Philippines’ QCinema Unveils 20 Projects for Second Project Market

Naman Ramachandran The Philippines‘ Quezon City Film Commission and QCinema have revealed the lineup for the second edition of the QCinema Project Market (QPM). Twenty projects were selected from 63 submissions across the Philippines and Southeast Asia. The market aims to connect filmmakers with international partners and offers approximately $300,000 in grants and prizes.

Notable projects from last year’s QPM have made significant progress. Rafael Manuel’s “Filipiniana” and Woo Ming Jin’s “Fox King” are in post-production, while Duong Dieu Linh’s “Don’t Cry Butterfly” is world premiering at Venice Critics’ Week. Southeast Asian Projects from the 2024 selection include: “The Beer Girl in Yangon” (Myanmar, Indonesia) – Director: Sein Lyan Tun, Producer: Yulia Evina Bhara.

Synopsis: A 17-year-old girl works in a Yangon beer station after her father’s political arrest, navigating love and hallucinations. “Picturehouse” (Vietnam) – Director: Minh-Nghiem Nguyen-Vo, Producer: Johann Chapelan. Synopsis: In 1960s Vietnam, a family-run movie house becomes a sanctuary for a boy amid war.

“Future Laobans” (Myanmar) – Director: Maung Sun, Producer: Emmanuel Angeles. Synopsis: Three teenagers in a jade mining town embark on a risky smuggling journey to China. “To Leave, To Stay” (Cambodia) – Director: Danech San, Producer: Daniel Mattes.

Synopsis: A girl goes missing after visiting a soldier she met online; her friend begins a search. “Other People’s Dreams” (Singapore) – Director: Daniel Hui, Producers: Tan Si En, Joel Neo. Synopsis: Two runaways meet in Singapore, surviving by stealing unseen from the public.

“The Passport” (Malaysia) – Director: Ananth Subramaniam, Producer: Choo Mun Bel. Synopsis: A punk rocker confronts cultural expectations in a working-class Indian family. “I’ll Smile in September” (Singapore, India) – Director: Aakash Chhabra, Producer: Fran Borgia.

Synopsis: A brass band player in Old Delhi tries to move on after losing his love and his front teeth. Filipino Projects from the 2024 selection are: “Anak Alon” (Daughters of the Sea) – Director: Martika Ramirez Escobar, Producer: Rajiv Idnani. Synopsis: Three lives intertwine, including a tour guide