The FDCP furthers its mission to make filmmaking more accessible through workshops headed by local cinematic legends and collaborations with international groups.
MOVIEGOER: FDCP study claims D & E markets no longer watches local films
At a glance
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The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) Chair Jose Javier Reyes outlined "a hundred and one" projects his office is conducting in the first quarter of 2025 during a media lunch on Jan. 27 in Quezon City.
Among them are free workshops for young people on the technical and creative side of storytelling, grants of as much as P2 million to those who will produce books or documentaries on National Artists, the release of an important study on today’s Filipino film audiences, and the restoration of more Filipino films.
Reyes said that FDCP is awaiting the arrival of a modern restoration machine that will enable them to save more Filipino films faster and more economically. Movies produced by Regal Films are among those lined up for restoration, he said.
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The FDCP kicks off 2025 strong with initiatives supporting Philippine cinema. Efforts include film education, local production support, international collaboration, and bringing world-class cinema to our shores.
The FDCP furthers its mission to make filmmaking more accessible through workshops headed by local cinematic legends and collaborations with international groups.
Starting the year with impact, the FDCP and London-based Taskovski Films launched the first Philippine “DocsConnect” workshop last January 15 - 21 at Seda Manila Bay.
The five-day program introduced “conscious filmmaking” through self-care, mindfulness, and production skills.
Other highlights:
Sine Sinta: Pag-ibig at Pelikula 2025 on Feb. 5-11 presents a double-feature of critically acclaimed flicks: Director Jopy Arnaldo’s Gitling and Past Lives by Director Celine Song, to be showcased at select Ayala Cinemas and regional Cinematheques.
A Curation of World Cinema 2025 on March 5-19 brings some of 2024’s best global features to the Philippines, including Oscar nominees The Seed of The Sacred Fig and Flow, plus international festival standouts like A Traveler’s Needs, Bird, Black Dog, Dahomey, and Young Hearts, in select cinemas nationwide.
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Every encounter with Chairman Reyes is bursting with bits and pieces of news that are often too difficult to pass up.
For instance, he dismisses rumors that FDCP will bankroll the next Cinemalaya film festival in light of news filtering that the CCP could no longer afford it. Reyes said the FDCP doesn’t have a budget for it, something in the vicinity of P40 million. He cleared, however, that there will still be a Cinemalaya filmfest this year under CCP.
The FDCP will soon be moving to its new home within the walls of Intramuros, a spanking new building that is actually the Philippine Film Archive Vault. Its Cinematheque will resume operation in the new building.
In March, FDCP will release a study on the current behavior of Filipino film audiences conducted in partnership with De La Salle University’s Social Development Research Center.
The study, called “Habits and Preferences of Filipino Viewers of Local Films in Metro Manila,” hopes to provide insights to help drive sustainable growth in the local film industry.
In passing, Chairman Reyes shared with us in advance a few research findings from the study:
* Audiences still prefer to watch movies with known actors therein.
* People belonging to the D and E markets no longer watch local movies.
* People have grown tired of romantic comedy movies.
* 76 percent of respondents like to watch foreign films.
* Audiences have upped their standards for films after having been exposed while home-based to Korean dramas during the pandemic.