Yahoo Lifestyle Brillante Mendoza, Samuel Jamier Film Projects Heat Up Fire and Ice Production Slate (EXCLUSIVE)
The next film by leading Asian director Brillante Mendoza and the directorial debut of New York Asian Film Festival director Samuel Jamier adorn the 2025 production slate of Philippines label Fire and Ice Media.
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The company is headed by Liza Diño-Seguerra, a former actor and previous head of the Film Development Council of the Philippines. The company’s recent collaborations include a minority stake in Nicole Midori Woodford’s “Last Shadow at First Light” (a collaborative project spanning Japan, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Slovenia) that premiered at the San Sebastian festival, and co-production “Blue Imagine,” by Urara Matsubayashi which had its world premiere at the Rotterdam festival.
Mendoza’s project “Cocoon” is a story inspired by the director’s relationship with his daughter and was written by Rocky Fajardo and Angel Mendoza. The film follows a Philippines American veterinarian and her African American fiancé as they navigate the intersections of family, culture, and identity. French producer Raphael Gindre, known for “Funny Birds” and “We the Coyotes,” which premiered at Cannes’ ACID in 2018, is also a co-producer. “This film hits close to home and parallels my own journey as a father. It’s a personal exploration of love, identity, and family that connects across cultures,” said Mendoza.
Jamier’s “Huntress on the Plains,” is a set in WWII-era Leyte. The film follows a young Filipino woman, Mayari, and a Korean sniper, as they form an unlikely alliance to liberate women from a Japanese camp.
“’Huntress’ represents a natural evolution—from showcasing others’ visions to crafting my own narratives, blending visceral tension with the emotional depth of a wartime thriller. It’s an opportunity to showcase the rich history and complexity of national identity in Asia through a universal tale, proving that local narratives can captivate audiences worldwide,” said Jamier.
“Mindscape Manila,” marks a return to directing for “Plan 75” producer Will Fredo and a step into producing for Diño, who previously acted in some of Fredo’s earlier titles. The film is a thriller rooted in the world of Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR), exploring the connection between a young ASMR streamer and a dark, hidden reality. “The ASMR world and the whisper fetish culture captivated me immediately. It’s rewarding to help Fredo reintroduce his voice to the international arena with the right strategy and positioning,” said Diño. U.S. company Fusee is a co-producer.
Supernatural horror film “Red Thread” weaves the lives of a ghost-seeing child, a radio host, and a serial killer into a chilling tale. The project written and directed by Vietnamese American filmmaker Ham Tran, known for “The Anniversary,” his Academy Award-shortlisted thesis film, and “Journey from the Fall,” which premiered at the Busan Film Festival and 2022 film, “Maika,” which premiered at Sundance.
The production also involves Anderson Le (East Films), who is also director of the Hawaii International Film Festival, Mai Tuan Anh of Kontribute, Jackol Kao DaSun Pictures of Taiwan, prolific Singapore producer Tan Si En (Momo Film Co), and Nelson Mok. His Mokster Films will also handle world sales of the project, which is scheduled to begin shooting in March 2025.
Philippines entertainment icon Ice Seguerra makes his directing debut and charts his own journey as a trans man in “Transfatherhood.” Written by Diño and directed by Seguerra, it follows Sam, a queer singer-songwriter, as he navigates the unexpected role of a father to a young girl. The project was previously presented at the EAVE Producers Workshop.
“’Transfatherhood’ is inspired by my own path to self-acceptance as a trans man, becoming a husband and a father. This is my family’s story and how we broke society’s perception of what the ‘ideal family’ should be,” said Seguerra.
Crime thriller, “Karaoke News” tells the story of a former child celebrity who, in an attempt to reclaim fame, turns her publicity stunt into a sensational media circus. It is written and directed by John Paul Su, an alumnus of the Disney/ABC directing program and Berlinale Talents Tokyo. A timely and sharp critique of media and celebrity culture, the film is now in pre-production and is coproduced with editor Manet Dayrit of Central Digital Lab, and with Eight Horses Production of the U.S.
“We’re committed to elevating Asian voices and creating a cinematic bridge between Southeast Asia and the world. This shift is allowing Asian films to connect across cultural and linguistic divides, expanding their reach and impact,” said Dino.
The slate announcement come on the eve of Dino’s QCinema film festival in The Philippines and its accompanying project market.
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