The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (HKIFFS) will present four projects at the upcoming HKIFF Industry Project Market, selected in collaboration with Jakarta Film Week and JAFF Market from Indonesia, as well as the Japan Creator Support Fund.

All four projects are currently in the development and financing stage: A Life Full of Holes by Loeloe Hendra Komara, PingPong by Najam Yardo, Unknown Face by Kusano Natsuka, and the animation HIDARI by Kawamura Masashi and Ogawa Iku.

These projects will join the 42 previously announced in-development and work-in-progress projects for the 24th edition of the Hong Kong - Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF24) at the HKIFF Industry Project Market, which runs from 17 to 19 March at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, coinciding with the 30th Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (FILMART).

JAKARTA FILM WEEK & JAFF MARKET SECTION

Building on last year's successful Jakarta Film Week partnership, HKIFF Industry is expanding the partnership to include JAFF Market to further support Indonesia's vibrant film sector. The collaboration is backed by Indonesia's Ministry of Culture through its National Talent Management programme.

Vivian Idris, promoter of National Talent Management for Film, said: "The ongoing collaboration with HKIFF Industry plays a crucial role in creating a sustainable platform for the development and networking of Indonesian talents and projects within the Asian and international film circuits."

This year, two outstanding projects from Indonesia have been chosen for this section:

A Life Full of Holes by Loeloe Hendra Komara (Tale of the Land, Busan 2024) follows a 17-year- old girl who dreams of becoming a content creator while caring for her young siblings after her mother leaves to work overseas as a migrant worker.

PingPong, inspired by director Najam Yardo's personal experiences, follows a disgraced Olympian banned from table tennis. Forced underground to earn a living from the sport, she struggles to care for her senile father while navigating a strained relationship with her son.

FILM FRONTIER SECTION

HKIFF Industry's separate collaboration with the Japan Creator Support Fund will introduce a new Film Frontier section, highlighting the next generation of Japanese filmmakers actively seeking international co-production and collaboration opportunities.

"We are thrilled to launch Film Frontier in partnership with HKIFF Industry. We hope to connect our next-generation filmmakers with international partners who can help bring their unique visions to life," said Kaori Ikeda, Managing Director of UNIJAPAN.

For this inaugural edition, two projects will be showcased at the HKIFF Industry Project Market:

HIDARI by Kawamura Masashi and Ogawa Iku is a stop-motion animation inspired by the legend of Hidari Jingorō, set in a wood-punk vision of Edo-period Japan. A tale of vengeance, political conspiracy, and legacy sees the sculptor battling mechanical soldiers and confronting his past.

Unknown Face by Kusano Natsuka (Domains, Rotterdam 2018) explores the relationship of a bisexual woman and her partner who develop an intimacy with a stranger until a sudden shift in their dynamics forces them to wear strange, illegible faces resembling traditional Noh masks.

NEW AWARDS

All shortlisted projects will compete for a range of cash and in-kind prizes across 17 categories, including development and post-production gap financing, in-kind equipment, filming, and post- production services. The total value of the 24 award winners amounts to US$360,000.

Three sponsors will present awards at the HKIFF Industry for the first time:

Kantana Holdings will offer three in-kind awards for digital intermediate (DI) post-production (US$25,000), sound post-production (US$25,000), and virtual production (US$87,500). Phenom Films will support one project with in-kind post-production services valued at US$38,500.

In addition to post-production, sensitive skincare brand Cetaphil is collaborating this year to promote creative voices through the HAF Goes to Cannes programme, supporting selected filmmakers as they showcase their work on the international stage.

Awards Ceremony
Date: 19 March 2026 (Thu)
Time: 16:30 – 18:00 (Hong Kong Time)
Venue: Starlight Theatre, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre