The Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) just dropped its 2025 work-in-progress slate, and it's not just another industry announcement—it's a seismic shift in Asian filmmaking. With budgets hitting $2.2 million per project and seven directorial debuts, this lineup proves emerging talent is no longer playing small.
Star power meets raw ambition: Nick Cheung Ka-fai and Chung Suet-ying lead the Hong Kong comedy-drama "Good Trip," produced by Mabel Cheung Yuen-ting of Berlinale-winning fame. Meanwhile, Indonesian icons Reza Rahadian and Dian Sastrowardoyo ignite "The Sea Speaks His Name," a political thriller digging into 1990s disappearances—scripted by a Busan 2025 winner.
But the real story? The newcomers. Arvin Belarmino, whose short "Agapito" rocked Cannes in 2025, now directs "Ria," a punk rebellion tale spanning four countries. Chin Chia-Hua, fresh off a Golden Horse win, brings supernatural chills with "A Ghost in the Market." And former editor Shu Hui leaps into sci-fi with "A Thousand Stars in the Galactic Night," backed by her Cannes Critics' Week cred.
These aren't just films—they're cross-border statements. From a mother battling Saudi Arabia's death row in "My Mother" to a Kolkata widow haunted by love in "Like a Feather in the Wind," each project tackles gritty, real-world stakes. Even the horror genre gets a twist with Ken Yang's "A Vampire, Probably," where a teen murderer learns body reconstruction at a funeral home.
Pitching kicks off March 17 at Hong Kong's Convention Centre, where distributors and investors will get a 10-minute sneak peek. With FilMart running alongside, expect deals to drop fast. This isn't just a lineup—it's a blueprint for the next decade of Asian cinema.
