QCinema International Film Festival is once again paving the way for Filipino and Southeast Asian filmmakers to reach a worldwide audience with the launch of the QCinema Project Market.
The QCinema Project Market (QPM) stands as a vital platform for Southeast Asian filmmakers and producers, offering opportunities to secure funding, broaden networks, gain exposure, enhance skills, and play a role in the global film industry’s evolution. The project has allocated more than 15 million pesos in grants.
Newly-appointed Executive Director of the Quezon City Film Development Commission, Liza Diño-Seguerra, underscores the impressive progress in the region’s filmmaking, with production values that rival global standards. This has been evident in various co-produced film projects between the Philippines and Southeast Asia that have graced major festivals. Diño-Seguerra emphasizes QPM’s role in supporting such regional projects, connecting them with funding sources and networking avenues, thus bringing their narratives to the big screen.
The QCinema initiative, through QPM, aims to spotlight the untold stories of Southeast Asia, nurturing the often-unrepresented cultures, histories, and narratives of the region.
Filipino and Southeast Asian filmmakers with projects in advanced stages of development are encouraged to participate. Eligible participants must possess at least a draft of the full script for a feature-length fiction film project that remains incomplete by the time QCinema 2023 starts and is not fully financed yet. Southeast Asian directors with at least one short or feature film may also apply.
Applicants need to complete an online application form, including essential details such as loglines, synopses, director’s statements, production schedules, treatments, financial plans, production costs, and profiles of the director, producer, and production company. Sample reels, if available, can also be submitted.
Projects that highlight unique aspects of Southeast Asian culture and history, as well as those with potential international appeal, will be given preference. Submission of entries will be accepted until September 15, 2023.
Fifteen projects will be selected to partake in the film market, scheduled from November 18-20, 2023, in conjunction with the QCinema International Film Festival. Participants will have the opportunity to pitch their ideas to potential investors, engage with prospective collaborators, receive mentorship, and attend workshops.
Diño-Seguerra underscores that this initiative aligns with QCinema’s objective to establish itself as a prominent Southeast Asian film festival and a global hub for Southeast Asian cinema. She emphasizes that the market will foster more collaborations and co-production opportunities, ultimately contributing to the growth and advancement of the regional film industry.
For further details, interested parties can visit the QPM website at https://qcinema.ph/grant/project-market/.
