Home / Entertainment / Marché du Film is back with a vengeance

Marché du Film is back with a vengeance

Over 14,000 participants from 120 countries join the film market.

We recently attended the Marché du Film at the Palace of Festivals and Congresses of Cannes that ended on May 24. It gathered more than 14,000 accredited participants in Cannes from over 120 countries, including the Philippines. The onsite booths, industry events, meetings, and conferences brought life to all the stakeholders of world cinema. We got to attend talks on Spotlight Asia, The New Wave of Chinese Cinema, Women Contribution, and Is China Back? presented by Bridging the Dragon.

Marché du Film.jpg

Marché du Film

Also at the venue is the Chemin des étoiles, a real “Walk of Fame” version of Cannes, which exhibits the footprints of 150 stars all around the Palais.

We had meetings to foster relationships with the foreign representatives of Produire au Sud which give film trainings in Nantes, France, and Taipei; Sundance Institute, Rotterdam Lab, Berlinale Visitors Program, Singapore International Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, Locarno Open Doors Lab, MyLab from Malaysia, among others.

The goal is to bring our Filipino talents to film labs and festivals abroad in the hope that our foreign counterparts rediscover our young turks just like the way Cannes, Berlin, and Toronto discovered Lino Brocka, Mike de Leon, Ishmael Bernal, Carlos Siguion-Reyna, Joey Reyes in the 1970s-80s.

Over at the Olympia Theatre, we managed to catch Richard Somes’ Topakk (Trigger) and the first reel restoration project, Bona,a film produced by National Artist Nora Aunor, who also starred in it.

“We want to show the world that we can also make films that some other countries can do,” says Richard, whose film is part of the Fantastic Pavilion, the best place to close deals and effectively reach the hundreds of international genre professionals who attend the Festival and The Marché each year.

Inside the Philippine Pavillion.jpg

Inside the Philippine Pavillion

The Filipino action-drama genre is back with lots of gore, violence, and stunts coming from Arjo Atayde and Julia Montes. “My good friend, Michaelangelo Masangkay, whom I met in the Philippines five years ago,” claimed Richard. We promised after one smoking session, during one rainy night, someday we could work around, and collaborate.” 

After five years, their meeting has come full circle with Topakk (Trigger) being executive produced by Raven Banner. Other producing partners include Fusee, Strawdog Studio Production, and Nathan Studios.

Producer Wilfredo Manalang of Fusee said right after the screening that, “Hearing the raw reaction of the industry audience gives me confidence that what we’ve accomplished in this film is extra special.” 

Arjo plays a security guard with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In an attempt to save the life of a woman, he is wanted by drug cartel members. German territories have bought the rights of Topakk. “I’m confident, given what we’ve heard and the offers we’re getting from Marché du Film, we’re going to find the perfect audience for Topakk,” muses Will who earlier produced the Japanese film, PLAN 75.

The late Pierre Rissient, Bona’s champion, was instrumental in preserving the original negatives of Philippine cinema’s greatest filmmaker Lino Brocka and Nora Aunor before it disappeared. The original negative of the film ended up in France, where it was discovered. Carllota Films and Cité de Memoire are supporters of Philippine cinema overlooking the restoration.

On Nora’s birthday last May 21, the 72-seater cinema attendees were from the US, European, and Asian nations who had an exclusive look at the video. We saw Gil Quito, screenwriter of ‘Merika, director Adolfo Alix Jr., columnist Ruben Nepales, and a lot more Noranians. Carlotta Film plans to restore the false idolatry-theme of the lead character.

To show the first reel and the work-in-progress of restoration, the film is targeted for public screening in May 2024. “We are in love with Philippine cinema,” says Vincent Paul-Boncour, CEO of Carlotta Films, who also helped in the restoration of Mike de Leon’s Itim.  — Rica Arevalo

*****
Credit belongs to: www.mb.com.ph

Check Also

No charges for ‘Papa Swift’ in Australia after alleged Eras altercation

US singer-songwriter Taylor Swift arrives for the 66th Annual Grammy Awards at the Crypto.com Arena …