Eight Projects Awarded the Inaugural Southeast Asia Co-Production Grant by Singapore Film Commission4 min read

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Eight feature-length film projects helmed by Singapore and Southeast Asian producers have been awarded the inaugural Southeast Asia Co-Production Grant. Projects from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam were shortlisted from 26 applications received during the call-for-proposals in August 2019. Each feature length film project will receive up to S$250,000 in funding for the production.

Of the eight projects, three are from Indonesia, three from Thailand, and one each from Malaysia and Vietnam. Five Singaporean producers will be helming the eight projects of which Fran Borgia (Akanga Film Asia), Jeremy Chua (Potocol) and Lai Weijie (E&W Films and Phoenix Film) will be working on two projects each.

Fran Borgia will be producing for Tiger Stripes (Malaysia) with Foo Fei Ling (Malaysian), and for Yuni (Indonesia) with Ifa Isfansyah (Indonesian); Jeremy Chua for Autobiography (Indonesia) with Yulia Evina Bhara (Indonesian), and for Glorious Ashes (Vietnam) with Tran Thi Bich Ngoc (Vietnamese); and Lai Weijie for Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash (Indonesia) with Meiske Taurisia Nitihardja (Indonesian), and for Regretfully at Dawn (Thailand) with Pimpaka Towira (Thai).

Tan Si En will be teaming with Anthony Chen (Giraffe Pictures) and Donsaron Kovitcanitcha (Thai) on Arnold is a Model Student (Thailand); while Panuksmi Hardjowirogo (M’Go Film) will work on Anatomy of Time (Thailand) with Mai Meksawan (Thai).

Three first- time feature directors will be introduced, namely Sorayos Prapapan (Thai) for Arnold is a Model Student, Makbul Mubarak (Indonesian) for Autobiography, and Amanda Nell Eu (Malaysian) for Tiger Stripes. These directors had demonstrated strong and distinctive styles in their short film works. Other directors are Bui Thac Chuyen (Vietnamese) for Glorious Ashes, Edwin (Indonesian) for Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash, Jakrawal Nilthamrong (Thai) for Anatomy of Time, Kamila Andini (Indonesian) for Yuni, Sivaroj Kongsakul (Thai) for Regretfully at Dawn.

The Southeast Asia Co-Production Grant encourages film talent in Singapore and the Southeast Asian region to jointly produce quality stories for the world. Each project must be directed by a Southeast Asian (non-Singaporean) with at least one Singaporean and another Southeast Asian producer. The producers must have produced film or television content publicly aired within the last five years, while the director must have directed at least three short films, or one feature film, or one television programme in the last five years.

Mr Joachim Ng, Director of Singapore Film Commission opined, “We are excited to have received such high quality entries from the first batch of Southeast Asian Co-Production Grant project applications, which made the selection process very competitive. Southeast Asia has a wide myriad of stories to be told, and these eight projects selected for 2019 have shown great potential. I am glad that our Singapore producers collaborated creatively with regional filmmaking talent to bring these stories to screen, and I am looking forward to the completion of these “Made with Singapore” content as we work towards more of such collaborative filmmaking models.”

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SGIFF Southeast Asian Producers Network 

Five producers from the shortlisted Southeast Asia Co-Production Grant projects will be attending the Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) Southeast Asian Producers Network that ran from 24 to 26 November 2019. The Producers Network has expanded its programme to include additional industry professionals and events such as panel discussions centering around Southeast Asian stories on a global stage, funding Southeast Asian co-productions, changing landscapes for film sales and sharing between producers. The three-day industry programme brings together invited producers and established professionals from Singapore and Southeast Asia to engage in dialogue and seek opportunities for collaboration. Through roundtable sessions, talks and case study presentations, they will discuss pertinent topics relating to the latest developments and strategies of content production in the region.

The five producers in attendance are:

– Mai Meksawan, | Producer, Diversion (Thailand)

– Yulia Evina Bhara | Producer, KawanKawan Media (Indonesia)

– Foo Fei Ling | Producer, Ghost Grrrl Pictures (Malaysia)

– Panuksmi Hardjowirogo | Pr oducer, M’GO Films (Singapore)

– Tran Thi Bich Ngoc | Producer, An Nam Productions (Vietnam)

The Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) is a key constituent event under the Singapore Media Festival (SMF).  From 21 November to 8 December, the SMF will gather thought leaders, content creators and talents from the global film, television, digital media and pop culture industries to celebrate the best of Asian storytelling. Hosted by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), the Festival consists of the SGIFF, Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF) and ScreenSingapore, Asian Academy Creative Awards (AAA), and this year’s new addition, Singapore Comic Con (SGCC). The two-day VidCon Asia Summit will also be held in conjunction with SMF. 

For more details of the Singapore Media Festival and its constituent events, visit www.sgmediafestival.com.