MANILA, PHILIPPINES, SEPTEMBER 1, 2020 -- Following an initial call for projects put out in February this year, Full Circle Lab Philippines has announced the selections for its expanded 2020 online edition. This year’s edition of Full Circle Lab Philippines, co-organized by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) and Tatino Films builds on the success of the first ever First Cut Lab Manila held last year and consists of four categories: a ‘fiction,’ ‘series,’ and ‘animation’ lab that will support a total of 16 projects in development, and a ‘First Cut’ editing lab to support four feature films in the editing stage. The program is spearheaded by Matthieu Darras, current director of Full Circle Lab and former Artistic Director of the internationally renowned Torino Film Lab and Polish Producer Izabela Igel, who will both serve as head mentors across the different sections.

In total, Full Circle Lab Philippines will support twenty projects from various countries in Southeast Asia. The selections include 13 projects from the Philippines and seven projects with productions (and co-productions) from the countries of Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and Taiwan. The diversity of the field ensures the program’s goal of discovering creative and fresh stories from the region, and aiding the filmmaking talent in Southeast Asia. With the Philippines as the ‘host’ country, the collaboration likewise continues FDCP’s and Full Circle Lab’s joint goal of establishing the Philippines as a creative hub for filmmaking in the region.

Don't Cry Butterflies is one of four international projects participating in FCL's 'fiction' lab. 

The ‘fiction’ lab comprises the largest section of Full Circle Lab Philippines with a total of eight projects under the category. Under the ‘fiction’ lab, four projects from the Philippines and four projects from other southeast asian countries will receive support in terms of script development and production-related issues from the lab’s mentors. The four projects selected from the Philippines are: 6th Finger, Baby Rose, Devils in Paradise, and Dear Wormwood. Meanwhile, the projects from other Southeast Asian countries are Causeway (Malaysia), Don’t Cry Butterflies (Singapore/Vietnam), Pierce (Singapore/Taiwan), and Till the Cave Fills (Vietnam). 

Light Lost, by Avid Liongoren of Saving Sally and Hayop Ka! will be participating in the animation lab.

Under the ‘animation’ lab, filmmaker Avid Liongoren (whose prior works includes Saving Sally and Hayop Ka!) will be participating with his upcoming project Light Lost (Philippine). His film, alongside the projects Oyayi (Philippines), Strange Natives (Philippines), and With You, (Philippines) will receive mentorship from writer and script consultant Aleksandra Swierk and producer Juraj Krasnohorsky. Meanwhile, the ‘series’ lab meant to support episodic content from VOD platform and both mini and multi-season series’ announced the selections of Children of the Ruins (Philippines), Hanoi in a Tree (Vietnam), Jaja Firebrand (Philippines), and Tempestuous (Philippines).

Hanoi in a Tree will be participating in FCL's 'series' lab.

‘First Cut Lab,’ the program’s film lab for feature films in the editing stage, will support Mirador (Philippines), City of Small Blessings (Singapore), Return of the Owl (Philippines), and Hours of Ours (Thailand). Under ‘First Cut Lab,’ the four films will undergo the supervision of Full Circle Lab’s current director Matthieu Daras alongside editors Benjamin Mirguet, Matthieu Taponier, and Maya Maffioli. Through the lab, the group of editor consultants will aid the various creative teams from the four films in maximizing each particular film’s creative vision and circulation potential. 

A still from City of Small Blessings

FDCP Chairperson and CEO Liza Diño spoke about the program’s continued support of the Philippine film industry and said, "We are truly proud that this edition of Full Circle Lab Philippines has expanded to embrace Southeast Asian filmmakers and projects to fulfil the FDCP's commitment to our ASEAN partners and encourage collaboration within the region. We are confident that this platform for Southeast Asian filmmakers and the mentorship of FCL would lead to shared stories that are proudly our region's own and can be shared among our countries' markets and audiences.”

This year’s edition of Full Circle Lab Philippines, initially scheduled for April but postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, has been moved to September. It will take place through a series of online meetings from September 15 to 30. This is the program’s second year in the Philippines, as it continues to bring in various international experts and film industry veterans to foster the growth of filmmaking in the Philippines and the rest of Southeast Asia. Through the various film labs, Full Circle Lab Philippines aims to bring more films from the Philippines and the rest of Southeast Asia onto the global stage.  

See a list of the selected projects and films below.

FICTION LAB - SOUTHEAST ASIA

1. “CAUSEWAY” (Malaysia) 

Director: Aw See Wee 

Producer: Lim Shu Jia 

2.  “DON'T CRY BUTTERFLIES”  (Singapore/Vietnam)

Director:Duong Dieu Linh 

Producer: Tan Si En 

3. “PIERCE” (Singapore/Taiwan)

Director: Nelicia Low 

Producers: Sam Chua & Jeremy Chua 

4. “TILL THE CAVE FILLS” (Vietnam) 

Director: Nguyen Le Hoang Viet 

Producers: Nguyen Le Hang & Joshua Levy 

FICTION LAB -  PHILIPPINES

1. “6TH FINGER” (Philippines)

Director: Sheron Dayoc 

Producers: Arden Rod Condez, Sonny Calvento & Alemberg Ang 

2. “BABY ROSE” (Philippines)

Director: Giancarlo Abrahan  

Producer:Kriz Gazmen 

3. “DEVILS IN PARADISE” (Philippines) 

Director: Joe Bacus 

Producer: Benjamin Padero

4. “DEAR WORMWOOD” (Philippines) 

Director: Eduardo Dayao

Producer: Patti Lapus

SERIES LAB

1. “CHILDREN OF THE RUINS” (Philippines) 

Director/Writer: Will Fredo

Producer: Jillmer S. Dy

2. HANOI IN A TREE (Vietnam) 

Director: Andy Nguyen

Producer: Le Quynh Anh

3. “JAJA FIREBRAND” (Philippines) 

Director: Bradley Liew 

Producer: Bianca Balbuena

4. “TEMPESTUOUS” (Philippines)

Director and Producer: John Torres

ANIMATION LAB

1. “LIGHT LOST” (Philippines)  

Director & Producer: Avid Liongren 

2. “OYAYI” (Philippines) 

Director: Mitzi Delima 

Producer: Victor Villanueva

3. “STRANGE NATIVES” (Philippines) 

Director & Producer: Paolo Herras

4.  “WITH YOU” (Philippines)

Director: August Lyle Espino 

Producer: Kim Timan

FIRST CUT LAB 

1. “MIRADOR” (Philippines) 

Director: Loy Arcenas 

Producer: Alemberg Ang

2. “RETURN OF THE OWL” (Philippines)

Director: Martika Escobar 

Producers:Monster Jimenez & Mario Cornejo

3. “CITY OF SMALL BLESSINGS” (Singapore) 

Director: Chen-Hsi Wong 

Producers:Fran Borgia

4. “HOURS OF OURS” (Thailand)

Director: Komtouch Napattaloong 

Producer: Noorahaya Lahtee

Cover photo from Hours of Ours