QCinema Project Market 2024 awards P26M in grants
The second edition of the QCinema Project Market (QPM), the flagship industry initiative of the QCinema International Film Festival, concluded with a triumphant announcement of its award-winning film projects.
P26 million in grants and co-production support was distributed among the winners. Held at the iBis Styles Hotel in Quezon City, the event coincided with the 2024 edition of the festival and marked another leap forward in QCinema’s commitment to nurturing world cinema.
Now in its 12th year, the QCinema International Film Festival has further cemented its reputation as more than just a premier showcase for outstanding Filipino and international cinema. This year’s QCinema Project Market (QPM) reinforced its role as a driving force in bridging filmmakers with essential production partnerships and funding opportunities.
The market unfolded over an intensive two-day event from November 13-14, 2024 at the Novotel Hotel, also in Quezon City.
Representatives of these projects participated in focused, one-on-one meetings with prominent producers and influential figures from both local and international production and post-production companies, creating valuable opportunities for collaboration and support.
Three standout Filipino projects received the prestigious QCinema Project Market Philippine Co-Production Grant, each valued at P2,000,000 (USD 34,000). These were “Anak Alon” (Daughters of the Sea) directed by Martika Ramirez Escobar, “Bato Bato Sa Langit, Ang Tamaan Magagalit” (Heaven Help Us) directed by Eve Baswel and “Inahing Baka” (Mother Maybe) directed by Sonny Calvento.
The QCinema Project Market – Southeast Asia Co-Production Grant, worth P1,000,000 (USD 17,000), was awarded to the Myanmar-Indonesia co-production “The Beer Girl in Yangon” by director Sein Lyan Tun.
Additionally, co-production grants of P750,000 (USD 12,000) each were presented to Singapore’s “Other People’s Dreams” by director Daniel Hui and Malaysia’s “The Passport” by director Ananth Subramaniam.
Special awards were provided by various industry partners. These included valuable development and post-production grants, further empowering filmmakers to bring their visions to life.
The CMB Discovery Award granted equipment rental support to multiple standout projects, showcasing its commitment to nurturing promising filmmaking talent. It also extended the same grant, valued at P500,000 (USD 13,500), to eight other Filipino projects.
“Angel De Dios” was honored with the prestigious Mocha Chai Award, which comes with a comprehensive post-production services package worth USD 50,000.
The Kongchak Studio Award was presented to “Molder,” granting the project sound post-production services worth up to USD 10,000, to be completed at Kongchak’s studios in Cambodia.
Additionally, Central Digital Lab awarded two color correction grants, each valued at USD 10,000, to the projects “The Returning” and “My Neighbor The Gangster.”
The Barebones Award, a color correction grant valued at up to USD 14,000 each, was presented to the Filipino films “Golden” and “Hum,” alongside two Southeast Asian projects: “Future Laobans” by director Maung Sun and “I’ll Smile in September” by director Aakash Chhabra.
In addition, Barebones and Terminal 6 teamed up to present the T6xBB Award to “The Beer Girl in Yangon,” offering the project the same post-production services valued at approximately USD 14,000.
Finally, Nathan Studios awarded a development grant of P250,000 to “Lihim na Luha” (Secret Cries) while the Taiwan Creative Content Agency presented the TAICCA Award — a USD 5,000 cash prize — to “Ewa,” the sole animation film in the slate.
“We are thrilled to have successfully wrapped up the second edition of QPM with a remarkable slate of projects, backed by the incredible support of our partners, funders, and collaborators. This achievement reaffirms our belief that the project market will continue to be a vital platform for fostering cross-border collaborations and co-production opportunities among Filipino, Southeast Asian and international filmmakers. We’re excited for what’s to come!” shared Liza Dino-Seguerra, QCinema Project Market managing director.
