The Singapore Film Commission (SFC) has joined the Taiwan Creative Content Agency’s (Taicca) Emerge initiative for the first time to support Chinese-language original film development with global appeal.

The two government-backed agencies announced their Emerge partnership during the final day of the ATF market in Singapore today.

The initiative supports writers, directors and producers with hands-on guidance from producers in Hollywood and Asia in alliance with Imagine Entertainment in the U.S. and Sixty Percent Productions in Asia.

Emerge was launched by Taicca in September last year.

So far, five Taiwanese TV projects has been incubated and a TV series – ”Gunshot” – greenlit by Public Television Service Taiwan for further development.

This second edition will bring together project teams from Taiwan and Singapore, supervised by Imagine Entertainment and Sixty Percent Productions.

Experienced producers, directors and executives, including Ron Howard, Sukee Chew (“Sugar23”), Trey Callaway (“9-1-1 Lonestar”), Derek Tsang (“Better Days”) and Jojo Hui (“The Warlords”) will be brought in as guest lecturers.

The 12-week programme will combine hybrid and virtual sessions held in Singapore and Taiwan from March to May 2024.

The final Pitch Day and award ceremony is being planned for Cannes in May 2024.

The submissions deadline is 8 January 2024.