Hong Kong International Film Festival Society has selected 25 In-Development projects for this year’s Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF).
HAF is an anchor event of HKIFF Industry Project Market (March 17-19), which is taking place at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre alongside Filmart (March 17-20).
“There are nine projects from female directors this year, as well as several collaborations involving filmmakers from Asia, Europe, and North America, underscoring Hong Kong’s position at the crossroads of the global film industry,” said HKIFF Industry Director Jacob Wong. “At least 13 of the projects have already secured partial funding, with budget ranging from US$200,000 to US$5M.”
HKIFF Industry Project Market will also annonce separate line-ups of HAF works-in-progress projects and a new animation section. Meanwhile, the second edition of the biannual HKIFF Industry – CAA China Genre Initiative (HCG), dedicated to Chinese-language genre films, will take place in 2026. CAA China will offer a new script development award during this year’s market.
HAF IN DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS 2025:
* First narrative feature projects
2181 Overture (China, Canada)
Director: Wang Kunlin
Producer: Zhao Zheyuan
Production Company: Yeahcheer Pictures
49 Days (France, China)*
Director: Hu Wei
Producers: Sylvie Pialat, Nai An
Production Company: Les films du Worso
Aanaikatti Blues (India)
Director: Arun Karthick
Producer: Madhu Mohan
Production Company: Manvasanai Cinema
The Age Of Goodbyes (Taiwan, Malaysia)
Director: Edmund Yeo
Producers: David Tang, Edmund Yeo, Dennis Lai, Zhao Jin
Production Companies: Renaissance Films, Happy Together Pictures
Besik. Homecoming (Tajikistan, Kazakhstan)
Director: Iskandar Usmonov
Producers: Diana Ashimova, Yerlan Ibragim, Iskandar Usmonov
Production Company: A Team
The Bird Chaser (China)
Director: Zeng Zhi
Producers: Li Tianyu, Joey Zhu Yinying
Production Company: Beijing Pinwu Cultural Communication Co
The Circumciser (Philippines)
Director: Jun Robles Lana
Producers: Perci Intalan, Ferdy Lapuz
Production Company: The IdeaFirst Company
Dead Tide (Malaysia)
Director: Kethsvin Chee
Producers: Lee Sinje, Jin Ong
Production Company: Fast Forward Films
Drive South Pray West (Thailand)
Directors: Panu Aree, Kong Rithdee
Producer: Panu Aree
Production Company: Drive South Pray West Pictures
Giant Salamander (China)
Director: Yang Heng
Producer: Yang Heng
Production Company: Xiangxi Meixi Space Culture Media Co
Gone With The Wind (China)*
Director: Zhao Yanming
Producer: Aubrey Zheng Liyan
Production Company: Beijing Daxiwang Culture Media
Indigo Boy (Taiwan)*
Director: Bill Chia
Producers: Yeh Ju-Feng, Ivy Y.H. Chiang
Production Company: Fragrant Creative Integration Co
Innocent Flesh (China)
Director: Lin Yihan
Producers: Li Yuwen, Hattie Yu
Production Company: Vast Vista Films
Lanka (India)
Director: Saurav Rai
Producers: Saurav Rai, Ankita Purkayastha
Production Company: Neonate Audio
Mabui (Japan)
Director: Fukunaga Takeshi
Producers: Yamaguchi Shin, Eric Nyari
Production Companies: Knockonwood Inc, Cineric Creative
Open Fire (Hong Kong)
Directors: Sze Pak-lam, Lau Wing-tai
Producer: Ivan Wong
Production Company: Scene One Picture
Pivot (Turkey)
Director: Melisa Önel
Producer: Alara Hamamcioğlu Bayraktar
Production Company: Vigo Film
Republic Of Mahalaxmi Apartment (India)*
Director: Niladri Mukherjee
Producers: Aditya Vikram Sengupta, Priyankar Patra
Production Company: For Films
See You There (China, Hong Kong)*
Director: Wong Yi-kwan
Producers: Wang Hongwei, Song Dafa
Production Company: Beijing Density Blue Film and Television Company
Seoulers (Korea, US)
Directors: Hee Young Pyun, Jiajun Oscar Zhang
Producers: Heejung Oh, Huang Yue, Christine Shen
Production Company: Seesaw Pictures
Somatization (China)*
Director: Sun Xiao
Producers: Wang Hongwei, Song Dafa, Lyu Hang
Production Company: Beijing Granary Film Culture Co
Something In The Way (Hong Kong)*
Director: Fan Ka-chun
Producer: Lam Suk-yin
Production Company: Loudprovision
A Stranger At My Door (Hong Kong, China)
Director: Zheng Lu Xinyuan
Producer: Stanley Kwan Kam-pang
Production Company: N/A
Waves Under The Sea (Macau, Hong Kong, China)*
Director: Chan Sileong
Producers: Chan Hing-kai, Robin Yung
Production Company: N/A
Yellow (Japan)*
Director: Yamaura Miyoh
Producers: Kore-eda Hirokazu, Ohinata Jun
Production Company: Bunbuku