MANILA, PHILIPPINES, JANUARY 19, 2023 — After five successful editions, Sine Kabataan is back for its sixth year! The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) is holding an open call for short film entries for Sine Kabataan Short Film Lab and Festival 2023. Submission of entries is from January 13 to February 10, 2023.

The Sine Kabataan Short Film Competition not only aims to provide a platform to young Filipino filmmakers but also elevate their creativity and storytelling skills that are reflective of how they perceive the issues they face today. The competition is open to filmmakers ages 18-30 years old who have produced at least one short film.

20 story concepts which can be live action, documentary, animation or experimental will be shortlisted from the pool of submissions. Those who make the cut will undergo exclusive film labs which will cover topics from development up to post-production. With the easing of COVID-19-related restrictions, the FDCP will be shifting its film labs to a hybrid on-site and digital platform to equip the filmmakers with technical knowledge and practical skills in production.

From the 20 shortlisted projects, 10 will be chosen as finalists by a Selection Committee after a Pitch Showcase and each of them will receive a production grant of PHP 100,000 to produce their story concepts.

The FDCP expands the running time requirement this year from five (5) minutes to seven (7) up to 20 minutes to grant the competing filmmakers an opportunity to better express themselves and to let them explore treatments that will further maximize the potential of their story concepts.

To check the full guidelines and mechanics, visit this link. For more updates on the short film competition, follow Sine Kabataan on Facebook.