News and Updates

MANILA, PHILIPPINES, MARCH 21, 2022 — The selection of FilmPhilippines' eighteen production incentives program grantees for 2021 was facilitated by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) with a panel of creative and technical experts.

Submitted applications undergo a series of deliberations by the FilmPhilippines Selection Committee which is composed of nine key figures coming from the local and international film industry, and the government sector. The Selection Committee for Cycles 1 to 3 of for 2021 had the honor of having the following as its esteemed members: 

Lupon ng Pilipinong Sinematograpo President Mackie Galvez. Photo courtesy of IMDb

Mackie Galvez is the current president of Lupon ng Pilipinong Sinematograpo (LPS). He is the award-winning cinematographer of Sana Dati and Bliss. He is also known for his works as a cinematographer for Shake, Rattle, Roll 12 and Shake, Rattle, Roll 15, The Adventures of Pureza: Queen of the Riles, #Walang Forever, Unforgettable and documentary film Agusan Marsh Diaries. 

Director's Guild of the Philippines, Inc. President Paolo Villaluna

Director's Guild of the Philippines, Inc. (DGPI) president Paolo Villaluna is the director of award-winning full length films Love Trilogy, Ilusyon, Selda, and Pauwi na. In 2001, his short documentary film Palugid (Margins) won the Best Short Film at the 24th Urian Awards, the Documentary Prize at the 2000 Gawad CCP Awards and gained recognition in several international film festivals. 

Film producer Lorna Tee

Pan-Asian film producer Lorna Tee is a film festival organizer in Asia and Europe. She has worked for Focus Films (Hong Kong), Variety (USA), Irresistible Films (Hong Kong/ Japan), Berlinale, CinemaAsia Film Festivals and was the founder and Head of Festival Management for the International Film Festival & Awards Macao.

Scriptwriter and script consultant Aleksandra-Świerk

Aleksandra Swierk is a scriptwriter and script consultant. Her professional career has been connected with the field of scriptwriting since 2006, taking part in numerous workshops and trainings organized by institutions such as Sources2, MIDPOINT, The Script Factory, INSCRIPT, NISI MASA, and Torino Film Lab. She is also the author of awarded short and feature scripts Lilly and Mary-go-round.

Pangasinan Fourth District Rep. Christopher de Venecia

Pangasinan Fourth District Rep. Christopher de Venecia is the Deputy Majority Leader in the Lower House and the Chairman of the Special Committee on Creative Industry and  Arts. He is also a member of numerous committees, notably the Committee on Basic Education and Culture, and Committee on Tourism where he champions his culture and tourism advocacies.

Department of Trade and Industry -  Foreign Trade Service Corps member Althea Antonio

Althea Antonio is a member of the Foreign Trade Service Corps of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). She represents the DTI abroad as Commercial Counselor at Philippine Trade and Investment Centers, the commercial section of Philippine Embassies. 

Director Dan Villegas. Photo courtesy of IMDb

Dan Villegas is a director, cinematographer, and producer. His film English Only, Please won him Best Director at the 40th Metro Manila Film Festival. He also produced feature films That Thing Called Tadhana, Patintero: Ang Alamat ni Meng Patalo, Never Not Love You, Alone Together, and Fan Girl.

Producer Ronald Arguelles. Photo courtesy of MUBI

Former Cinema One Originals Film Festival Executive Producer and Channel Head of ABS-CBN subsidiary Creative Programs Inc., Ronald Arguelles has a filmography of over 100 films with producer credits since beginning his career in 2005. Some of his notable works are Ang Babaeng Humayo, 2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten, and That Thing Called Tadhana. 

FDCP Chairperson and CEO Liza Diño

Lastly, heading the FilmPhilippines Selection Committee and a permanent member of the committee is FDCP Chairperson and CEO Liza Diño. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Asian Film Commissions Network (AFCNet) and an active collaborator in the ASEAN-ROK Film Cooperation Organization (ARFO) and BPX (Best Practice Exchange). She is also a film, TV, and stage actress who appeared in numerous films for both independent and commercial studios.

The Selection Committee representatives change every year. Members of the committee who submitted their project in the program were inhibited from participating in the cycle they entered their project in.  

In 2021, the FilmPhilippines Selection Committee chose 1 film project and 3 international television series as recipients of the Film Location Incentive Program (FLIP) that offers a 20% cash rebate on qualifying Philippine production expenditures; 7 film project awardees for International Co-production Fund (ICOF); and 6 film project grantees under the ASEAN Co-production Fund (ACOF). 

The recipients of the FilmPhilippines selective production funds are as follows:

Cycle 1

• FLIP: Electric Child by Simon Jaquemet, produced by 8horses GmbH with Epicmedia Productions, Inc.

• ICOF: Hunter by Raya Martin (PHP 6.2 million)

• ICOF: Whether The Weather is Fine Carlo Francisco Manatad (PHP 2.5 million)

• ICOF: Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah vs. The Amazonistas of Planet X by Avid Liongoren (PHP 10 million)

• ACOF: This City is a Battlefield by Mouly Surya (PHP 1.2 million)

• ACOF: Autobiography by Makbul Mubarak (PHP 3.5 million)

Cycle 2

• FLIP: Survivor of Philippine Film Studios, Inc. and Survivor Central Productions

• FLIP: Taffy Season 2 by Pierre Sissmann, animation services catered by Morph Animation, Inc. and produced by Cyber Group Studios

• ICOF: Dancing the Tides by Xeph Suarez (PHP 8 million)

• ICOF: Kodokushi by Janus Victoria (PHP 6 million)

• ICOF: Hold My Gaze by Carlo Enciso Catu (PHP 4 million)

• ACOF: Cu Li Never Cries by Pham Ngoc Lan (PHP 3 million)

• ACOF: Ella Arcangel: Awit ng Pangil at Kuko by Mervin Malonzo (PHP 5 million)

Cycle 3

• FLIP: Drag Race Philippines and Untucked! of World of Wonders Production with Fullhouse Asia Productions

• ICOF: In My Mother’s Skin by Kenneth Dagatan (PHP 6.5 million)

• ICOF: The Gospel of Beast by Sheron Dayoc (PHP 8 million)

• ACOF: Picturehouse by Minh Nghiem Nguyen Vo (PHP 2.5 million)

ACOF: Arnold is a Model Student by Sorayos Prapapan (PHP 2.5 million)