Writer/Director Philiane Phang Wins Inaugural “Phosphate Prize at IFP” For Strong Female Characters – Jennifer Merin reports
IFP announced today that the recipient of the inaugural Phosphate Prize at IFP is writer/director Philiane Phang. The Phosphate Prize at IFP, which includes a $25,000 grant funded by Phosphate Productions, was created to recognize narrative feature film screenplays that “provide a strong and complex lead female character.” The unrestricted cash grant also encourages the recipient to continue on her or his career path of writing and making quality independent films.
Philiane Phang was selected from a diverse pool of over 260 applicants and intends to use the grant to produce her first narrative feature, The Space Between. The Space Between features a lead character who stretches and seethes within her own skin as a professional body builder, transforming daily in a struggle to define herself as a human being, a woman, and a daughter.
Philiane Phang
“We’re thrilled to present this grant to Philiane Phang as we’re excited by her promising debut, Serena Strong,” said Joana Vicente, Executive Director of IFP and the Made in NY Media Center by IFP. “Her work truly represents the focus of IFP, and The Space Between is a project which truly embodies the creative female spirit the Phosphate Prize was developed to encourage.”
“It is such a pleasure to see so much passion and love infused in what IFP does”, said Pamela Tan, President of Phosphate Productions. “It takes a village to create a film. IFP is that village. To every writer who has put themselves out there and applied for our grant, my heart and best wishes go out to all of you.”
Philiane Phang
Philiane Phang is a “recovering lawyer” who was born in Jamaica, where she spent Saturdays watching John Wayne movies. Inspired by her love of movies, she wrote her first novel and performed in local productions. Soon thereafter, her family migrated to the United States. Phang went on to study business at the University of Florida and law at Rutgers University. Switching direction with her life, she moved to New York and immediately landed a role in an off-Broadway play. She became dissatisfied with the characters she was being offered and began to write again.
She wrote and produced her directorial debut, Serena Strong, which was selected to screen at the 2014 BET/HBO Urbanworld Film Festival. Her screenplay, The Space Between, was selected to participate in the 2014 Sundance Screenwriters Intensive and Film Independent Screenwriters & Directors Lab, as well as the 2015 IFP No Borders International Co-Production Market. Phang was awarded the first inaugural Ammon Foundation Fellowship for a Female Filmmaker at the 2015 Spirit Awards.
About IFP
The Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP) champions the future of storytelling by connecting artists with essential resources at all stages of development and distribution. The organization fosters a vibrant and sustainable independent storytelling community through its year-round programs, which include Independent Film Week, Filmmaker Magazine, the Gotham Independent Film Awards and the Made in NY Media Center by IFP, a new incubator space developed with the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment. IFP represents a growing network of 10,000 storytellers around the world, and plays a key role in developing 350 new feature and documentary works each year. More info at www.ifp.org.
About Phosphate Productions
Phosphate Productions is an emerging film production company based in New York City. Phosphate is seeking to acquire scripts to produce and fund as independent features. Pamela Tan, the principal of the company, is a graduate of Philosophy from NYU. She has a very deep appreciation for the craft of acting and has studied extensively. Phosphate values well-written material, uncensored and uncompromising in its truth and rawness, with a focus on strong female leads.
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