Philippines Introduces New Guidelines For Theatrical Releases1 min read
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The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) has introduced a set of guidelines for theatrical releasing that includes moving opening days from Wednesdays to Fridays and keeping films in cinemas for a minimum of one week.
The new policies, which apply to both local and foreign films, also guarantee theatre assignments for the first three days of release, to prevent screen counts being reduced during opening weekends.
The Memorandum Circular (MC) issued by the FDCP also states that “full screens” must be assigned to films during the first three days, so there will be no “screen splitting” or double bookings on a single theatre screen.
It also has a requirement that “equitable ratio between Filipino films and foreign films should be observed in regular playdates to give local films a higher chance of being seen by the audience”, but doesn’t specify how much screen time should be given to local films.
Other guidelines include a theatrical window of 150 days before films can be screened on ancillary platforms and the introduction of cheaper tickets for students. On Wednesdays, tickets for students aged 18 years and below will be set at $3.90 (PHP200) in the capital of Manila and $2.90 (PHP150) in the provinces.
The FDCP guidelines are scheduled to take effect in mid-July.
Photo credit: Film Development Council of the Philippines
