New projects from Golden Horse Award winner Huang Ji, Indonesian actor-turned-director Reza Rahadian and US-Philippines actor and director Isabel Sandoval are among the 15 Works-in-Progress selected for this year’s Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF).
A Woman Builds is the latest feature from Huang Ji and her regular collaborator, Otsuka Ryuji, after winning best film at the Golden Horse Awards for Stonewalling. The new film follows a Chinese woman who builds a house in her hometown while living a pseudo-single life during the pandemic.
Rahadian’s directorial debut Pangku, starring Christine Hakim, explores a tradition in a rural part of Indonesia in which coffee shops provide women to sit in men’s laps whilst drinking their coffee.
Sandoval both stars in and directs Moonglow, a neo-noir about an ex-cop assigned with her ex-lover to investigate a break-in at the mansion of a corrupt police chief. Arjo Atayde also stars. Deadline had the scoop on the film going into production at last year’s Filmart.
Four projects that were previously selected for HAF are currently being premiered at European film festivals – The Fruit, from China’s Li Dongmei, played in Rotterdam’s Tiger Competition, while Berlin has selected three HAF alumni titles – Chinese director Huo Meng’s Living The Land (Berlin competition), Hong Kong filmmaker Jun Li’s Queerpanorama (Panorama) and Korean director Min Kyu-dong’s The Old Woman With The Knife (Berlinale Special).
HAF is taking place as part of the expanded HKIFF Industry Project Market from March 17-19 at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, alongside Filmart (March 17-20).
HAF Works-in-Progress (WIP) projects 2025:
* First feature projects
Ah Girl (Singapore)*
Director: Priscilla Ang Geck Geck
Producers: Charlyn Ng, Wendy Lie
Production Companies: Aggregate Films, In-Focus Asia (IFA Media)
Fuxi: Joy In Four Chapters (Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, France)
Director: Qiu Jiongjiong
Producers: David Tang, Ding Ningyuan, Zhao Jin
Production Company: Rise Pictures Co
Girlfriends (Macau, Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong)
Director: Tracy Choi
Producers: Estela Valdivieso Chen, Jacqueline Liu
Production Company: Serendipity Films
Good Drink Pub (China)*
Director: Emetjan Memet
Producers: Wang Hongwei, Zhang Puzhongtian
Production Company: Hangzhou Yidapai Culture Media Co
Her First Taste (China)*
Director: Gong Yiwen
Producer: Qian Yini
Production Company: Yiwen Films, Sparks Production
The Ink-Stained Hand And The Missing Thumb (India)*
Director: Yashasvi Juyal
Producers: Anupama Chopra, Yashasvi Juyal, Viraj Sikand
Production Companies: Film Companion Studios, Silvercord Films
Moonglow (Philippines, US, Taiwan, Japan)
Director: Isabel Sandoval
Producers: Alemberg Ang, Isabel Sandoval
Production Company: Daluyong Studios
Mother Bhumi (Malaysia, Italy, Hong Kong)
Director: Chong Keat Aun
Producers: Wong Kew Soon, Stefano Centini
Production Companies: Janji Pictures Production, Volos Films Italia
Name And Hair (China)*
Director: Li Jing
Producers: Liu Chang, Zhang Qianqian
Production Company: Beijing Magic Time Film Co
Pangku (On Your Lap) (Indonesia)*
Director: Reza Rahadian
Producers: Arya Ibrahim, Gita Fara
Production Company: Gambar Gerak
Say My Name (China, Hong Kong)*
Director: Liu Xing
Producers: Lyu Yue, Mo Jinjin, Duan Tingting
Production Company: Star Lab Production
Shape Of Momo (India)*
Director: Tribeny Rai
Producers: Kislay, Geeta Rai
Production Companies: Kathkala Films LLP, Dalley Khorsani Productions
White Flowers And Fruits (Japan)*
Director: Sakamoto Yukari
Producer: Yamamoto Teruhisa
Production Company: Chiaroscuro Co
Wild Nights, Tamed Beasts (China)*
Director: Wang Tong
Producer: Wang Xueyin
Production Companies: Emei Film Group, Shenzhen Yi Yi Yi Yi Culture Media Co
A Woman Builds (Japan, Taiwan, Singapore)
Directors: Huang Ji, Otsuka Ryuji
Producers: Otsuka Ryuji, Kuo Ming-Jung, Fran Borgia
Production Companies: YGP-Film, Island X Pictures, Akanga Film Asia
