National scriptwriting competition for 2010 by FDCP

The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) is holding a national scriptwriting competition for 2010. Deadline for submission of entries is on or before 20 May 2010. Winners will be announced on 12 June 2010 (Independence Day).

The FDCP notes that the year 2011 will be an important date in hallmarking important historical events. National hero Dr. Jose Rizal will mark his 150^th birth anniversary in 2011. The Philippines will also mark in 2011 its 65 years of independence from America and will celebrate the 25^th anniversary of the People Power Revolution.

According to FDCP Chairman Rolando Atienza, they are holding the historical scriptwriting contest to promote and support the development and growth of the Philippine film industry as a medium with which to uplift aesthetic, cultural and social values for a better understanding and appreciation of the Filipino identity. He added that the FDCP is championing this endeavor for Filipinos to “share our history through scripts that may be produced into films as well.”

The binding theme of the contest is historical non-fiction where contestants will embrace orthodox and unorthodox approaches in narrating our history. Mr. Atienza said that the stories should be unique, not common and not popularly known. He also said that if the participants choose to depict the lives of known heroes like Rizal and Bonifacio, they must present something new about those heroes that have not yet been discussed in the textbooks. Mr. Atienza emphasized that there should be historical accuracy.

Ms. Christine Dayrit, Chairman of the Cinema Evaluation Board (CEB) and Project Leader of the historical scriptwriting contest, said that the subject matters can delve on the unsung heroes of the Philippines or about the little known events that took place in the history of the country. The CEB is under the aegis of the FDCP.

The historical scriptwriting contest is open to Filipino and of-Filipino descent writers, historians, film enthusiasts, overseas Filipino workers and Filipino expats. Contestants can be based in the Philippines or abroad.

A panel of distinguished judges will declare three winners. The first prize winner will receive Php 350,000 the second prize winner Php 250,000; and the third prize winner

Php 150,000.

The applicant should submit only one (1) entry reproduced into seven (7) copies, each copy to be accompanied by a synopsis. The name of the writer and title of the script must be typed out on a separate information sheet. No identifying marks of the writer should appear on the pages of the script. The screenplay must be written in Filipino, English or in any local Filipino dialect. Script written in a local dialect should have a Tagalog or English translation. If the script is written in Filipino or English but carries in part dialogues in a local dialect, the vernacular should also have a translation.

For more information on the contest mechanics, please get in touch with the Cely Tomas (tel. no. 00632634-6984) or Abi Portillo (tel. no. 00638-2739) of the FDCP or log on to www.filmdevcouncilph.org.