Cinemagica

MANILA, Philippines - Asian Film Awards & Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) deputy director Ivy Ho and head of marketing David Woo. Ho says: “To put it in easier terms, we (at the Asia Film Financing Forum) are actually matchmakers between the filmmakers and the financiers. We select about 25 to 27 films directed by Asian filmmakers, organize events for them, and match them with financiers around the world, Americans and Europeans. Of this year’s 27 filmmakers, three of them are Filipinos — Brillante Mendoza (The Execution of P), Adolfo Alix (Porno) and Francis Xavier Pasion (Sampaguita).” The story behind Brillante Mendoza’s last project is interesting. In March 2008, Mendoza came to Hong Kong with zero budget for his movie Serbis. The HAF was able to give him he necessary funding. He went back in April to the Philippines to shoot. He went to the Cannes competition in May.