As the year ends, we can't help but look back at that part of the road we have traveled. It's that time when we ask where we are on the journey. Most of all, it is also a time to celebrate and be grateful for our wins — big and small.

We express our gratitude for the ones who have joined us in the quest to realize our vision of a thriving Filipino film industry — a globally competitive film industry that contributes to economic development while championing our culture and heritage.

For this issue, the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) looks back at our wins for this year.

Covid-19 intervention programs. The FDCP facilitated the complete vaccination of 5,102 film and entertainment workers through its #GoodJAB Covid-19 Vaccination Campaign led by the FDCP National Registry, in partnership with the City of Manila and Quezon City local government units.

Through its Safe Filming Program, the FDCP successfully accredited 184 new Safety and Health Officers through the four batches of Safety and Health Officers Training Seminar (SHOTS).

Film production incentives. FDCP granted over P150 million worth of incentives to over 70 local and international projects through its FilmPhilippines Incentives and CreatePHFilms Programs.

International film fest wins. The year 2021 has been a momentous one for Philippine cinema what with global recognition from major international film festivals. Some of the most notable ones were: Erik Matti's "On the Job: The Missing 8" by Erik Matti, which won John Arcilla the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the 78th Venice International Film Festival; "Whether the Weather is Fine" by Carlo Francisco Manatad which won the 74th Locarno Film Festival Youth Jury Prize; "Hayop Ka! The Nimfa Dimaano Story" by Avid Liongoren which competed in the prestigious Annecy International Film Festival; "GenSan Punch" by Brillante Mendoza which won the 26th Busan International Film Festival's Kim Jiseok Award; and the documentary "Last Days at Sea" by Venice Atienza which premiered at the 71st Berlin International Film Festival Generation Section.

In total, the Film Development Council of the Philippines has led the country's delegation to 10 international film markets and 15 international film festivals.

Online training programs and workshops. The International Film Industry Conference hosted 11 public sessions and seven masterclasses with 3000 attendees worldwide for its 5th edition. For the 3rd edition of Full Circle Lab Philippines, 24 projects out of 155 applications from the Philippines and Southeast Asia participated in the project development lab.

This year also marked the completion of the first-ever Southern Voices Lab (SoVo Lab), which aims to boost regional cinema by discovering indigenous stories and empowering the voices of filmmakers from Mindanao.

The First Philippine Industry Month. Under Presidential Proclamation No. 1085 signed by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, the month of September has been declared as the annual Philippine Film Industry Month. As the lead agency in the celebration, the Film Development Council of the Philippines hosted 28 events that featured international conferences, film screenings, seminars and workshops, tributes, and awarding ceremonies.

FDCP's film labs and competitions. As the national film agency, FDCP hosted film competitions to foster the growth of the Philippine Film Industry. The participating filmmakers also underwent film labs mentored by the industry's best practitioners to develop their filmmaking skills further. These film labs culminate with a competition among the aspiring filmmaker-participants' works. This year saw four film labs, namely: Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino 5; Sine Kabataan Year 5; Unsung Sariling Bayani; and the Mit Out Sound Silent Short Film Competition.

"Nood Tayo ng Sine" campaign. The campaign aims to keep the cinema alive despite its closure by reliving the Filipino collective cinema experience. The campaign has also been helping in the dissemination of information about new health and safety protocols implemented as cinemas and movie houses start to transition into the new normal.

Philippine Film Archive screenings and restoration efforts. As of December 2021, the Philippine Film Archive has a total of 41,443 elements, 12,796 acquired for 2021. It has restored 291 titles and screened 19 titles on different platforms and events.

FDCP Channel on the Go. FDCP Channel is an exclusive FDCP-owned over the top (OTT) platform which lets its audience enjoy quality local and international films online. It also gives the audience access to the country's most celebrated film festivals, wherever they are in the country.

This year, the FDCP Channel has successfully hosted 13 film festivals and 11 film-related events. It also has 39,101 subscribers as of December 10. Currently, the FDCP Channel hosts a total of 106 local and international films as it aims to screen important Philippine cinematic treasures while championing "edutainment."

***

Let me use this chance to thank everyone who have supported FDCP — all our stakeholders and partner organizations; all the national and local government units we tied up with in facilitating projects for the benefit of our film workers such as the Good Jab vaccination drive; all the avid moviegoers who returned to the cinemas while maintaining health protocols; and all the film workers and filmmakers who continue to make quality films. Thank you so much for your commitment, passion and love for the Philippine Film Industry. Thank you for continuing. Thank you for showing up.

The coming 2022 will be a game-changer. We have only just begun with our projects to make our vision for the industry into reality. And so much remains to be done! Dreams take a lot of work for them to work. I call on your continued support to the industry we all love and cherish. We are all in this vision together. We are all #TeamFDCP.

Notes from the Chair
The Sunday Times Magazine  - The Manila Times

Notes from the Chair is part of the Arts Awake section of The Sunday Times Magazine published by The Manila Times. Click HERE to view the article on The Manila Times website.