MMFFP DOCUMENTRARY CONTEST

The executive committee of the 2006 Metropolitan Manila Film Festival Philippines announced a two-category digital documentary contest to supplement this year’s filmfest which will be launched on Friday, September 8. The subjects of the documentary entries will focus on the history of Philippine cinema and the Metro Manila Film festival.

A grand winner for each category will receive a P800,000 prize as well as the expenses for transferring the winning documentary to 35 mm film. Four honorable mention entries will also be chosen for both categories and will each receive P50,000. The prizes will be awarded during the filmfest awards night on December 29, 2006.

Since the filmfest began, this will be the fist time that a documentary contest on the history of both Philippine cinema and the film festival will be undertaken, according to Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando.

The contest—titled Ebolusyon…Rebolusyon ng Pelikulang Pilipino—has four objectives as drawn up by the MMFFP execom. These are: to increase the level of public awareness about the MMFFP and the Filipino movies in general; to educate the public on the history of the film industry and that of the MMFFP;
to reach out to the academe, the literati and the public at large; and to promote and market the short independent film industry alongside the MMFFP.

According to the rules and regulations drafted by the execom, the docus to be submitted must be in digital video format though the eventual winners will be uploaded to 35 mm for theater distribution during the filmfest.

The docus can be straight documentaries, docu-dramas, docu-musicals (MTV) and variations or combinations thereof. They must have a maximum running time of 20 minutes. Narration or language medium can be English, Tagalog or Taglish.

Submitted docus must be newly produced and must not have been previously submitted for any competition or exhibition.

The docu contest is open to all Filipinos except MMFFP execom members and their immediate relatives (up to the first degree of consanguinity).

Those interested in entering the contest must submit the following general requirements not later than September 23, 2006:

--List and profile of the team producing and making the documentary.

--Synopsis of the documentary video.

--Copy of the script or sequence treatment or narration with possible references.

--Name and backgrounder of proponents staff, crew and cast.

--Budget breakdown.

--Technical information, re camera to be used, etc.

--Distribution and dissemination plan for the submitted docu.

The proponests and contestants must finance the docu project.

Entries must be submitted on or before October 30, 2006.

A seven-man board of judges will decide the two grand winners and the eight consolation winners . The judges will include two documentary filmmakers, a mainstream filmmaker, a representative each from the MMFFP execom, the academe, the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

The execom has released this timetable of activities regarding the docu contest:

September 8, 2006—Launching of the competition

September 23, 2006—Deadline for submission of requirements including scripts
and narration as well as staff and crew involved in
the project.

October 30, 2006—Submission of entries.

1st week of November, 2006—Screening of entries and selection of winners by
the board of judges.

November 15, 2006—Announcement of the major winners and consolation
prizes with winning entries to be submitted to the MTRCB
and the KBP for screening.

3rd week of November. 2006—Two major winners to be uploaded to 35 mm
prints.

December 1, 2006 onwards—Screening of winning entries to coincide with
2006 Filmfest entry exhibition.

December 29, 2006—Awarding of winners during MMFFP awards night.