Director and screenwriter Chris Martinez was the biggest winner, getting the Best Film Pitch at the 2023 DGPI-FDCP Film Pitch held at the Acacia Hotel Manila last Friday (Sept. 29).
His comedy-art-fantasy project in the tradition of Ang Babae sa Septic Tank and Being John Malkovich is entitled The Nora Aunor School of Acting.
The logline says: A popular teen star enrolls in a mysterious acting school, hoping that she will be one of the Philippines’ greatest actress.
The crowd went crazy when Chris pitched his dream project to around 15 producers about an aspiring actress, with hope played by Andrea Brillantes, who wishes to follow the footsteps of legendary actress Nora Aunor in her hometown Bicol.
If the project pushes through, Chris hopes to target Jaclyn Jose, Soliman Cruz, and Dolly de Leon in his cast.
The second prize went to The Wedding Dance from producer Mira Ticlao who hails from the Cordillera region. The storyline is about a Kalinga woman being invited by her husband, a warrior, to the wedding dance. He leaves her for not having borne him a child, pressured by a strong patriarchal community.
A 75-minute documentary-animation, The Wall by Mike Alcazaren is a tribute to his father who survived World War II, won the third prize.
It focuses on Juan and his family who are trapped in no man’s land during the Battle of Manila in 1945. They were saved by a three-foot high concrete wall, protecting them from brutal American shelling and a charging Japanese army.
This true story is recounted with first person testimony, animation, archival footage, and dioramas. Mike’s father was interviewed for this project before he passed away.
The short films and short documentaries were also recognized by the producers, giving them seed money to pursue their projects. Among them were threefor100 by Cedrick Labadia, The Art of Detaching One’s Memory by Jan Carlo O. Natividad, El Pintor de Cine by Mijan Jumalon, My Dearest Darling by Vahn Leinard Pascual, and Cadaver by Bradley Jason Pantajo.
For over a decade, the Film Pitch has been helping directors sell their new projects by putting their material market-ready and having access to producers and executives who can finance their project.
It is the only film market in the country where the filmmakers are given a pitching workshop by the Hannah Montana: The Movie producer Tanya Yuson. Tanya is behind the success of Trese and Comedy Island.
Award-winning films like Arden Rod Condez’s John Denver Trending, Treb Monteras’ Respeto, Ma-an Dagñalan’s Blue Room, Martika Escobar’s Leonor Will Never Die, and Hannah Espia’s Transit were first discovered by film pitching via speed dating style organized by the Directors Guild of the Philippines Inc (DGPI).
Special shout out to UxS Unitel Straight Shooters Media Inc., ABS-CBN International, Ten17P Films, Go Motion Productions, GMA Pictures, Regal Films, APT Entertainment, Solar Entertainment, and Viva Films, who have been supporting the film pitch since its early beginnings.
As the Philippine Film Industry Month ended, this initiative is truly an answer to produce original concepts that we can proudly bring to the world.