List of Speakers
Panel 5: What are the financing and co-production opportunities for LGBTQ+ projects?
Patrick Frater
Variety, Asia Bureau Chief
Patrick Frater has over 20 years of experience writing about and analysing the international entertainment industry, with publications including Variety, Screen International and Film Business Asia, a regional trade paper that he co-founded.
Based in Hong Kong and Bangkok, he has been Asia editor of Variety since mid-2013.
Christine Vachon
Co-Founder and Partner of Killer Films
Christine Vachon is an Independent Spirit Award and Gotham Award winner who co-founded indie powerhouse Killer Films with partner Pamela Koffler in 1995. Over the past two decades they have produced over 100 films, including some of the most celebrated American indie features: Carol (nominated for six Academy Awards), Far from Heaven (nominated for four Academy Awards), Still Alice (Academy Award winner), Boys Don’t Cry (Academy Award winner), One Hour Photo, KIDS, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Happiness, Velvet Goldmine, Safe, I Shot Andy Warhol, and I’m Not There (Academy Award nominee). In television, Vachon executive-produced the Emmy and Golden Globe-awarded miniseries Mildred Pierce for HBO as well as Z: The Beginning of Everything for Amazon Studios. Killer Films recently produced such films as Paul Schrader’s First Reformed, Todd Hayne's Dark Waters, and Josephine Decker's Shirley. Upcoming releases include Janicza Bravo's Zola to be distributed by A24, and PRIDE, six-part documentary series produced with Refinery 29 for FX.
Lisa Dino
Chairperson and CEO of the Film Development Council of the Philippines
LIZA DIÑO is the Chairperson and CEO of the Film Development Council of the Philippines, the Agency in charge of developing programs to develop the local film industry and promote it for global collaboration and growth. She is also an award-winning film, TV and stage actress who has appeared in numerous independent and commercial films.
As Chairperson and CEO, she is hard at work in promoting the country’s film export services, creating more opportunities for Philippine cinema to be exposed to the world, and developing policies for the growth of the film and audiovisual industry.
She is a member of the Board of Director of the Asian Film Commissions Network (AFCNET) and an active collaborator in the ASEAN-ROK Film Organisation and the BPX (Best Practice Exchange), an initiative that brings together heads of film agencies from around the world to brainstorm on best practice in public funding for filmmaking.
Michael J. Werner
Producer, Strategic Consultant, Producers Rep
US-born Michael J. Werner is a Hong Kong-based veteran of the international film industry with more than 35 years of experience in international film sales, marketing, production and consulting, specializing in the Asia-Pacific region.Werner started out at LA-based companies and later joined Amsterdam-based Fortissimo Films and became a partner in 2000. More recently after the closure of Fortissimo Films in 2016, Werner became a producer and consultant based in Hong Kong. His most recent production was SUK SUK (2019), the award-winning and commercial success directed by HK director Ray Yeung. Currently he is a consultant to the Macau International Film Festival. He is currently developing several new indie film projects, as well as two episodic series with HK producer Danny Hui of Odeon 360 and Hollywood producer Gianni Nunnari of Hollywood Gang.
Steven Murphy
Managing Director, APAC - Motion Content Group
Steven is responsible for leading Motion’s local businesses across the region. His main focus is growing Motion’s APAC business by launching new markets as well as increasing revenue in existing markets. His ability to develop and use innovative investment models while also identifying strong content and new opportunities has proved an asset for the Group as well as our many partners.
Most recently, Steven was the Director of Programming, APAC for GroupM Entertainment and has over 25 years of international industry success. He has an extensive track record in production, sales, acquisitions, and programming as both a distributor and a broadcaster. Steven draws on his wealth of experience from his time as the Director of Programming at the Asian Food Channel as well as the Vice President of Sales for Oasis International.