The QCinema International Film Festival (QCIFF) proudly announces the second year of the QCinema Project Market (QPM), scheduled to take place from November 14 to 16. Alongside the much-anticipated Asian Next Wave Film Forum and Creative Industries Day, these events offer filmmakers, directors, producers, and industry leaders unparalleled opportunities for collaboration, learning, and networking.
QPM serves as an industry platform connecting Southeast Asian filmmakers with funding partners, producers, and international collaborators. The market facilitates one-on-one meetings, project presentations, and exclusive networking events for feature film projects in development.
“QCinema Project Market is committed to continuing to bridge collaborations with the Philippines and Southeast Asia, offering a space for co-productions that elevate our region’s stories to the world. There’s a growing number of investors in the Philippines recognizing the potential of films for the international market, and QPM aims to capitalize on this exciting opportunity. By connecting filmmakers with these investors and partners from Southeast Asia, we are driving the region’s rise as a key player in global cinema and ensuring that our stories are given the platform they deserve,” said Liza Diño, executive director of the Quezon City Film Commission (QCFC) and the managing director of QCinema Project Market.
The QPM awards are divided into ten categories, providing financial support and essential post-production services.
Three Filipino projects will receive the QPM-PH Co-Production Grant, with each project awarded P2 million. Meanwhile, the QPM-SEA Production Prize will grant P1 million to one outstanding Southeast Asian project and P750,000 each to two others.
Other companies and organizations are also giving post-production support and cash prizes, like Mocha Chai Award, Kongchak Studio Award, Central Digital Lab Award, Barebones Award, T6xBB Award, CMB Discovery Award, Nathan Studios Development Prize and TAICCA Award. The winners of the QPM awards will be announced on November 16, 2024.
Seven Southeast Asian projects are featured at QPM 2024, showcasing diverse narratives from the region. They are “The Beer Girl in Yangon” (Myanmar, Indonesia), directed by Sein Lyan Tun; “Picturehouse” (Vietnam) by Minh-Nghiem Nguyen-Vo; “Future Laobans” (Myanmar) by Maung Sun; “To Leave, To Stay” (Cambodia) by Danech San; “Other People’s Dreams” (Singapore), directed by Daniel Hui; “The Passport” (Malaysia) by Ananth Subramaniam; and “I’ll Smile in September” (Singapore, India) by Aakash Chhabra.
Thirteen projects from both established and upcoming Filipino filmmakers are part of QPM 2024. This year’s selection of Filipino films demonstrates the country’s vibrant storytelling tradition across genres, ranging from period dramas to psychological thrillers and speculative fiction. They are:
“Anak Alon” (Daughters of the Sea), directed by Martika Ramirez Escobar; “My Neighbor the Gangster,” directed by Mario Cornejo; “Bato Bato sa Langit ang Tamaan Magagalit” (Heaven Help Us) by Eve Baswel; “Baradero” (A Ship of Fools) by Keith Deligero; “Golden,” directed by JP Habac; “Lihim Na Luha” (Secret Cries) by Eileen Cabiling; “Inahing Baka” (Mother Maybe) by Sonny Calvento; “Please Bear With Me” by Gabriela Serrano; “Angel De Dios” by Joel Ruiz; “Hum” by Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan; “Ewa” (Eve) by Keith Sicat; and “The Returning” by Atsuko Hirayanagi.
On November 15, QCFC will hold the Creative Industries Day, an immersive event designed to foster collaboration across sectors in the creative economy.
QCFC will also host the Asian Next Wave Film Forum on November 16, 2024. Panelists include industry leaders from major festivals like Venice, Toronto, and Busan, as well as celebrated filmmakers and producers from across Southeast Asia. Attendees will gain insights into how the convergence of art and genre cinema is reshaping the region’s storytelling landscape.
