QCinema offers grant for indie films halted by COVID-19 pandemic

The QCinema International Film Festival is offering a financial grant to support independent films affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

On Monday, festival organizers announced the QCinema Completion Fund for indie films which were forced to stop production amid the community quarantine.

Three grants will be awarded to Filipino citizens of legal age whose total film budget is over six million pesos. Principal photography for the feature film should not have started earlier than 2019 and the proponent can be the director or the producer.

"Since the start of the pandemic, Quezon City has been providing financial and humanitarian aid for those who need it most. It is high time we give attention to our film industry," Mayor Joy Belmonte said in a press release.

Deadline of application is on October 23. Details are available at the QCinema website and Facebook page.

The selected projects will be announced on QCinema 2020. The final film must be completed by 2021 and will premiere at QCinema.

Meanwhile, the festival partnered with the Inter-Guild Alliance (IGA) for the QCinema Special Industry Assistance Fund, which will make funds available for projects related to COVID-19 such as workshops, training and certification.

QCinema is also awarding P50,000 to six short films which depict the lighter side of quarantine life.

The film must have a minimum running time of three minutes and a maximum of five minutes including OBB and CBB can be narrative, documentary, animation, or experimental.

The films can be shot using a smartphone, webcam, or any digital devices and must be produced between September to October 2020.

Filipinos residing in the Philippines and aged 18 years old and above may join the competition. Deadline of submission is on October 30. —MGP, GMA News