Censors offer help to local indie films
GRACE Poe Llamanzares
The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) has announced its plan to give incentives to independent film producers as a “way of helping them have a competitive edge together with the mainstream industry.”
Censors chief Grace Poe-Llamanzares said the board has come up with a “policy for the special rates for independent films.”
In a memorandum dated Sept. 8, she said the MTRCB “recognizes the advent of Philippine independent cinema and the need to provide institutional support for its sustainability and economic viability.”
A qualified film project shall be granted a 70-percent discount off the review fee, Llamanzares said. The material shall also be given “preferential review schedule” and “publicity support” by the MTRCB.
To qualify as an independent film, its director or producer has to present documentation supporting a number of prerequisites. First, the film has to be worth P3 million or less, inclusive of post-production expenses.
The director/producer, who must be a Filipino citizen, is also required to submit “a notarized undertaking” that the film is not associated or affiliated with any major film outfit. “If the producer is a juridical person, the entity must be 100-percent Filipino-owned,” the memo stated.
The production crew shall be composed of at least 75 percent Filipino citizens, the memo added.
Must-haves
The project must also have at least one of the following requirements:
An endorsement/certification from the Film Development Council of the Philippines, the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the National Center for Culture and the Arts, organizers of the Cinemanila and Cinemalaya film festivals or similar institutions that the film “has good cultural and artistic merit.”
A film grant awarded to the director or the film itself by a reputable institution.
A “major award” or screening in reputable local/international film festivals, or a grade of “A” or “B” from the Cinema Evaluation Board.
“This is already included in our system now. We’re talking about a few thousands of pesos, but still, this is something that we’re offering them,” Llamanzares said on Monday. “And since this is a new program, our registration committee is willing to walk them (filmmakers/producers) through it. At least during the first year of implementation, we are willing to make it easy for them.”
Llamanzares acknowledged filmmaker Milo Sogueco, who is also an MTRCB board member, for his effort on the project. “He represents the independent industry in the MTRCB. He was the one who really pushed for this,” she said.
