-production opportunities, seek financing, make deals and learn about the changing film landscape. This year, it will host again the Southeast Asian Film Financing (SAFF) Project Market in partnership with the Southeast Asian Audio-Visual Association (SAAVA) and Ties That Bind: Asia/Europe Producers Workshop (TTB) to connect promising filmmakers and producers from Southeast Asia and Europe with international co-producing partners, festival programmers, distributors, commissioners, and financiers.

SAFF will feature five projects from the Philippines:

ANI (THE HARVEST)

Science Fiction, Coming-of-age

Producer: Toni Zuniga

Director: Kristine Zuniga

BANGSA BADJAO

Drama Thriller

Producer: Suzanne Richiardone / Jessel Monteverde

Director: Jessel Monteverde

COMFORT

Feminist Action Drama

Producer: Bianca Balbuena & Kriz Gazmen

Director: Gino M. Santos

FILIPINO

Drama Thriller

Producer: Mel Allego

JOHN DENVER TRENDING

Drama, Social Satire

Producer: Sheron Dayoc & Sonny Calvento

Director: Arden Rod C

On the other hand, for TIES THAT BIND whose first workshop took place in the Udine Far East Film Festival, will be holding its second workshop during SAFF. Asian Film Commissions Network (AFCNet) Producer of the Year Awardee Bianca Balbuena is one of the mentors of the program. Among the ten (10) projects included in the slate is “Return of the Owl” by Martika Ramirez Escobar and Monster Jimenez.

Singapore International Film Festival

The Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) is also celebrating Filipino films as it brings together emerging filmmakers from Asia and Southeast Asia while paying tribute to acclaimed cinema legend. 

There are four (4) short films in competition, three (3) official selection and a world premiere  from the Philippines this year:

In competition - Southeast Asian Short Film Competition

o Manila is Full of Men Named Boy by Andrew Stephen Lee

o The Imminent Immanent by Carlo Francisco Manatad

o Please Stop Talking by Josef Gacutan

o Judgement by Raymund Ribay Gutierrez

Official Selection

o The Ashes and Ghosts of Tayug 1931 by Christopher Gozum

o Season of the Devil by Lav Diaz

o Nervous Translation by Shireen Seno

2017 SAFF Project Market finalist, Mikhail Red’s Eerie will have its world premiere at the Festival’s Midnight Mayhem section.

The Asia Academy Creative Awards (AACA)

Launched last July, the AACA’s vision was to create an awards programme by the industry for the industry.  The AACA has set Wilson Tieng, President of the Motion Pictures Distributors’ Association of the Philippines (MPDAP), as its ambassador. A total of twenty five (25) FIlipino nominess have been nominated for various awards, including The Greatest Love (ABS CBN) for Best Series, Miss Maja Salvador (Wildflower) for Best Actress and Ikaw-6 Na Utos (GMA Network) for Best Telenovela / Soap.

The Singapore Media Festival will run from November 28 to December 9, 2018.