QCinema Project Market 2025 Strengthens Regional Co-Production as Quezon City Becomes UNESCO Creative City of Film

QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES (22 NOVEMBER 2025) — The QCinema Project Market (QPM), the industry arm of the QCinema International Film Festival, concluded its third edition with the announcement of this year’s awardees, granting over PHP 18 million (USD 310,000) in production, post-production, development, and marketing support to emerging and established filmmakers across Southeast Asia.

This year’s event is especially significant as Quezon City, the home of QCinema, was newly designated as a UNESCO Creative City of Film, placing it alongside global centres of cinematic excellence and further establishing the Philippines as a thriving hub for filmmaking and creative innovation. The recognition underscores QCinema’s role in elevating Southeast Asian cinema and fostering cross-border collaboration.

Held in Quezon City, the 2025 edition hosted filmmakers for two days of pitch sessions, curated meetings, and industry dialogues, expanding on last year’s robust programme. Selected projects showcased diverse cinematic visions from across Southeast Asia strengthening QCinema’s position as a premier incubator for regional co-productions and international partnerships.

Now in its thirteenth year, QCinema continues its commitment to developing world-class Filipino and Southeast Asian cinema. QPM serves as its cornerstone industry programme, launching projects, securing collaborations, and empowering filmmakers with strategic support from global and local partners.

2025 QCINEMA PROJECT MARKET AWARD WINNERS

MAJOR AWARDS

• Quezon City Best Project Award
  “Daddy Cool” — Directed by Dominic Bekaert (Philippines)
  (Prize: PHP 1,000,000 (approx. USD 17,240))
   
• QPM Southeast Asian Project Award — 1st Place
  “Penumbra” — Directed by Russell Morton (Singapore)
  (Prize: PHP 500,000 (approx. USD 8,620))
   
• QPM Southeast Asian Project Award — 2nd Place
  The River Knows Our Names — Directed by Mai Huyền Chi (Vietnam)
  (Prize: PHP 300,000 (approx. USD 5,1700))
   
• QPM Filipino Project Award — 1st Place
  “There Is, There Isn’t” (Meron, Wala) — Directed by Arjanmar H. Rebeta (Philippines)
  (Prize: PHP 500,000 (approx. USD 8,620))
   
• QPM Filipino Project Award — 2nd Place
  “The Void is Immense in Idle Hours” — Directed by Sam Manacsa (Philippines)
  (Prize: PHP 300,000 (approx. USD 5,170))
   
• QPM Discovery Award
  “The Willing” — Directed by Joon Goh (Malaysia)
  (Prize: PHP 500,000 (approx. USD 8,620))
   
• Best Pitch
  “Jollywood” — Directed by Khavn De La Cruz
  (Prize: PHP 100,000 (approx. USD 1,700))

PARTNER AWARDS

• Mocha Chai Laboratories Award
  “Jaguar” — Directed by Dean Colin Marcial
  (Comprehensive post-production services valued at up to approx. USD 50,000)
   
• CMB Equipment Support Grant
  “Luzonensis and Floresiensis” — Directed by Glenn Barit (Philippines)
  “Dear Wormwood” — Directed by Dodo Dayao (Philippines)
  “Ozzy and Onie” — Directed by Jaime Pacena II (Philippines)
  “The Void is Immense in Idle Hours” — Directed by Sam Manacsa (Philippines)
  “When The World Is Paused” — Directed by Han Thit Htoo Aung (Myanmar)
  “Romdoul, The Evening Fragrance” — Directed by Lomorpich Rithy (Cambodia)
  (Film equipment support worth PHP1,000,000 (approx. USD 17,240) tailored to the project’s requirements)
   
• Kongchak Studio Award
  “Daddy Cool” — Directed by Dominic Bekaert (Philippines)
  (approx. USD 10,000 worth of audio post-production services)
   
• Central Digital Lab Color Correction Grant
  “The Void is Immense in Idle Hours” — Directed by Sam Manacsa (Philippines)
  “Daddy Cool” — Directed by Dominic Bekaert (Philippines)
  (Colour grading and digital mastering services worth PHP 300,000 (approx. USD 5,170))
   
• Barebones Award
  “There Is, There Isn’t” (Meron, Wala) — Directed by Arjanmar H. Rebeta (Philippines)
  “Romdoul, The Evening Fragrance” — Directed by Lomorpich Rithy (Cambodia)
  “Ghost of the Currents” — Directed by Patiparn Boontarig (Thailand)
  “KOMIXXX” — Directed by Jopy Arnaldo (Philippines)
  (Colour grading services worth approx.  USD 14,000)
   
• Terminal Six Post-Production Award
  “Dear Wormwood” — Directed by Dodo Dayao (Philippines)
  (approx. USD 10,000 in post-production support including offline editing and digital intermediate preparation)
   
• Narra Post-Production Grant
  “What’s Left of Us” — Directed by Tyrone Acierto (Philippines)
  “Penumbra” — Directed by Russell Morton (Singapore)
  “Dancing Gale” — Directed by Sammaria Sari Simanjuntak (Indonesia)
  (One Filipino project and two Southeast Asian projects each receive PHP 500,000 (approx. USD 8,620) in audio post-production services)
   
• Puregold Cine Panalo Film Marketing Grant
  “Ozzy and Onie” — Directed by Jaime Pacena II (Philippines)
  (PHP 200,000 (approx. USD 3,445) in marketing support; may be considered as the CinePanalo Film Festival opening film)
   
• Pop Up Film Residency x FAP Project Award
  “The Void is Immense in Idle Hours” — Directed by Sam Manacsa (Philippines)
   
• Pop Up Film Residency x FAP Skill Up Award
  Eero Yves Francisco (Production Designer) “Sentinel”
   
• Kingyo Productions Award
  “When The World Is Paused” — Directed by Han Thit Htoo Aung (Myanmar)
  (approx. USD 5,000 plus music mentorship and collaborative support with Kingyo’s Taiwanese composer)
   
• Stage Post Audio and Music Productions, Inc. Audio Post-production and Music Grant
  “Luzonensis and Floresiensis” — Directed by. Glenn Barit (Philippines)
  “There Is, There Isn’t (Meron, Wala) — Directed by Arjanmar H. Rebeta (Philippines)
  “Sentinel” — Directed by Carl Joseph E. Papa (Philippines)
  “Ozzy and Onie” — Directed by Jaime Pacena II (Philippines)
  (PHP 600,000 worth of complete audio post-production and original musical scoring, all handled by the Stage Post team)

Quezon City: UNESCO Creative City of Film

QPM 2025 marks the first edition since Quezon City’s designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Film, a milestone that elevates the city’s international profile and highlights its longstanding contributions to Filipino cinema. This honour reinforces QCinema’s growing influence in Asia’s creative landscape and affirms Quezon City’s commitment to fostering film development, cultural exchange, and creative innovation.

A Strengthening Platform for Regional Collaboration

With a diverse lineup spanning the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, and Myanmar, QPM 2025 continues to advance its mission of cultivating a vibrant and interconnected Southeast Asian film ecosystem. The range of partner support, from colour correction to residencies, marketing grants, and audio post-production, ensures that projects can move forward with strong creative and technical foundations.

QPM Managing Director Liza Dino-Seguerra emphasised the significance of this year’s accomplishments: “Quezon City’s UNESCO Creative City of Film designation inspires us to aim even higher. These awards reflect our belief in the region’s filmmakers and our dedication to supporting their stories as they travel to global audiences.”

As QCinema continues championing resonant, globally competitive cinema, the QCinema Project Market remains a vital launchpad for Southeast Asia’s most exciting new film projects.