Driving Creative Investment and Global Opportunities for Philippine Cinema
The 28th French Film Festival in the Philippines marked a historic milestone for Philippine and French cinema with the launch of the first-ever French–Philippine Co-Production Conference. Held over two days at SMX Aura, BGC, Taguig City, the conference created a dynamic platform for filmmakers, producers, and investors from both countries to explore joint film projects, partnerships, and co-production opportunities.
The event follows the signing of the France–Philippines Film Co-Production Agreement at the 78th Cannes Film Festival on May 14, 2025, formalized by Gaëtan Bruel, President of the Centre National du Cinéma et de l’Image Animée (CNC), and Jose Javier “Joey” Reyes, Chairman of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP). This landmark agreement opens doors for Filipino producers to access French funding, grants, tax incentives, talent networks, and distribution channels, while strengthening creative and commercial collaborations.
Strengthening Bilateral Creative Ties
French-Philippine film collaboration has long enriched bilateral relations, with Filipino filmmakers gaining recognition at international festivals and participating in prestigious programs such as La Fabrique by Institut Français in Cannes and the Cinéfondation of the Cannes Film Festival. Past projects have benefitted from French producer support and grants, including Fonds Sud Cinéma and Aide au Cinéma du Monde, helping Filipino films reach global audiences.
Spotlight on Award-Winning Filipino Works
The conference sessions celebrated acclaimed Filipino productions, including Brillante Mendoza’s Serbis and Kinatay (Best Director at Cannes 2010), Avid Liongoren’s Saving Sally, and projects by Bianca Balbuena, including Above the Clouds (with Pepe Diokno) and Filipiniana (with Rafael Mendoza). Industry insights were shared by line producer Martin Arnaldo on De Sang et d’Argent, enriching discussions on co-production practices.
French Support Systems and Producer Panels
A highlight of the conference was Michel Plazanet, Deputy Director for International Affairs at CNC, presenting the French Cinema Support System and the operational framework of the co-production agreement. Afternoon sessions focused on applying the agreement in practice, including insights from Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah, and concluded with a French Producers’ Panel, featuring Franck Priot, Angele de Lorme, Natacha Devilliers, Francois Belot, and Xenia Maingot, showcasing their filmographies and upcoming projects.
Pitching, Panels, and Film Premieres
Day two centered on project development, including one-on-one pitch-dating sessions between French producers and Filipino filmmakers. A key highlight was the screening of Elsewhere at Night, a Filipino–Canadian co-production starring French actress Garance Marillier alongside Filipino actors Sue Prado, Kyrie Allison, and Enchong Dee, with producer Wilfredo Manalang in attendance.
Bianca Balbuena and Martin Arnaldo.
Another highly anticipated session featured Call My Manager, the Filipino adaptation of the French hit series Dix Pour Cent (Call My Agent), with actors Edu Manzano and Judy Ann Santos, accompanied by a panel discussion led by director-producer Erik Matti.
Red Carpet Finale and Gala Screening
The conference concluded with a closing ceremony, red carpet reception, and gala screening of Dix Pour Cent x Call My Manager, attended by French actress Garance Marillier and director Brillante Mendoza, celebrating strengthened cultural and professional ties between the Philippine and French film industries.
Creative Economy Impact
Beyond fostering cultural exchange, the co-production agreement is projected to generate significant economic benefits: increased foreign investment in Philippine film production, job creation in creative and technical sectors, expanded international distribution for Filipino films, and the positioning of the Philippines as a competitive production hub in Asia. The platform also encourages knowledge transfer and talent mobility, further supporting growth in the creative economy.
Natacha Devillers, French Producer Franck Priot, François Belot, and Xenia Maingot, together with French-Filipino Producer Martin Arnaldo (second from right).
Presented by Leading Cultural Institutions
The Co-Production Conference is presented by the Embassy of France to the Philippines and Micronesia and the Film Development Council of the Philippines, in cooperation with the Directors’ Guild of the Philippines, Inc.
For full schedules and information on the 28th French Film Festival at SM Aura and SM City Manila, visit the French Embassy’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/FrenchEmbassyPH
