FDCP Partners with QCinema International Film Festival, To Screen 3 Cannes Films

Wazzup Pilipinas!?



In line with its goal to bring world cinema to the Philippines, the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) is set to screen Cannes Film Festival official selection titles in the QCinema International Film Festival from November 18 to 25.

Fresh from this year’s Cannes Film Festival, Return to Seoul by Davy Chou and Corsage by Marie Kreutzer, both from the Un Certain Regard section, will be part of the 10th year edition of QCinema under the Asian Next Wave, the festival’s main competition section, and Screen International, respectively.

Return to Seoul by Cambodian-French filmmaker Chou is about a twenty-five-year-old French woman Frankie who returns to South Korea for the first time to where she was born before being adopted and raised in France. In her hopes to find her biological parents, her journey takes a surprising turn. Return to Seoul was nominated for Best Film at the 2022 Sydney Film Festival.

Patrick Brzeski of The Hollywood Reporter describes Return to Seoul as “expressive, unpredictable, feminist and fun, Freddie is a vibrant beam of searching, semi-wounded humanity.” For Clarence Tsui of South China Morning Post, Chou’s film surpasses its basic premise, he said: “Though Chou is neither a woman nor a Korean, nor an adoptee, he has managed to find something in Return to Seoul that he clearly connects with and that resonates with anyone else looking for their own place in the world, too.”

Austrian director Kreutzer’s Corsage is a film about the late years of Empress Elisabeth of Austria played by Vicky Krieps who bagged the Un Certain Regard award for Best Performance. Empress Elisabeth ‘Sissi’ is idolized for her beauty and renowned for inspiring fashion trends. But in 1877, as she celebrated her 40th birthday, she must fight to maintain her public image by lacing her corset tighter and tighter.

Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian commends the Corsage star Vicky Krieps for her performance as Elisabeth, “Vicky Krieps puts in a star turn. An exhilaratingly fierce, uningratiating performance.” Stephanie Bunbury of Deadline also praised the actress, “Vicky Krieps brings great complexity to her portrait of the empress.”

Cannes 2019 Best Screenplay winner and Golden Globe nominee, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, a French film by Celine Sciamma, is also returning this year in cinemas under QCinema’s Rainbow QC section and is being co-presented by the French Film Festival and the QCinema LGBTQIA+ Program. The film also won the Queer Palm at Cannes, making it the first film directed by a woman to win the award. Rainbow QC showcases the distinctive portrayals of the LGBT experience in varying periods and settings.

Aside from Return to Seoul, Corsage, and Portrait of a Lady on Fire, the FDCP also is bringing other top-notch international films to the Philippines including Celine Sciamma’s latest feature Petite Maman, Joachim Trier’s Oscar-nominated (Best International Feature and Best Screenplay) film The Worst Person in the World where actress Renate Reinsve won Best Actress in Cannes 2021, and 2021 Cannes Un Certain Regard film, Women Do Cry, by Vesela Kazakova and Mina Mileva.

FDCP’s latest acquisition, Léonor Serraille’s Mother and Son, was nominated for Cannes Film Festival’s Palme d’Or under the In Competition section. It won the C.S.T Young Film Technician Prize for the film’s production designer Marion Burger.



For more information and updates, follow QCinema’s social media pages and FDCP’s official pages on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.



SCREENING SCHEDULE

Return to Seoul

Nov 18 Friday 9:25 - 11:15 pm Gateway Cinema 2

Nov 19 Saturday 6:25-8:20 pm Gateway Cinema 2

Nov 22 Tuesday 1:30-3:10 pm Gateway Cinema 2

Nov 23 Wednesday 8:40-10:40 pm Trinoma Cinema 1



Corsage

Nov 19 Saturday 3:15-5:15 pm Gateway Cinema 5

Nov 24 Thursday 1:00-2:55 pm Trinoma Cinema 1

Nov 25 Friday 8:45-10:45 pm Rockwell Cinema 6



Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Nov 22 Tuesday 1:00-3:05 pm Trinoma Cinema 1

Nov 25 Friday 1:00-3:05 pm Gateway Cinema 1

16th International Silent Film Festival Manila 2022: Celebrating the Strength of Silence

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

After two years of online film screenings and activities, the annual International Silent Film Festival Manila (ISFFM) is now back with in-person festivities in celebration of sixteen years of reliving rich silent film culture worldwide.

This year’s serving will be joined by the Embassy of France to the Philippines, Goethe-Institut Philippinen, Embassy of Italy in Manila with the Philippine Italian Association, The Japan Foundation, Manila, Film Development Council of the Philippines, Instituto Cervantes de Manila, and the British Council in the Philippines. Live scored by selected Filipino bands and musicians, silent films will be screened from November 24-27, 2022, at the Red Carpet, Shangri-La Mall, Mandaluyong City.

Sharing the Toast: The 4-Day Silent Film Experience

Signaling the start of its annual toast, 16th ISFFM’s invitational opening ceremony is hosted by the British Council in the Philippines. Accompanied by performances and cocktails at the Grand Atrium of Shangri-La Mall at 6:00PM, this function will be graced by dignitaries from partner cultural organizations, film experts and critics, academicians and guests.

The screening of British film Piccadilly at Red Carpet Cinema 1 will follow at 8:00PM. Live scored by Filipino band Anahata in collaboration with Sensoria, this 1929 silent film tells a story about a scullery maid in a fashionable London nightclub whose sensuous tabletop dance catches the eye of a suave club owner. Piccadilly is regarded as one of the pinnacles of British silent cinema.

The festival’s second day will be started by a webinar spotlighting the representative films for this season.

The organizations will be sharing their processes of restoration, curation, and the continuing impact of the films in their countries’ cinema history. Through Zoom, the webinar will be open to the public.

Back at the Red Carpet Cinema 1, German and French films will be shown starting 5:00PM.

The 1922 German film Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, scored by The Brockas is the first cinematic adaptation of “Dracula”. Set in Transylvania, Nosferatu shares realtor Hutter’s story of entering a contract with Count Orlok, who is later known to be a vampire and will bring tragedy, plague and death to the port city of Wisborg. A thrilling cine-concert experience awaits viewers of this film.

Charles Burguet and René Le Somptier’s 1919 French piece La sultane de l'amour (The Sultan of Love – A Thousand and One Nuits) is this year’s oldest classic film. Starred by France Dhélia, Sylvio De Pedrelli and Yvonne Sergyl, this is an orientalist fairytale of the tormented love of Princess Daoulah and Prince Mourad, who met as disguised girl of the people and poor fisherman, and who could not find each other. The princess is later coveted by the sinister Sultan Malik, assisted by the fearsome Kadjar.

This classic will be scored by Bras Pas Pas Pas.

Festival’s day three opens a round table discussion led by musicians sharing their expertise, tips and experiences in scoring their assigned films. The film seminar will happen at the Premiere Theater at 3:00PM.

At 4:00PM, Spain’s 1926 film Malvaloca will be shown, scored by Talahib People’s Music. A story of Rosita, the Malvaloca's journey of finding her love, the silent film was considered lost and after its partial restoration, premiered at the 2010 Malaga Festival for the first time since the 1920s.

Japanese film 淑女と髯 (The Lady and the Beard) will follow at 8:00PM, with musical score by Bullet Dumas. This 1931 film, known to be a commercially and critically-acclaimed masterpiece by the world renowned filmmaker Yasujiro Ozu, follows Okajima, a conservative and self-conscious student, unable to find work and love because of his magnificent beard, who then saves a young girl from a gang of ruffians.

At her suggestion, he shaves his beard off and experiences surprising success.

Organized by the Film Development Council of the Philippines, event day 4 will witness a roundtable discussion on the challenges in the restoration of Philippine films led by local film archivists at 1:00 PM.

Ubaldo Maria Del Colle’s I Figli Di Nessuno (Nobody's children), Italy’s representative film, is scheduled at 3:00 PM. This 1921 film based on a popular Italian novel from the turn of the 20th century, Nobody’s Children by Ruggero Rindi, is a tale of lovers thwarted by class differences, of illegitimate children and denied parental recognition. Although it encountered some problems with the censorship for denouncing children’s labor in the mines as well as for bringing to the big screen the workers’ strikes, I Figli Di Nessuno became a successful film for both producer Gustavo Lombardo and the leading actress Leda Gys.

At 7:00PM, the 16th International Silent Film Festival will come into close. Celebrating the success of its face-to-face comeback, the closing ceremonies will be filled with colors and music. The Film Development Council of the Philippines will be leading the ceremonies.

The night will be wrapped up by the screening of three of the best short silent films from the 2021 Mit Out Sound (MOS): International Silent Film Competition organized by the Film Development Council of the Philippines: Ing Tianak, Alingasngas ng mga Kuliglig, and Dikit, with music played by the BConcept and Vincent Del Rosario.

EJ Gagui and Marienel Calma's animated short film Ing Tianak is set in an almost-urban town beset by the myth of a mysterious creature, a wife who suffered a miscarriage and a young woman who is forced into hiding seek redemption. In the process, they are forced to confront the same monster.

Vahn Pascual’s Alingasngas ng mga Kuliglig (Gossips of the Cicadae), which won Best Film, is a story of Agapito, a naive teenage boy living with his persuasive machismo father, Mang Pedring, in a far-away mountain province. Mang Pedring wants Agapito to follow his footsteps in being a folk healer, also known as albularyo. But later on, in the course of Agapito’s transitioning in becoming the next folk healer of their town, he met a tikbalang. And in this moment, Agapito feels the love that he’s longing for a long time which also lets him realize that he’s trapped, because of his father, in a patriarch and very conservative upbringing household and he wants to leave it all behind.

Lastly, Gabriela Serrano's Dikit, in which she won as Best Director and also as Best Film, is loosely based on a lost silent film by Jose Nepomuceno. It reimagines classic Philippine folk horror into a contemporary diptych of feminine bodies, rage, and freedom. Living in isolation and yearning for human connection, this film is about a woman afflicted with a dark curse who develops an obsession with her new neighbors, a young couple with a secret of their own. As the days pass, she begins to witness happenings between them that ultimately force her to confront her nature, and perhaps save a life in the process.

The 16th International Silent Film Festival Manila is organized by Embassy of France to the Philippines, Goethe-Institut Philippinen, Embassy of Italy in Manila, The Japan Foundation, Manila, Film Development Council of the Philippines, Instituto Cervantes de Manila, and British Council in the Philippines, in partnership with Philippine Italian Association, Shangri-La Properties, Inc., and 2Lives Creatives, Events and Media, Inc.

For more information on the schedule and inquiries, please check this Facebook Page:

www.facebook.com/InternationalSilentFilmFestivalManila 

or you may also check the following websites:

Embassy of Italy/Philippine-Italian Association

https://philippineitalianassociation.org

The Japan Foundation, Manila

http://www.jfmo.org.ph

Goethe-Institut Philippinen

https://www.goethe.de/manila

Embassy of France

http://www.ambafrance-ph.org

British Council

https://www.britishcouncil.ph/

Instituto Cervantes de Manila

http://manila.cervantes.es

Film Development Council of the Philippines

http://www.fdcp.ph

FDCP’s International Film Industry Conference Returns for 6th Edition, Features Hybrid Public Sessions and Masterclasses

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

The International Film Industry Conference (IFIC), an international platform hosted by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) geared towards bringing together international and local industry professionals to share and discuss the latest trends, developments, and cooperation opportunities, will be holding its sixth edition in hybrid format from November 18 to 20 at Novotel Manila Araneta Center in Quezon City and online via Zoom and Facebook.

This year’s IFIC is in partnership with QCinema International Film Festival and Full Circle Lab - Philippines, a capacity-building program from the partnership of FDCP and Tatino Films. IFIC will feature six free public sessions, three masterclasses, and a workshop series.

This year’s IFIC will offer free public sessions on documentary filmmaking, global trends on film distribution and exhibition, incentives and grants for Filipino filmmakers, and funding opportunities. As IFIC continues to promote regional and international synergy in the filmmaking industry, the IFIC public sessions for this edition will include a roundtable discussion with the ASEAN-Republic of Korea film commissions and agencies on accessing global opportunities for the Southeast Asian film industry and a session on international co-production in Asia.

The masterclasses in IFIC are recommended for film industry professionals and enthusiasts who would like to gain more knowledge on specific topics namely co-production with other countries, models of film distribution, and marketing films in the global market.

Registration fee

for one masterclass is PHP 1000 or USD 17, while a package of all three masterclasses is PHP 2,500 or USD 42.

The workshop series on dossier-making and pitching is exclusive to the FDCP’s selected CreatePH grantees.

Interested participants to the free public sessions and masterclasses for both online and onsite events are required to register at the IFIC website. Log on to fdcp.ph/ific to secure a slot to the country’s premiere film industry event. Registration is open until November 14, 2022. For more information and updates on IFIC 2022, visit their official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/IFICPHofficial.

Lineup of Activities for IFIC 2022:

Day 1 - November 18, 2022 (Friday)

● Keynote Address: Addressing the Philippine Film Industry

1:00 PM - 1:30 PM

Speaker:

Chair Tirso Cruz III | Chairperson and CEO, Film Development Council of the Philippines

With cinemas opening their doors as the pandemic eases, developments in the status of the film industry have been positive. This keynote address from FDCP's Chairperson and CEO addresses this rapid development and lays out how the Agency will support the Philippine film industry in the years to come.

● Session 1: How Dokyus Make a Difference: Creating and Funding Impactful

Documentary Films

1:45 PM - 2:55 PM

The complete set of speakers will be announced soon.

Creating an impactful film that transcends its narratives to a wider audience is a challenge in itself but securing funding for a documentary film is a different feat. From a country with diverse meaningful stories, Philippine documentary filmmaking has been thriving despite these challenges through the years. In this panel session, we learn directly from experts how filmmakers can further elevate their knowledge of documentary filmmaking and collaborations that can help their projects further.

● Session 2: Let’s Create Together: Funding and Incentive Opportunities for Filipino

Filmmakers

3:10 PM - 4:20 PM

Panelists:

FDCP/FilmPhilippines Representative

Wilfredo Manalang | Producer, Blue Room (CreatePH Grantee)

Bianca Balbuena | Producer, Nocebo (FilmPhilippines Grantee)

Jun Juban | Producer, Survivor Philippines (FilmPhilippines Grantee)

Agathe Vinson | Consultant, Film Development Council of the Philippines

Moderator:

Madonna Tarrayo | President and CEO, Unitel Productions, Inc./Straight Shooters Media

With the goal to support more Filipino film projects and collaborations, the FDCP initiated CreatePH Films and FilmPhilippines programs. Since its launch last 2021, it has produced several grants and co-production incentives that have allowed film projects to be produced and screened locally and internationally. This panel will discuss and informbon how to get these opportunities with the programs' grantees.

Day 2 - November 19, 2022 (Saturday)

● Session 3: ASEAN-ROK Roundtable: Mapping Global Opportunities for the Southeast

Asian Film Industry

11:00 AM - 12:10 PM

Panelists:

Mr. Tirso Cruz III | Chairperson and CEO, Film Development Council of the Philippines

Mr. Sirisak Koshpasharin | Vice President, The National Federation of Motion Pictures and Contents Associations

Mr. Park Ki-Yong | Chairman, Korean Film Council

Moderator:

Ms. Lorna Tee | Producer

In recent years Southeast Asian cinema has been making its mark on the world stage.

With the immense talent in the region, industry support from the ASEAN and ROK film commissions has been outpouring. This panel session will highlight the state and plans of film commissions to support their film industries to reach global opportunities.

● Session 4: Producing with Asia: Success Stories of International Co-Production

12:25 PM - 1:35 PM

Panelists:

Chie Hayakawa | Producer, Plan 75 (Japan)

Makbul Mubarak | Director, Autobiography (Indonesia)

Sorayos Prapapan | Director, Arnold is a Model Student (Thailand)

Bianca Balbuena | Producer, When The Waves Are Gone (Philippines)

Moderator:

Lorna Tee | Producer

With the Asian region having rich stories that are deserving of a worldwide audience, the brilliance of its cinema, through the years, has been shining brighter. With challenges in production and the financial aspects of producing a film, co-productions have been a vital part of these stories coming to life. This panel, powered by QCinema International Film Festival, features Asian filmmakers who will share their success stories and experiences in co-producing with their international partners.

● Session 5: Streaming Now: The Rise of a New Era of Film Exhibition

2:05 PM - 3:15 PM

Panelists:

Quark Henares | Head of Originals, Asia Pacific, Amazon Prime (Singapore/US)

Joyce Villaflor | Content Manager, iWantTFC

Ronan De Guzman | Chief Operating Officer, Vivamax

Corinna Vistan-Takahashi |Head of Content Development, Viu Philippines

Moderator: Monster Jimenez | Producer

This panel features the current streaming companies present in the Philippines. Get to know them as they discuss the impact that streaming video on demand has had on the global market and on the audiences, and how this will likely affect the dynamics of independent producers and distributors with VODs in catering to the demands and needs of the industry and the audiences.

● Session 6: Global Industry Trends on Film Distribution

3:30 PM - 4:40 PM

Panelists:

Samuel Javier | Festival Director, New York Asian Film Festival

Menina Wesmurti | Festival Director, EuroCinema Jakarta & Manusia Film Festival

Agathe Vinson | Consultant, The Greenhouse

Moderator: Jo Andrew Torlao | Manager, UniPhilippines

With the developments in distribution platforms and consumer behavior, producers and distributors have been on the lookout for best practices in bringing their films to the world. This session features a panel of experts ranging from festival directors to international distributors who delves into the evolving practices of film distribution and shares new strategies and opportunities to reach audiences.

Day 3 - November 20, 2022 (Sunday)

● Masterclass 1: This or That: Co-producing With VS Within the Region

1:00 PM - 2:10 PM

Speaker:

Meiske Taurisia | Producer (Indonesia)

With the co-production deals and programs all over the world, the Asian region has been competitive in providing opportunities to its filmmakers. Co-production has been made easier and better with the different options to co-produce within your own or with neighboring countries. In this talk, an expert in international co-productions from Southeast Asia will talk about the similarities and differences through her experiences in producing with and within the region.

● Masterclass 2: A Closer Look at Film Distribution Models

2:40 PM - 3:50 PM

This session with an award-winning distributor with experience in international co-productions delves into the different models of film distribution. Ranging from the traditional to newer distribution trends, learn new strategies as we adapt to changes in platforms and audience behavior.

● Masterclass 3: Master Your Strategy: Marketing for the Global Marketplace

4:20 PM - 5:30 PM

Speaker: Ewa Bojanowska | New Europe Film Sales (Poland)

Just as the script and directing, marketing can also make or break your film. It is essentially the key to promoting and bringing in audiences for your film. A tailor-fit approach is best when creating a strategy to market to your target audiences. This session will delve into mastering your strategies for successful and effective marketing.