Ronald Arguelles, head of Cinema One Global, said that “as part of our mission to help Filipinos around the world become one big family,” the new contest rules mean “that anyone of Filipino descent who has always wanted to make a film can now be a part of this exciting industry and explore their dream without ever having to quit his or her day job.”

“Cinema One Originals has assisted amateur filmmakers realize their dreams in producing 13 award winning films over the past two years,” said Raffy Lopez, COO of ABS-CBN Global. “We are very proud of these films, which were screened at numerous international film festivals around the world, in addition to enjoying long runs in various theaters in the Philippines.”

Are you of Filipino descent? Then you can join the Third Annual Cinema One Originals - Digital Movie Competition and its accompanying P1million grant

As announced by ABS-CBN Global, the theme of this year’s competition is “Ang Kwento ng Pinoy sa Buong Mundo.” The competition hopoes to create an an anthology of stories from Filipinos all over the world which may include some we know by heart – mothers who leave their children to become nannies for other families, men who dream of getting a job at a construction site in the Middle East, expatriates yearning to return home, Filipino-Americans who long to find their roots – the possibilities are endless.

For the first time, this year’s contest is open to entries from Filipino filmmakers living anywhere in the world. Also new this year is a dramatically increased production incentive and grant for the top five screenplays selected for filming. This year’s winners will have a P1 million budget, up substantially from last year’s P700,000.

The deadline for submission is March 28, 2007. For a list of requirements and official entry forms, please visit:

http://www.abs-cbni.com/cinemaoneoriginals/index.html.