A FRENCH film organisation has invited Myanmar’s budding filmmakers to compete for the chance to have their project financed.

The Festival des 3 Continents Young Producer Award will be open to directors and producers from eight Southeast Asian countries for the first time this year.
Eight entrants from Southeast Asia will be flown to Bangkok to attend a workshop as part of the third World Film Festival of Bangkok.

There, they will have the opportunity to discuss their projects with European filmmakers and receive one-on-one advice on everything from script development and raising funding to marketing in a four-day workshop.

One entrant will be chosen to attend the Festival des 3 Continents in Nantes on November 22 with winners from other workshops. The overall winner in Nantes will have their proposal financed.

The newly formed Myanma Motion Picture Association in Bahan township has put out a call for its members to enter.

“This is a rare opportunity for our film industry, which is hungry for success. I want all of our directors and producers to grab it. We, the Myanmar Motion Picture Association, are ready to provide all necessary help for people to enter,” chairman of the Myanmar Motion Picture Association, U Kyi Soe Tun, told The Myanmar Times.

He also urged filmmakers to help each other.

“Who wins does not matter. That Myanmar wins is what is important,” he said at a workshop for potential competitors held on July 9.

Film proposals must be submitted by August 12.

Candidates should already have at least one feature and three short films behind them and possess a good understanding of English. Also, a producer cannot be nominated as the director on the proposed project and vice versa.

“You can develop any story you like. If you don’t already have a script, we can help you out. We are also inviting writers to send their scripts to us. This is a great opportunity for us to keep up with international standards in filmmaking, so I encourage all producers and directors to participate,” said U Aung Soe Oo, film director and executive at the Myanmar Motion Picture Association.

“I believe Myanmar’s artists have talent and brilliant ideas equal to those of filmmakers in other countries. We have rich and interesting stories to tell,” U Kyi Soe Tun, who entered his film True Love in the Bangkok film festival last year, said.

Proposals must be in English and include an application form, a profile of the producer and director and a statement by the producer explaining why he wants to attend the workshop.

A two-page synopsis, at least 10 pages of script treatment and a budget and financing plan must also be sent.

The Bangkok International Film Festival will be held from October 15 to 24.
Details of the competition are available at pasbangkok.com or through the Myanma Motions Picture Association.