SAAVA pacts with Pozible, MPAC

SAAVA also launched two English-language co-productions in the region, horror film Selfie and sports drama The 100 Yards.

The producers’ association’s agreement with Pozible will provide SAAVA members with privileges such as lower fees and special marketing efforts on the crowd-funding site.

Singapore-based producer and SAAVA co-founder Justin Deimen [pictured], who brought the partnership about, said, “Finding the money to make a film is one of the hardest things for a producer. But production costs are quite low in our region, and the amounts that can be raised from crowd-funding can become quite significant in comparison to the budget. This partnership with Pozible opens up a new option for our members to access funding. There are so many amazing stories in Southeast Asia that needs to be told, and we hope this collaboration with Pozible encourages the creation of many new films.”

SAAVA’s alliance with MPAC, which represents producers, directors, talents, distributors and exhibitors in Cambodia, opens up the opportunity for all MPAC members to become SAAVA members. More importantly, the two associations are also planning to hold joint workshops and foster more co-productions between the countries. SAAVA will also assist in setting up a film institute in Phnom Penh.

Chhay Bora, director of former Oscar foreign language category entry Lost Loves and president of MPAC, said, “I first got to work with [Chan] Gin Kai, the founder of SAAVA on our film 3.50. The project showed how a co-production that brings together the best efforts from different countries could produce incredible results. The memorandum with SAAVA multiplies this collaborative spirit across more areas, into talent development, content production, distribution, and education. It will spur the growth of the Cambodian media industry and also enable us to contribute our part to the growth of the region.”

Of the two English-language co-productions SAAVA launched at ScreenSingapore today, psychological thriller/horror film Selfie is to be produced in Cambodia and Singapore as a result of a collaboration between Oh Lucky Films (Singapore) and Two Rivers (Cambodia).

The film “evolves around three models that find themselves in paranormal situations on top of their own individual emotional struggles while navigating the tough social media and fashion scene in Asia”.

Singapore’s Oh Lucky Me Films, headed by film director Mikael Teo, and Advent Media Group are producing. Confirmed cast includes Carla Dunareanu and Richard Herrera, with Jimmy Henderson as cinematographer.

The second co-production is a sports-themed drama The 100 Yards, a co-production between co-founder Chan Gin Kai and US producer Ross Campbell. To be shot in the Philippines with financing, talent and crew from around the region with an international cast, the film is targeted at the worldwide market. It will begin filming in early 2015.