ABS-CBN wins Horror Pitch with ‘Hysteria’

CEBU, Philippines — ABS-CBN notches another international milestone in content production as it won the first Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF) Horror Pitch with its new title in-development “Hysteria” during the 2024 ATF Expo.

Supernatural film “Hysteria” is among ABS-CBN International Productions’ headline titles alongside the awaited series “The Bagman”, which was conceived via its first Hollywood Bootcamp project in 2024 – wherein select creatives from ABS-CBN Films, TV Production, and International Productions underwent an eight-week online industry masterclass from Hollywood’s content experts.

Written by award-winning screenwriter Jaymar Santos Castro, “Hysteria" revolves around a self-righteous priest investigating a series of demonic possessions plaguing a small barrio trapped in its contradictory beliefs. As the mystery unfolds, a horrific past haunts the troubled cleric – revealing that, all along, he has been the root cause of the town’s hysteria.

In ATF’s Show Daily publication, the article cited “Hysteria” as the project with “the strongest potential to excite and strike tension in the Asian market” among the pitched titles from various production outlets in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore.

As a prize for winning the first ATF Horror Pitch, ABS-CBN International Productions received a development and distribution package from renowned Asian studio EST x N8 Studios.

Meanwhile, ABS-CBN also participated in the recent ATF Expo, showcasing its world-class studio services under its ABS-CBN Studios banner, music production through Star Music, Star Cinema’s film production prowess, and premier talent management via Star Magic, among others.

Attended by ABS-CBN International Productions’ head Ruel S. Bayani and ABS-CBN International Sales and Distribution head Pia Laurel, the company showcased its various milestones in content and events production, from the sold-out concerts and global recognition of local pop group BINI to the ground-breaking record set by actress Kathryn Bernardo in the recent box-office success “Hello, Love, Again” under Star Cinema. — (FREEMAN)