22 Nov – The third edition of the Southeast Asian Film Financing (SAFF) Project Market has revealed its finalists from six Southeast Asian countries. A total of 15 finalists from Malaysia, Singapore (in collaboration with producers from India and Mauritius), The Philippines, Myanmar and Thailand have been selected for the pitching competition. There will also be five entries from Indonesia, ScreenSingapore's Country of Focus for 2017. "And the Gods Rode Hornbills" (Nandita Solomon), "Wilderness" (Nadira Ilana), "Ryder" (Shanjhey Kumar Perumal) will represent Malaysia, while Singapore-India project "Schirkoa" (Ishan Shukla) and Singapore-Mauritius collaboration "The Green Sari" (Christian Comarmond) are representing Singapore.
Other projects that have been shortlisted are the Philippines' "Eerie" (Mikhail Red), "Mina-Anud" (Kerwin G) and "Pan De Salawal" (Che Espiritu); Thailand's "No Boys Land" (Nontawat Numbenchapol); Myanmar's "The Returning Kid" (Sai Naw Kham); and Indonesia's "Yuni" (Kamila Andini), "The Hunted" (Agung Sentausa), "Stalker" (Winaldo Artaraya Swastia), "Marangka: The Corpse Flower" (Andra Fembriarto) and "Lastri" (Adriyanto Dewo). The finalists were handpicked by Chan Gin Kai, Executive Producer of Silver Media Group / Chairman of SAAVA; Kristina Trapp, CEO of European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs; Marco Muller, Artistic Director, Pingyao Film Festival; and Krishnan Rajagopalan, CEO, Whacked Out Media (and Co-Founder, HOOQ). The same panel of judges will also be in Singapore to elect the SAFF Project Market 2017 winners. Prizes will be announced on 1 December 2017, following the SAFF conference.