Hong Kong International Film Festival Society’s (Hkiff) Hong Kong – Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf) has unveiled a slate of 25 in-development projects for its 23rd edition, with renowned auteur Kore-eda Hirokazu among the heavyweight filmmakers backing emerging talent.
Among the highlights is “Yellow,” directed by newcomer Yamaura Miyoh and produced by Kore-eda. The film follows a man living in self-punishment after a fatal car accident who finds redemption through his relationship with his deceased friend’s young son.
The selection showcases several established filmmakers nurturing new voices. Sylvie Pialat and Nai An are backing Hu Wei’s “49 Days,” about a divorced Chinese couple reuniting in Paris to arrange their son’s funeral. Aditya Vikram Sengupta is producing Niladri Mukherjee’s debut “Republic of Mahalaxmi Apartment,” which examines India’s majority rule issues through the story of a single mother who becomes her housing estate’s public enemy after flagging a malfunctioning elevator.
Among the highlights is “Yellow,” directed by newcomer Yamaura Miyoh and produced by Kore-eda. The film follows a man living in self-punishment after a fatal car accident who finds redemption through his relationship with his deceased friend’s young son.
The selection showcases several established filmmakers nurturing new voices. Sylvie Pialat and Nai An are backing Hu Wei’s “49 Days,” about a divorced Chinese couple reuniting in Paris to arrange their son’s funeral. Aditya Vikram Sengupta is producing Niladri Mukherjee’s debut “Republic of Mahalaxmi Apartment,” which examines India’s majority rule issues through the story of a single mother who becomes her housing estate’s public enemy after flagging a malfunctioning elevator.
- 1/20/2025
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Hong Kong’s Asia Film Financing Forum, the region’s leading movie project market, has unveiled the 25 titles selected for its upcoming 2025 edition. The program features films that are in development from some of Asia’s most accomplished directors and producers, including Kore-eda Hirokazu, Aditya Vikram Sengupta, Nai An, Stanley Kwan and Yeh Ju-Feng.
The three-day event, the anchor component of the expanded Hong Kong International Film Festival’s Industry Project Market, will take place March 17-19 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre alongside the 29th Hong Kong Filmart.
“Those shortlisted are remarkable for their cultural diversity. They showcase extraordinary storytelling in a broad range of genres, from action to sci-fi, fantasy, suspense, and horror,” noted Hkiff Industry director Jacob Wong, who added that the organization had received 276 in-development project submissions from 45 countries and regions, spanning Hong Kong, Thailand, Turkey, Japan, Kazakhstan and South Korea.
“There are nine...
The three-day event, the anchor component of the expanded Hong Kong International Film Festival’s Industry Project Market, will take place March 17-19 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre alongside the 29th Hong Kong Filmart.
“Those shortlisted are remarkable for their cultural diversity. They showcase extraordinary storytelling in a broad range of genres, from action to sci-fi, fantasy, suspense, and horror,” noted Hkiff Industry director Jacob Wong, who added that the organization had received 276 in-development project submissions from 45 countries and regions, spanning Hong Kong, Thailand, Turkey, Japan, Kazakhstan and South Korea.
“There are nine...
- 1/20/2025
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Hong Kong International Film Festival Society has announced the 25 in-development projects selected for this year’s Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf). The line-up includes several projects produced by high-profile filmmakers, including Japan’s Hirokazu Kore-eda, India’s Aditya Vikram Sengupta and French producer and writer Sylvie Pialat.
Kore-eda is producing Yellow, the feature debut of Yamaura Miyoh, about a man who lives a life of self-punishment after a fatal car accident. Sengupta is producing Niladri Mukherjee’s debut Republic Of Mahalaxmi Apartment, which examines India’s majority rule issues through a single-mother tenant who becomes her housing estate’s public enemy when she flags a malfunctioning elevator.
Pialat (Les Miserables) is teaming with Chinese producer Nai An on Hu Wei’s feature debut, 49 Days, about a divorced Chinese couple who reunite in Paris to arrange their son’s funeral and confront their past.
Kore-eda is producing Yellow, the feature debut of Yamaura Miyoh, about a man who lives a life of self-punishment after a fatal car accident. Sengupta is producing Niladri Mukherjee’s debut Republic Of Mahalaxmi Apartment, which examines India’s majority rule issues through a single-mother tenant who becomes her housing estate’s public enemy when she flags a malfunctioning elevator.
Pialat (Les Miserables) is teaming with Chinese producer Nai An on Hu Wei’s feature debut, 49 Days, about a divorced Chinese couple who reunite in Paris to arrange their son’s funeral and confront their past.
- 1/20/2025
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
Filipino filmmaker Jun Robles Lana is making his second appearance at Toronto International Film Festival with Your Mother’s Son, which is receiving its world premiere in the Centrepiece section.
Co-scripted by Lana and Elmer Gatchalian, the film tells the story of a hard-working mother and her delinquent son whose relationship is challenged when she invites one of her students to move into their home, so he can escape his violent father. Initially, it seems the son is suffering from a severe case of Oedipus complex, but as the film progresses, a more shocking tale of abuse of power and sexual dynamics begins to unfold.
Sue Prado (Barber’s Tales) plays the mother, with Kokoy de Santos (Gameboys) playing the son, and Elora Españo and Miggy Jimenez rounding out the cast. Lana, Perci Intalan and Ferdinand Lapuz produced the film through The IdeaFirst Company, Octobertrain Films, Quantum Films and Cineko Productions.
Co-scripted by Lana and Elmer Gatchalian, the film tells the story of a hard-working mother and her delinquent son whose relationship is challenged when she invites one of her students to move into their home, so he can escape his violent father. Initially, it seems the son is suffering from a severe case of Oedipus complex, but as the film progresses, a more shocking tale of abuse of power and sexual dynamics begins to unfold.
Sue Prado (Barber’s Tales) plays the mother, with Kokoy de Santos (Gameboys) playing the son, and Elora Españo and Miggy Jimenez rounding out the cast. Lana, Perci Intalan and Ferdinand Lapuz produced the film through The IdeaFirst Company, Octobertrain Films, Quantum Films and Cineko Productions.
- 9/9/2023
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
Terence Chang, Philippe Bober and Naomi Kawase are among the producers of the 30 projects selected for this year’s Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf, March 23-25).
Bober, one of the Europe’s most respected producers and distributors, is teaming up with award-winning Chinese director Lou Ye to produce Riddle from Zhou Hao, whose debut The Night screened at Berlinale 2014.
Chang, the longtime producing partner of John Woo, is co-producing coming-of-age drama That Summer, to be directed by new mainland Chinese talent Zhou Quan. Meanwhile, Kawase is serving as producer on a project to be directed by Cuba’s Carlos Machado Quintela, which is being made in collaboration with the Nara International Film Festival.
The Haf line-up also includes five projects from Hong Kong filmmakers of different generations. Following Doomsday Party, Ho Hong is returning to Haf with suspense drama Lost In Border, while Gilitte Leung is attending for the first time with inspirational sports drama Breathing...
Bober, one of the Europe’s most respected producers and distributors, is teaming up with award-winning Chinese director Lou Ye to produce Riddle from Zhou Hao, whose debut The Night screened at Berlinale 2014.
Chang, the longtime producing partner of John Woo, is co-producing coming-of-age drama That Summer, to be directed by new mainland Chinese talent Zhou Quan. Meanwhile, Kawase is serving as producer on a project to be directed by Cuba’s Carlos Machado Quintela, which is being made in collaboration with the Nara International Film Festival.
The Haf line-up also includes five projects from Hong Kong filmmakers of different generations. Following Doomsday Party, Ho Hong is returning to Haf with suspense drama Lost In Border, while Gilitte Leung is attending for the first time with inspirational sports drama Breathing...
- 2/4/2015
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
The Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf) has unveiled this year’s line-up of 29 projects, including two from the Philippines’ Brillante Mendoza.
The line-up includes four projects under the third annual Haf/Fox Chinese Film Development Award, which aims to support scripts from up-and-coming Chinese filmmakers (see full line-up below).
Mendoza is bringing feature film project The Embroiderer, about undying love, along with documentary Gay Messiah, which questions religion and belief. The Philippines’ Jun Robles Lana also returns to Haf this year with his project Our Father, after winning the 2013 Haf award for Barber’s Tales.
Hong Kong filmmakers are also strongly represented in the line-up, with five projects, including comedian Lam Tze-chung’s Game and actress-turned-director Carrie Ng’s Angel Whispers.
Hong Kong projects also include Jason Kwan’s A Nail Clipper Romance, produced by acclaimed director Pang Ho-cheung; Philip Yung’s The Sea, produced by Jia Zhang-ke’s regular producer Chow Keung; and Simon Chung...
The line-up includes four projects under the third annual Haf/Fox Chinese Film Development Award, which aims to support scripts from up-and-coming Chinese filmmakers (see full line-up below).
Mendoza is bringing feature film project The Embroiderer, about undying love, along with documentary Gay Messiah, which questions religion and belief. The Philippines’ Jun Robles Lana also returns to Haf this year with his project Our Father, after winning the 2013 Haf award for Barber’s Tales.
Hong Kong filmmakers are also strongly represented in the line-up, with five projects, including comedian Lam Tze-chung’s Game and actress-turned-director Carrie Ng’s Angel Whispers.
Hong Kong projects also include Jason Kwan’s A Nail Clipper Romance, produced by acclaimed director Pang Ho-cheung; Philip Yung’s The Sea, produced by Jia Zhang-ke’s regular producer Chow Keung; and Simon Chung...
- 1/27/2014
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Serbis
Film Review: Serbis, Cannes, In Competition
Taking place mostly in a porno theater ironically, yet fittingly, named Family, "Serbis" is part homage to cinema, part intimate domestic drama that vividly details the tangled relations and all-too human frailties of an extended family running a theater in the provincial Philippines.
Director Brillante Mendoza continues the neo-realist vein of "Foster Child" and "Sling Shot" in "Serbis", but displays marked improvement -- both the grunge aesthetic and film language now bear his personal handwriting. To this, he adds some bristling sexuality, both gay and straight.
"Serbis" contains elements of soap opera from popular Philippine cinema and TV, but without any of the froth and lather. Unspooling at an almost real-time pace, with a narrative that is all foreplay and no conventional climax, the film won't win any commercial converts to the Philippine new wave. Festival and art-house bookings are optimistic though.
The film adopts a worldly and tolerant attitude in dramatizing the double standards in operation every day at a porn theater that has involved into a hotbed for rentboys to service gay clients (hence the title, which means "service"). Gena Pareno ("Kubrador") is a towering presence, who puts fire and tears into her multiple roles -- as a wife clenching the bitterness of abandonment, an aggrieved mother feeling betrayed by her children's divided loyalty to their father and the pillar that holds together the tottering family business.
But the theater itself may be the film's real star. Flooded toilets, running sores and steamy sex behind the projector that outperforms what's happening on screen create a dank, dripping texture and festering mood that echo most of Tsai's oeuvre.
The camera explores each nook and cranny of the dilapidated movie-house like an usher who knows his way round blindfolded, and the building, with its richly visual interior structures desperately in need of an overhaul, comes to symbolize poetically the predicament of its inhabitants and their moral ambiguity.
Cast: Gina Pareno, Jaclyn Jose, Coco Martin, Roxanne Jordan. Director: Brillante Mendoza. Screenwriter: Armando Lao. Producer: Ferdinand Lapuz. Director of photography: Odyssey Flores. Production designer: Benjamin Padero, Carlo Tabije. Music: Gian Gianan. Editor: Claire Villa-Real.
Center Stage Prods./Swift Prods.
Sales: Fortissimo Films.
No rating, 90 minutes.
Taking place mostly in a porno theater ironically, yet fittingly, named Family, "Serbis" is part homage to cinema, part intimate domestic drama that vividly details the tangled relations and all-too human frailties of an extended family running a theater in the provincial Philippines.
Director Brillante Mendoza continues the neo-realist vein of "Foster Child" and "Sling Shot" in "Serbis", but displays marked improvement -- both the grunge aesthetic and film language now bear his personal handwriting. To this, he adds some bristling sexuality, both gay and straight.
"Serbis" contains elements of soap opera from popular Philippine cinema and TV, but without any of the froth and lather. Unspooling at an almost real-time pace, with a narrative that is all foreplay and no conventional climax, the film won't win any commercial converts to the Philippine new wave. Festival and art-house bookings are optimistic though.
The film adopts a worldly and tolerant attitude in dramatizing the double standards in operation every day at a porn theater that has involved into a hotbed for rentboys to service gay clients (hence the title, which means "service"). Gena Pareno ("Kubrador") is a towering presence, who puts fire and tears into her multiple roles -- as a wife clenching the bitterness of abandonment, an aggrieved mother feeling betrayed by her children's divided loyalty to their father and the pillar that holds together the tottering family business.
But the theater itself may be the film's real star. Flooded toilets, running sores and steamy sex behind the projector that outperforms what's happening on screen create a dank, dripping texture and festering mood that echo most of Tsai's oeuvre.
The camera explores each nook and cranny of the dilapidated movie-house like an usher who knows his way round blindfolded, and the building, with its richly visual interior structures desperately in need of an overhaul, comes to symbolize poetically the predicament of its inhabitants and their moral ambiguity.
Cast: Gina Pareno, Jaclyn Jose, Coco Martin, Roxanne Jordan. Director: Brillante Mendoza. Screenwriter: Armando Lao. Producer: Ferdinand Lapuz. Director of photography: Odyssey Flores. Production designer: Benjamin Padero, Carlo Tabije. Music: Gian Gianan. Editor: Claire Villa-Real.
Center Stage Prods./Swift Prods.
Sales: Fortissimo Films.
No rating, 90 minutes.
- 5/18/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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