MANILA, PHILIPPINES, JUNE 14, 2021 — The world’s biggest and most prestigious animation festival, the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France from June 14 to 19, has strong representation from the Philippines with the largest country delegation to be led by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), including the country’s first competing film, four projects, and more than 50 animation workers from 29 animation studios.

“Hayop Ka! The Nimfa Dimaano Story” by Avid Liongoren has been selected for competition, making history as the first Filipino competing film in Annecy. The first Filipino Netflix animated film was a project of First Cut Lab 2019, co-organized by the FDCP and Tatino Films. The full length feature, where animals are portrayed as true to life adults, is about Nimfa the cat who searches for true love and happiness and must decide between the two dogs in her life. 

At Marché international du film d'animation d'Annecy (MIFA) or Annecy International Animation Film Market, three Philippine projects, along with projects from Malaysia and Thailand, will present at the ASEAN Pitch on June 15. These are “Ella Arcangel” by Mervin Malonzo, “Kampilan” by Cris Dumlao, and “Hayop Ka! Universe” by Manny Angeles.

“Ella Arcangel” is a series about a girl from the slums of Manila who fights monsters to protect her neighborhood, only to find out that there are things in the world that are much worse than monsters. “Kampilan,” which got to pitch at the virtual Kre8tif! Conference and Content Festival in Malaysia in 2020, is a feature film about an insecure prince who is faced with an invading threat. With the help of his loyal friends, he must find a way to save the tribe and preserve their way of life.

“Hayop Ka! Universe” features a spin-off and a sequel from the world of “Hayop Ka! The Nimfa Dimaano Story.” The spin-off series “Papa Jorge’s Bedtime Radio Confessions” is about radio love doctor Papa Jorge and the sequel full-length feature “The Jerry Action Bonanza: Hayop Ka Din!” is about a newbie museum security guard thrown right into the heart of the action, battling robbers and goons who are pawns of his own scheming boss.

FDCP Chairperson and CEO Liza Diño will also present the national film agency’s film incentives programs at the ASEAN Pitch in MIFA, which is the foremost event in terms of co-production, purchasing, selling, financing, and distributing content for all broadcasting platforms, drawing 13,000 industry professionals. FilmPhilippines Incentives Unit Manager Mil Alcain will discuss in detail the Film Location Incentive Program (FLIP) and International Co-production Fund (ICOF).

Another project, “Rage Radio” directed by Mark Lenard Mendoza and produced by Friendly Foes Studio, will present at the Partners Pitches: Southeast Asia Focus @MIFA 2021 along with projects from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Southeast Asia Focus is organized by the French Embassy in Singapore and MIFA to offer young and emerging talents the chance to acquire funding, work collaborations, and co-production deals for their projects.

The FDCP, which held an Open Call for Animation Projects, is spearheading the Philippine Delegation’s participation in Annecy. “Boosting the animation industry has been part of the FDCP's priority programs since 2017. Through our participation in Annecy, we aim to expand the already thriving service sector of the animation industry and elevate the skills of animation workers through participation in various conferences and workshops in MIFA,” said FDCP Chairperson and CEO Liza Diño.

“We also seek to continue to support the global track of original Filipino Intellectual Property (IP) creations by giving them a platform to find industry partners in MIFA. Additionally, we wish to explore further the potential of the Filipino comics community by providing a space for them to promote their IPs in MIFA, especially with the recent success of 'Trese' in Netflix,” added Diño. 

Also at MIFA 2021, the FDCP brings together a record-breaking number of more than 50 animation workers from 29 companies and organizations to showcase the Philippine animation industry’s various sectors. The animation workers are not just from Manila as there are representatives from Cordillera, Cebu, and Davao. 

The Philippine delegates are from the Animation Council Of The Philippines, Inc. (ACPI), Philippine Animation Workers Association (PAWA), SIKAP (Creative Content Creators Association of the Philippines), Animation Vertigo Asia, Inc., Amaya Films, Ateneo De Naga University - Digital Arts And Communication, Blissful Fun Animation, Inc., Clayshop Inc., De La Salle - College of Saint Benilde, Enigma Kai, Friendly Foes, IAcademy, Ikigai Animation Studio, Kampilan Productions, Kino Arts, and Komiket Inc.

Completing the list of participating companies and organizations are Luminait Pictures Inc., Meowsmouse, Toon City (Morph Animation Inc.), Puppeteer Animation Studios Inc., Rocketsheep Studio, Silver Media Group, Storykitchen Animation Studio, Studio Nonego, Teamapp, Inc., Toei Animation Philippines Inc. (TAPI), Top Peg Animation And Creative Studio, Inc., Twenty Manila, and VPF Creative Marketing Communications. 

The delegates will be given access to MIFA’s database, virtual stands and pavilions, online meeting platforms, Matchmaking, Work in Progress, Masterclasses, Pitches, Partners Screenings, and the Mifa Campus. The Annecy International Animation Film Festival runs from June 14 to 19, while the MIFA is from June 15 to 18.