Full Circle Lab Philippines has announced the 15 projects selected for its fifth edition, including a new film from Leonor Will Never Die director Martika Ramirez Escobar and Busan project winner Future Laobans from Myanmar’s Maung Sun.
Martika Ramirez Escobar will present her second feature, Daughters Of The Sea, again produced by Monster Jimenez. Future Laobans, produced by currently imprisoned filmmaker Ma Aeint, was the recipient of the top prize at Busan’s Asian Project Market last year. Filipino producer Emmanuel Angeles has boarded the project (see full line-up below).
Other highlights include two debuts from Vietnamese female filmmakers: Daughter Of The Mountain God, directed by Pham Hoang Minh Thy and co-produced by Singapore’s Jeremy Chua, and Rooftop Lempicka from Hang Luong Nguyen.
The line-up also includes a strong Indonesian presence with two debuts in development: Melarissa Sjarief’s Book Of Women and M. Reza Fahriyansyah’s (Un)Holy, along with two participants in the Creative Producers Lab: Annisa Adjam and Eliza Cheisa.
Experienced directors John Torres (Philippines) and Woo Ming Jin (Malaysia) are taking part in the lab as producers on projects from female newcomers: Eve Baswel’s second feature Heaven Help Us! and Nadira Ilana’s debut Wilderness (pictured above).
Full Circle Lab Philippines’ residential workshop will take place in the Central Luzon region in the north of Manila from March 27-31, and will continue until September 2023 with a series of online follow-up sessions. Jointly coordinated by Tatino Films and the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), the lab aims to nurture and develop Filipino and South-East Asian projects for global potential, as well as position the Philippines as a film creative hub.
Mentors for this year’s lab include script consultants Helen Beltrame-Linné (Brazil, Sweden), Mmabatho Kau (South Africa) and Britta Krause (Germany), along with producers Armi Rae Cacanindin (Philippines), Naomi Levari (Israel) and Patrick Mao Huang (Taiwan).
The Creative Producers Lab will be led by film producers Juraj Krasnohorsky (Slovakia) and Tan Si En (Singapore), while international guest speakers have been invited for creative talks and case studies.
Projects in post-production from the First Cut Lab will work under the guidance of Benjamin Mirguet (editor consultant, France) and Wim Vanacker (editorial advisor, Belgium). They will be supported by industry advisors Yulia Evina Bhara (producer, Indonesia), Beatrice Fiorentino (Venice Critics’ Week, Italy), Donsaron Kovitvanitcha (World Film Festival of Bangkok, Thailand) and Meng Xie (Rediance Sales, China).
FULL CIRCLE LAB PHILIPPINES 2023:
FICTION LAB:
*Book Of Women (Indonesia) – dir: Melarissa Sjarief, scr: Widya Arifianti, prod: Farishad Latjuba
*Daughter Of The Mountain God (Vietnam/Singapore) – dir: Pham Hoang Minh Thy, prods: Mai Hoai Nguyen Tuan Anh, Jeremy Chua
Daughters Of The Sea (Philippines) – dir: Martika Escobar, prods: Monster Jimenez, Rajiv Idnani
Future Laobans (Myanmar/Philippines) – dir: Maung Sun, prods: Ma Aeint, Emmanuel Angeles
Girl On The Turtle’s Back (Philippines) – dir: Paul Sta. Ana, prods: Alemberg Ang, Brylle Tabora
Heaven Help Us! (Philippines) – dir: Eve Baswel, prods: John Torres, Jules Katanyag
House Of Kalachuchi (Philippines) – dir: Theodore Boborol, scr: Margarette Garcia, prod: Tanya Winona Bautista-Navarro
*Love In The Ungodly Hour (Philippines, series) – dir: Bradley Jason Pantajo, prod: Carlo Catu
*Please Bear With Me (Philippines) – dir: Gabriela Serrano, prod: Gale Osorio
*Rooftop Lempicka (Vietnam) – dir: Hang Luong Nguyen, prods: Nhi Bui, Nguyen Mai Ka
*(Un)Holy (Indonesia) – dir: M. Reza Fahriyansyah, scr: Sofia Lo, prod: Amerta Kusuma
*Veloforce (Malaysia) – dir: Kok Wei Liam, scr: Tan Yan Seng, prod: Lee Choi Kin
FIRST CUT LAB:
*Solids By The Seashore (Thailand) – dir: Patiparn Boontarig, prods: Mai Meksawan, Chatchai Chaiyon, editor: Nisarat Meechok
*Subscribe (Philippines) – dir: Joan Jelica Lopez-Flores, prod: Fleur Hombre, editor: Beng Bandong
*Wilderness (Malaysia) – dir: Nadira Ilana, prod: Woo Ming Jin, editor: Sharon Chong
*debut feature
STORY EDITORS LAB:
Nathaniel Arciaga (Philippines)
Cenon Obispo Palomares (Philippines)
Trishtan Perez (Philippines)
CREATIVE PRODUCERS LAB:
Alex Poblete, Los Otros (Philippines)
Annisa Adjam, Sinema 5 (Indonesia)
Eliza Cheisa, Dhiwangkara Seta (Indonesia)
Kumanavannan Rajendran, Fourth Frame Studios (Malaysia)
Cris Dumlao, Kampilan & Animation Vertigo Asia (Philippines)
Mica Oliveros, Create Cinema Inc (Philippines)
Sam Chua, Potocol (Singapore)
Tin Velasco, Southern Lantern Studios (Philippines)