This time, the Asia Film Financing Forum adds 15 work-in-progress projects too

The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society has announced the complete 21st Hong Kong – Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF21) line-up with a shortlist of 15 work-in-progress projects. These projects are in addition to the 28 in-development projects previously announced.

HAF21 will take place from 13 to 15 March 2023 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in conjunction with the 27th Hong Kong Film & TV Market (FILMART). The best part is that this year, the forum will be held in an in-person format for the first time since 2019.

The 15 shortlisted work-in-progress projects in HAF21 include three projects from Hong Kong and eight feature debuts. Many of these projects feature emerging and established actors from across Asia. The list of talents include Fish Liew, Austin Lin and more as well as renowned filmmakers such as Stanley Kwan, Mai Meksawan, and Ram Krishna Pokharel.

A Journey In Spring

HAF also introduced the work-in-progress section in 2017 to assist later-stage projects seeking completion funding, post-production partners, distributors and sales agents, and film festival support. This section complements its main programme and was designed specifically for projects in the pre-production or development stages.

If any of you are curious, among the feature debut projects include “A Journey in Spring,” which follows an old man who puts his wife in a freezer when she passes away suddenly, only to start a journey of facing his life regrets. There’s also “Fly Me to the Moon” which tracks the struggles of two sisters who moved from Hunan to Hong Kong in the 90s, with a cast led by Wu Kang-Ren, Angela Yuen, and Chu Pak-him.

HAF21 will also see two non-Chinese language projects, the first of which is, “Guras” by Saurav Rai and produced by Ram Krishna Pokharel which follows the mystical journey of a nine-year-old Nepali girl in search of her lost dog.

The second non-Chinese language project is “Who Were We?” by Tomina Tetsuya which explores the inexplicable love between a man and a woman with no memory of the past. The film stars Matsuda Ryuhei (Before We Vanish) and Komatsu Nana (Moonlight Shadow).

Guras

All shortlisted work-in-progress projects at HA21 will feature in an open pitch session on 13 March 2023 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre where representatives of each project will introduce their projects and showcase footage of their films.

More information can be found on the Official HKIFF Website.