For the second year in a row, a Filipino film has been chosen to take part in the Southeast Asia Fiction Film Lab (SEAFIC). Filipino director Zurich Chan and producer Gale Osorio’s project Cangrejos joins four other projects from fellow Southeast Asian filmmakers as the five selections at this year’s SEAFIC.

SEAFIC is a pioneering script and development lab created for up-and-coming Southeast Asian filmmakers. The film lab holds three intensive week-long sessions in eight months for the selected projects. The final session concludes at the SEAFIC Open House where the filmmakers present the outcomes of their projects.

Zurich Chan is a Filipino director whose debut short film Boca (2010) competed in the Clermont-Ferrand, Tokyo Short Shorts, and Busan International Film Festivals. His debut feature-length film Teoriya (2011) screened at the Cinemalaya Film Festival 2011 and won the ‘Young Critics Circle Award for Best Cinematography and Design.’

Cangrejos, which means ‘crab’ in Chavacano tells the story of emerging turmoil within a village as they face insurgent activity in their idyllic island home. The conflict escalates into violence and a subsequent loss of humanity, till the villagers become akin to ‘crabs in a bucket.’ 

Cangrejos will be Chan’s second feature-length film. Discussing his selection for Seafic he said: "I am more than suprised but also thankful that seafic selected cangrejos. It's nerve wracking to be put against these big names in the SEA scene but as Gale, my producer, would alway say: 'fighting!'" 

The project previously led to his participation in the Film Development Council of the Philippines’ (FDCP) first-ever Southern Voices Film Lab (SOVOLAB) in 2019, a film lab for empowering regional cinema and supporting Mindanaoan filmmakers. Under SOVOLAB Cangrejos underwent further project development through workshops and consultations from international and local mentors. Chan is also an Asian Film Academy alumni. 

Cangrejos Director Zurich Chan and Producer Gale Osorio with FDCP Chairperson Liza Diño and fellow filmmakers at SOVOLAB 2019

"With a unique take on the local narrative while having international appeal, Cangrejos is an outstanding project with a lot of potential, and we are very proud that after being one of the projects of our very own SoVoLab, it has been selected in the very competitive SEAFIC,"said FDCP Chairperson Liza Diño. “We at FDCP are continuing our support of SEAFIC and its Executive Director Raymond Phathanavirangoon as we share the vision of further elevating Southeast Asian projects and filmmakers in the international film industry. We cannot wait for the fruition of all the titles,” she added.

The other projects selected for SEAFIC were 9 Temples to Heaven by Sompot Chidgasornpongse (Thailand), Amoeba by Siyou Tan (Singapore), Mayday by Eden Junjung (Indonesia), and Oasis of Now by Chia Chee Sum (Malaysia). The projects tackle a diverse range of relevant social issues ranging from violent insurgency, sexual assault, illegal immigration, LGBT rights, and superstitions. 

Esteemed veteran filmmakers from around the globe will lead the film lab sessions as mentors. The reading committee consists of Thai director Aditya Assarat who directed the critically successful films Wonderful Town and Hi-so, the current head of the Berlinale co-production market Martina Bleis, and South Korean producer Oh Jungwan who founded Bom Film Productions and produced films such as A Tale of Two Sisters and Untold Scandal.

Meanwhile, Giovanna Fulvi (Italy), of the Toronto International Film Festival and Rome Film Fest, Mike Goodridge (United Kingdom) who currently serves as Artistic Director of the International Film Festival and Awards Macao, and Polish director Tomasz Wasilewski of the award-winning film United States of Love will make up the Script committee.

FDCP has been a constant partner of SEAFIC since its founding in 2017. The agency has previously participated in past SEAFIC Open Houses held in Singapore and Bangkok and sent several Filipino filmmakers to participate in the film lab. Later in the year, FDCP will also be hosting the SEAFIC Open House in Manila. 

Last year’s Philippine selection Some Nights I feel Like Walking (dir. Petersen Vargas) won the film lab’s ‘SEAFIC Award’ and the ‘SEAFIC-HAF award.’