News

Petersen Vargas’ latest feature “Some Nights I Feel Like Walking” has released a trailer ahead of its world premiere at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival this November.

The film follows a group of young street hustlers navigating Manila’s nocturnal underbelly as they embark on a journey to fulfill their friend’s dying wish. Vargas, known for his commercially successful Filipino features, shifts gears with this indie project that explores queer desires and found families.

Vargas’ previous credits include “2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten” (2016), “An Inconvenient Love” (2022), “A Very Good Girl” (2023), and “Un/Happy for You” (2024).

“Some Nights I Feel Like Walking” stars Jomari Angeles (“Ma’Rosa”), Tommy Alejandrino (“GomBurZa”), Gold Aceron (“Metamorphosis”), alongside newcomers Miguel Odron and Argel Saycon. The narrative traces the bonds formed between these characters against the backdrop of Manila’s nighttime streets and the open roads of the Philippines.

Vargas said: “What I want is to offer...

Kang Bo’s Kingdom Of The Insomniacs has picked up the top Busan Award at the Asian Project Market (Apm) in South Korea.

The 27th edition of the Apm wrapped on Tuesday evening (October 8) after four days, taking place at the Asian Contents & Film Market (Acfm) during the Busan International Film Festival (Biff). A total of 30 feature film projects from across Asia met with potential finance, co-production partners and international distributors.

Scoll down for full list of winners

Chinese fantasy drama Kingdom Of The Insomniacs marks Kang Bo’s second narrative feature and follows mushroom farmers plagued with insomnia and an aging disease.

After three days of one-on-one meetings within the Asian Project Market, winners were announced at a ceremony in Busan, South Korea, on Tuesday evening.

The project market is held as part of the Asian Contents & Film Market, which is closely aligned with the Busan International Film Festival. Some 30 film projects were pitched by their directors and producers, seeking finance, co-production partners and international distribution. Market organizers reported that they facilitated 706 meetings.

“Kingdom of the Insomniacs” was the winner of the prestigious Busan Award. “Hum” from The Philippines was the only project to win multiple prizes.

Singapore-based producer Tan Si En, who previously produced Venice award winner “Don’t Cry Butterfly,” Sundance award winner “Pop Aye” and Anthony Chen’s “Wet Season,” notably picked up prizes for both her Apm entries, “Levitating” and “Crocodile Rock.”

“Kingdom of the Insomniacs” is a drama thriller set in an old forest farm, “where mushroom farmers...

Indonesia’s KawanKawan Media has boarded Singaporean filmmaker Nelson Yeo’s sophomore feature “The Drought,” it was announced at the Cannes Film Festival.

Yeo’s debut feature “Dreaming & Dying” debuted at last year’s Locarno Film Festival where it won the Golden Leopard – Filmmakers of the Present and Best First Feature awards.

A dystopian horror-dark comedy set in a time of an uninhabitable drought, “The Drought” follows Kai as he struggles with his retracting genitals and his wife, Ling, who demeans him for this impotency. Their widowed neighbor, Daming, grieves over the death of the last of his three sons, while his mother devises a secret plan for another grandson.

The project participated at the Philippines QCinema project market last year, where it won a prize.

Lead producers are Singapore’s Momo Film Co.’s Tan Si En and Sophia Sim who produced “Dreaming & Dying,” and Yeo’s award-winning shorts “Dreaming,...

Oscar Contender

Oscar-winning producer Guneet Monga Kapoor (“The Elephant Whisperers”) and Michelin-starred chef and filmmaker Vikas Khanna (“The Last Color”) have boarded Oscar-qualified animated short “American Sikh” as executive producers.

The film tells the true story of an American-born, turban-wearing Sikh illustrator, writer, performance artist, diversity speaker and creator of Sikhtoons.com, Vishavjit Singh, who after a lifetime of facing prejudice, self-doubt and violence, finally finds acceptance in a superhero costume. Singh is publicly known for his Captain America persona — a turbaned and bearded Sikh — fighting against bigotry, intolerance and perceptions of what an American should look like post 9/11.

“American Sikh” was created in partnership with Singh as the director-producer and director Ryan Westra. It was animated by Studio Showoff, a Melbourne-based production house founded by Ivan Dixon and Sean Zwan that has produced work for Childish Gambino, HBO and Cartoon Network.

The film has won best short animation at Sidewalk Film Festival in Birmingham,...

The creative team from Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will soon be swinging into Colorado to accept an inaugural award at the Denver Film Festival.

The fest today announced a more complete lineup of events, screenings, honorees, special guests, podcasts and more for this year’s installment, scheduled for Nov. 3-12. Plucked to receive the inaugural Denver Film Festival 5280 Award will be the Spider-Verse team. The prize is designed to honor “exceptional cinematic work and collaboration to achieve new heights,” per officials. It will be presented to writers and producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, executive producer Bob Persichetti, producer Christina Steinberg and senior animation supervisor Humberto Rosa following a screening of the film on Nov. 7 at the AMC 9 + Co 10.

Anthony Chen, whose credits include Ilo Ilo, Wet Season and Ah ma, has been tapped to receive the Denver Film Festival Excellence in Directing Award following the screening of one of his new films,...

Singapore has picked Ilker Anthony Chen’s coming-of-age Chinese drama The Breaking Ice as its submission to the 2024 Oscars in the best international feature category. The film made its world premiere in May in Cannes Film Festival’s Un Certain Regard section, with The Hollywood Reporter‘s critics later selecting it as one of the 20 best films screened at the prestigious French festival this year.

Made with a mostly Chinese cast and crew, The Breaking Ice tells the story of an unlikely, fleeting friendship formed between three restless young people in China’s far northeastern border city of Yanji. It is headlined by a star-studded ensemble of young Chinese talent, including Zhou Dongyu (Oscar-nominated Better Days), Liu Haoran (Detective Chinatown franchise) and Qu Chuxiao (The Wandering Earth). Described as a Generation Z drama, the film’s story follows the blossoming friendship of its three main characters as they discover warmth...

Rule Of Law

Director Clara Law (“The Goddess of 1967”) has been set as president of the jury which will discern this year’s Asia Pacific Screen Awards. She will be joined by Malaysia’s Yeo Yann Yann, German producer Anna Katchko, and Faisal Baltyuor, producer and CEO of Muvi Studios in Saudi Arabia.

A separate jury for documentaries and animation will be headed by Taiwan-based Myanmar director Midi Z, India’s Rima Das and Japanese documentary maker Toda Hikaru.

The APSAs will be presented at a ceremony in Gold Coast, Queensland on Nov. 4 and be preceded by three days of seminars and screenings. The awards and forum are presented by the Asia Pacific Screen Academy, the City of Gold Coast, Screen Queensland, the Motion Picture Association and Griffith Film School, Griffith University. Nominations will be announced on Oct. 4.

Law, who has previously been based in Hong Kong and Macau,...

Strand Releasing has snatched up North American distribution rights to Singaporean filmmaker Anthony Chen’s recent Cannes favorite The Breaking Ice. The film made its world premiere in May in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section, with The Hollywood Reporter‘s critics later selecting it as one of the 20 best films screened at the festival this year.

The Breaking Ice tells the story of an unlikely, fleeting friendship formed between three restless young people in China’s far northeastern border city of Yanji. It is headlined by a star-studded ensemble of young Chinese talent, including Zhou Dongyu (Oscar-nominated Better Days), Liu Haoran (the Detective Chinatown franchise) and Qu Chuxiao (The Wandering Earth).

Chen previously won Cannes’ Caméra d’Or award with his debut feature Ilo Ilo (2013), which was later submitted by Singapore as its entry to the Oscars’ best international film race. His second feature Wet Season premiered in Toronto and his English-language debut,...

Marks the feature directorial debut of Singapore’s Nelson Yeo.

Italian sales agent Lights On has picked up world rights for Singapore director Nelson Yeo’s feature debut Dreaming And Dying and US filmmaker Lucy Kerr’s Family Portrait, which will receive their world premieres in competition at Locarno Film Festival (August 2-12).

Both are set to play in Locarno’s competitive Cinema of the Present section, which spotlights new talent.

Fantasy drama Dreaming And Dying revolves around three middle-aged friends who reunite after years apart. But their vacation takes a surprising turn when the undercurrent of their past lives...

Marks the feature directorial debut of Singapore’s Nelson Yeo.

Italian sales agent Lights On has picked up world rights for Singapore director Nelson Yeo’s feature debut Dreaming And Dying, which is set to receive its world premiere in competition at Locarno Film Festival (August 2-12).

The fantasy drama will screen in Locarno’s competitive Cinema of the Present section and revolves around three middle-aged friends who reunite after years apart. But their vacation takes a surprising turn when the undercurrent of their past lives threatens to resurface and each of them sets out to confess unexpressed feelings.

The...

Italy-based sales agent Lights On has acquired world rights for Dreaming & Dying, directed by Singaporean filmmaker Nelson Yeo, ahead of its world premiere in Locarno Film Festival’s Concorso Cineasti del presente.

Co-produced by Singapore’s Momo Film Co and Indonesia’s Kawankawan Media, the film is a drama fantasy about three middle-aged friends reuniting for the first time in many years. Each of them sets out to confess unexpressed feelings but their vacation takes a surprising turn when the undercurrent of their past lives threatens to resurface.

The film marks the feature directorial debut of Yeo and is produced by Tan Si En and Sophia Sim who previously worked with the filmmaker on award-winning shorts Dreaming, Plastic Sonata and Mary, Mary So Contrary.

Tan previously produced Anthony Chen’s Wet Season, which played at the Toronto International Film Festival, and co-produced Arnold Is A Model Student, which premiered in Locarno last year.

Over the course of his first three features — “Ilo Ilo,” “Wet Season” and this year’s “Drift” — Singaporean director Anthony Chen has developed a signature style. It is a graceful, lucid classicism, a mode that in its straightforward sincerity is not fashionable in our abrasive moment, but can yield significant satisfactions. That is certainly true of his second film of 2023, “The Breaking Ice,” which describes, in a trio of perfectly judged performances, the burgeoning, momentous and yet fleeting connection between three differently lonely people — a love triangle with rounded, snowdrift corners.

Yu Jing-Pin’s lovely photography contrasts wintry wides and warm close-ups, as writer-director Chen carves out three characters against the frozen landscapes of Yanji, a small Chinese town in shouting distance of the North Korean border. This is the current home of Nana an unfulfilled bus-tour guide who switches on her ready smile for her passengers — and switches it...

Cynthia Erivo stars, alongside Alia Shawkat, Honor Swinton Byrne.

MetFilm Distribution has acquired UK-Ireland distribution rights to Drift, the English-language feature debut of filmmaker Anthony Chen, which stars in and is produced by Cynthia Erivo.

Adapted from Alexander Maksik’s novel A Marker To Measure Drift by Susanne Farrell and Maksik, Drift is a character study of a refugee – played by Erivo – who is struggling to eke out a living on a Greek island, while traumatised by memories of her war-torn country.

Alia Shawkat and Honor Swinton Byrne star alongside Erivo. Memento Films International handles worldwide sales on the title.

Cynthia Erivo stars, alongside Alia Shawkat, Honor Swinton Byrne.

MetFilm Distribution has acquired UK-Ireland distribution rights to Drift, the English-language feature debut of filmmaker Anthony Chen.

Adapted from Alexander Maksik’s novel A Marker To Measure Drift by Susanne Farrell and Maksik, Drift is a character study of a refugee – played by Cynthia Erivo – who is struggling to eke out a living on a Greek island, while traumatised by memories of her war-torn country.

Alia Shawkat and Honor Swinton Byrne star alongside Erivo. Memento Films International handles worldwide sales on the title.

Drift debuted in the Premieres strand of Sundance Film Festival in January.

Anthony Chen’s well-regarded Mainland China-set “The Breaking Ice” has found favor with multiple European and Asian buyers in the few days since its Sunday premiere as part of the Cannes Film Festival’s Un Certain Regard.

The film narrates a love triangle story among China’s lost youth generation and is set in the middle of winter in Yanji, a town that is heavily populated by ethnic Koreans. It is headlined by a star-studded Chinese cast of Zhou Dongyu (“Better Days”), Liu Haoran (“Detective Chinatown” franchise) and Qu Chuxiao (“The Wandering Earth”).

“The Breaking Ice” has been newly licensed to Challan for release in South Korea, Trigon-Film for Switzerland, One From the Heart for Greece, Tucker Film for Italy and Edko Films for Hong Kong.

Rights sales are handled by Rediance, Mainland China’s leading indie sales company, which reports that addition territory deals are currently being negotiated.

If your child read the incredibly popular graphic novel “American Born Chinese” in school, they’ve likely been anticipating this release for quite some time. The live-action adaptation of “American Born Chinese” debuts on Disney+ on Wednesday, May 24. It follows Jin Wang, the son of Chinese immigrants whose life changes forever when he meets Wei-Chen, an exchange student with an incredible secret. You can watch American Born Chinese: Season 1 with a subscription to Disney+.

How to Watch ‘American Born Chinese’ Series Premiere When: Wednesday, May 24, 2023 Where: Disney+ Stream: Watch with a subscription to Disney+. Sign Up Now$7.99+ / month disneyplus.com

Get Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ for just $12.99 a month ($13 savings).

About ‘American Born Chinese’ Series Premiere

Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Gene Luen Yang, “American Born Chinese” chronicles the trials and tribulations of a regular American teenager whose life is forever changed when he...

First project to benefit is upcoming documentary ‘Tens Across The Borders’.

Singapore production outfit Momo Film has partnered with new investment firm Minri Media to boost Asian and Lgbtqi+ representation on screen, beginning with Cannes Doc feature Tens Across The Borders.

Minri has stepped in as a key financier of the project, which marks the feature directorial debut of artist Chan Sze-Wei and follows four queer pioneers who are growing flourishing communities in Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore. It is one of several titles selected for the Marche’s section dedicated to documentary.

The newly founded investment firm will...

In June of 2021, Singaporean filmmaker Anthony Chen, acclaimed for his intimate, realist dramas Ilo Ilo (2013) and Wet Season (2019), was invited to serve on the jury of the Shanghai International Film Festival. As part of his participation in the event, he was asked to give a round of interviews to local Chinese journalists and critics. During one of these sessions, a Chinese writer began by praising the director’s family dramas by describing them as uncommonly “mature and precise” for a filmmaker of his age — Chen is 39 today, but was just 29 when he became the first Singaporean to win Cannes’ Camera d’Or prize with Ilo Ilo in 2013 — but he also challenged Chen by asking, “What do you think your films would be like if you let go of control and worked with a freer spirit?”

As the filmmaker wrapped up his time in Shanghai and flew back to London, where...

Ten years after winning the Camera d’Or in Cannes for “Ilo Ilo,” director Anthony Chen is back with “The Breaking Ice.”

The film, which premieres in Un Certain Regard on May 21, is set in Yanji, a border city in north China, and follows a budding relationship between three 20-somethings as they spend a few days together. Nour Films has acquired the pic for France, while Rediance are handling worldwide sales.

Chen became the first Singaporean to win an award at Cannes with his short film “Ah Ma” in 2007. In 2013, he won the Camera d’Or for his debut feature “Ilo Ilo.” His sophomore film “Wet Season” was nominated for the Platform Prize at Toronto. Chen made his English-language debut with “Drift,” starring Cynthia Erivo, which premiered at Sundance in January.

“The Breaking Ice” marks Chen’s first film shot in mainland China. Watch a clip from the movie below:...

Disney+ Hotstar revealed the official trailer for the upcoming Original series “American Born Chinese.” The genre-hopping action-comedy series premieres with all eight episodes on May 24, only on Disney+ Hotstar. The Disney Branded Television series is produced by 20th Television.

Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Gene Luen Yang, “American Born Chinese” chronicles the trials and tribulations of a regular American teenager whose life is forever changed when he befriends the son of a mythological god. This is the story of a young man’s battle for his own identity, told through family, comedy, and action-packed Kung-Fu.

The coming-of-age adventure features an all-star international cast, including Academy® Award winners Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”), Ben Wang (“Chang Can Dunk”), International Emmy(R) Award Nominee Yeo Yann Yann (“Wet Season”), Chin Han (“Mortal Kombat”), Daniel Wu (“Reminiscence”), former Taekwondo champion Jimmy Liu...

Disney+ has dropped an exciting new trailer for one of its most highly anticipated new series, “American Born Chinese”.

Adapted from Gene Luen Yang’s acclaimed graphic novel, the genre-hopping action-comedy series “chronicles the trials and tribulations of a regular American teenager whose life is forever changed when he befriends the son of a mythological god,” notes the series’ synopsis. “This is the story of a young man’s battle for his own identity, told through family, comedy, and action-packed Kung-Fu.”

Heading the cast are Oscar-winning “Everything Everywhere All at Once” stars Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan, in addition to Ben Wang (“Chang Can Dunk”), Yeo Yann Yann (“Wet Season”), Chin Han (“Mortal Kombat”), Daniel Wu (“Reminiscence”), Sydney Taylor (“Just Add Magic”) and former Taekwondo champion Jimmy Liu.

Read More: ‘American Born Chinese’ Reveals Action-Packed TV Spot And Release Date

In addition, an array of guest stars will portray...

Beijing-based sales agent Rediance has revealed first look stills for Anthony Chen’s The Breaking Ice, which has been selected for the Un Certain Regard section of this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

Produced by China’s Canopy Pictures, the film is the first mainland Chinese production directed by Chen, a Singaporean filmmaker who won the Camera d’Or at Cannes in 2013 with his debut feature Ilo Ilo.

Set in Yanji, a border city in the north of China, The Breaking Ice follows the blossoming relationship among three young adults in their twenties over a short few days of heavy winter snowfall.

The cast is headed by Zhou Dongyu (Better Days), Liu Haoran (Detective Chinatown franchise) and Qu Chuxiao (The Wandering Earth). Zhou previously starred in Chen’s segment of omnibus film, The Year Of The Everlasting Storm, which premiered at Cannes in 2021.

The Breaking Ice

China’s Huace Pictures...

Disney+ has revealed the May 24 premiere date for the Disney+ Original series “American Born Chinese,” in a newly-released :30 TV spot that will air during tonight’s Oscars telecast’s commercial breaks. This :30 first look at the genre-hopping action-comedy from Disney Branded Television series produced by 20th Television, celebrates the show’s three Oscar nominees: Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan and guest star Stephanie Hsu. Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Gene Luen Yang, “American Born Chinese” tells the story of Jin Wang, an average teenager juggling his high school social life with his home life. When he meets a new foreign student on the first day of the school year, even more worlds collide as Jin is unwittingly entangled in a battle of Chinese mythological gods.

The coming-of-age adventure features an all-star international cast, including Academy(R) Award and Golden Globe winners Michelle Yeoh...

Although the 2023 movie awards season has come to an end, the stars of the year’s most heavily feted film, “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” already have an excuse to keep spending time together. The Disney Plus action comedy series “American Born Chinese,” which is set for a May 24 premiere, will serve as a full-blown Wang family reunion for main cast members (and Oscar champs) Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan and guest performers Stephanie Hsu and James Hong. The teaser trailer for the upcoming show, which aired during Sunday night’s Oscars telecast, is available to watch above.

“American Born Chinese” is based on Gene Luen Yang’s award-winning graphic novel of the same name, which has found its way onto many school reading lists since its 2006 publication. Relative newcomer Ben Wang (“MacGyver”; “Search Party”) stars as Jin Wang, whose experience as a second generation Chinese American high schooler...

Disney+ has finally revealed the premiere date for the new original series, American Born Chinese.

In a new teaser trailer shared during Sunday's 95th Annual Oscars telecast, the series landed a May 24 premiere date.

The teaser celebrates the show's three Oscar nominees: Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, and guest star Stephanie Hsu.

Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Gene Luen Yang, American Born Chinese tells the story of Jin Wang, an average teenager juggling his high school social life with his home life.

When he meets a new foreign student on the first day of the school year, even more worlds collide as Jin is unwittingly entangled in a battle of Chinese mythological gods.

The coming-of-age adventure features an all-star international cast, including Academy Award- nominees and Golden Globe winners Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once), Ben Wang (Chang Can Dunk...

Indie film sales agents from mainland China remain notably scarce for a market of such immense size. The reasons behind this reality are many: The still-developing state of China’s industry, a markedly domestic focus among most local studios, and a censorship and regulatory regime that adds risk to an already commercially challenging sector of the movie business.

Beijing-based sales and production company Rediance has made an outsized impact despite the odds. The company was founded in 2017 by former film curator Meng Xing with a mission to serve the growing international needs of a cohort of young, accomplished Chinese arthouse filmmakers. The outfit found its stride with impressive speed, representing European festival award winners like Cai Chengjie’s The Widow Witch (2017), Hu Bo’s Elephant Sitting Still (2018) and Li Cheng’s José (2018). The company also has expanded into financing arthouse titles from both emerging and established arthouse names from China and afar,...

Today, Disney+ revealed the May 24 premiere date for the Disney+ Original series “American Born Chinese,” in a newly-released :30 TV spot that will air during tonight’s Oscars telecast’s commercial breaks. This :30 first look at the genre-hopping action-comedy from Disney Branded Television series produced by 20th Television, celebrates the show’s three Oscar nominees: Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan and guest star Stephanie Hsu. Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Gene Luen Yang, “American Born Chinese” tells the story of Jin Wang, an average teenager juggling his high school social life with his home life. When he meets a new foreign student on the first day of the school year, even more worlds collide as Jin is unwittingly entangled in a battle of Chinese mythological gods. The coming-of-age adventure features an all-star international cast, including Academy® Award-Nominees and Golden Globe winners Michelle Yeoh and...

Disney+ is giving fans a first look at its much-anticipated martial arts adventure.

The streamer released a jam-packed action-filled 30 second tv spot for “American Born Chinese” on Sunday, revealing an epic fantasy adventure.

“Dark forces will be coming,” Michelle Yeoh’s character warns the young protagonist against scenes of magical mayhem. “The fate of the world hangs in the balance.”

Read More: Jamie Lee Curtis Says She ‘Had No Idea’ She Kissed Michelle Yeoh In Viral SAG Awards Moment

The series is based on the graphic novel of the same name by Gene Luen Yang, which follows Jin Wang, played by Ben Wang, a teenager who’s struggling to juggle his school and home life together. Things get more complicated when he meets a new foreign student on the first day of school and finds himself tangled in an epic fight between mythological Chinese gods.

The series stars Academy Award-Nominees...

Disney+ dropped a new promo video for American Born Chinese ahead of the 2023 Oscars, with the 30-second teaser showcasing three Oscar nominees. The series is an Everything Everywhere All at Once reunion and stars Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan, who played a couple caught up in…well…everything everywhere in writers/directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (aka The Daniels) critically acclaimed feature film. Stephanie Hsu, who played their daughter, guest stars.

The coming-of-age action comedy based on Gene Luen Yang’s graphic novel will premiere on Disney+ on May 24, 2023. Yang is involved as an executive producer along with Melvin Mar, Jake Kasdan, Erin O’Malley, and Asher Goldstein. Emmy Award winner Kelvin Yu guides the series as showrunner and executive producer, with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings‘ Destin Daniel Cretton directing and executive producing.

The cast also includes Ben Wang (Chang Can Dunk), two-time International Emmy...

Disney+ will launch its upcoming series American Born Chinese on May 24, hoping that the Everything Everywhere All at Once magic of Michelle Yeoh, Key Huy Quan, and Stephanie Hsu boosts the streamer.

American Born Chinese is based on the graphic novel of the same name by Gene Luen Yang. It is the story of Jin Wang, an average teenager whom a new foreign student at school drags into a battle of Chinese mythological gods.

Hsu is a guest star on the series. The cast also features Ben Wang (Chang Can Dunk), Yeo Yann Yann (Wet Season), Chin Han (Mortal Kombat), Daniel Wu (Reminiscence), former Taekwondo champion Jimmy Liu and Sydney Taylor (Just Add Magic).

Kelvin Yu (Bob’s Burgers) serves as executive producer and showrunner. Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) will direct, in addition to serving as executive producer.

Watch the teaser above.

The much-decorated Japanese drama “Drive My Car” was named the best film Sunday at the Asian Film Awards, defeating hot favorite “Decision to Leave.”

Other notable awards went to Japan’s Hirokazu Kore-eda whose “Broker” debuted at Cannes, but which was largely shunned in his home country.

“Decision to Leave,” which started the evening with ten nominations, was nevertheless rewarded with three awards, best screenplay, best production design and best actress for China’s Tang Wei.

While nominations were geographically diverse, the awards on Sunday skewed heavily towards North East Asia –Japan, Korea and Greater China – to the total exclusion of films from India, Indonesia and The Philippines. Snubs included the exclusion of Indonesia’s “Autobiography” and Happy Salma, both of which have been widely lauded on the festival circuit.

The awards ceremony returned to Hong Kong after detours to Macau and Busan and a Covid hiatus in previous years.

The Singapore Film Commission has selected He Shuming’s Singapore-Korea co-production Ajoomma as its submission to the best international feature category at the Oscars.

The film, which is He’s feature directorial debut, traces a middle-aged widow’s obsession with Korean pop culture and her journey to self-discovery on a trip to Korea. Chen is a director-producer, with directing credits including Ilo Ilo and Wet Season.

Billed as the first Singapore-Korea co-production, Ajoomma is making its world premiere in the New Currents competition of the Busan International Film Festival, which kicks off tomorrow (October 5-14).

Produced by Chen’s Giraffe Pictures and co-produced by Korea’s Lee Joonhan, the film was supported by Infocomm Media Development Authority (Imda)’s New Director grant. China’s Rediance is handling international sales.

It received four nominations for the upcoming Golden Horse Awards in Taiwan including Best New Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Leading...

Jack Neo, who is by far Singapore’s most commercially successful filmmaker, has begun production on “King of Musang King,” a comedy that he envisages being ready for release at Chinese New Year in January. The narrative gives prominent position to durians, the smelly Southeast Asian fruit that most people either love or hate.

Neo will co-star, direct and produce through his J Team Productions. The film will be presented by J Team, mm2 Entertainment and Cathay Cineplexes.

The story revolves around a man (played by Mark Lee), his abandoned Malaysian wife (played by Yeo Yann Yann), and childhood friend Mao Shan (played by Jack Neo).

Dumped by the man for a Vietnamese lady, the wife continues to tend to the durian plantation left to her by her late father while she single-handedly raises her three children. The woman wants to pass down the business to her children but there...

Canopy’s first film The Breaking Ice’ has just wrapped in China.

Ilo Ilo director Anthony Chen has wrapped production in China of The Breaking Ice, the first in a slate of film and TV projects he is developing through his new Beijing and Shanghai-based outfit Canopy Pictures.

China’s Huace Pictures is a co-investor of the film, and is handling distributioin in China. Xie Meng’s sales outfit Rediance is taking on worldwide sales. Xie is also a partner with Chen in Canopy Pictures.

The Breaking Ice was filmed in China’s northern Jilin province, and stars Zhou Dongyu,...

Singaporean filmmaker Anthony Chen has wrapped shooting of his first Mainland Chinese feature “The Breaking Ice.”

Hailed as one of Asia’s brightest young directors, Chen competed in the shorts competition at Cannes in 2007 with “Grandma” and won the Camera d’Or with his debut feature “Ilo Ilo” in 2013. His sophomore feature “Wet Season” premiered in competition at the Toronto International Film Festival. Both films were selected as Singapore’s official submissions to the Oscars.

Headlining the star-studded Chinese cast of “The Breaking Ice” are Zhou Dongyu (“Better Days”), Liu Haoran (the Detective Chinatown franchise) and Qu Chuxiao (“The Wandering Earth”). Zhou and Liu previously collaborated on “Fire on the Plain” which competed at San Sebastian in 2021.

Written and directed by Chen, the film follows the blossoming relationship among three young adults in their twenties, set over a short few days in the winter snow.

The film is produced by...

Exclusive: After teaming in the Disney/Marvel film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Michelle Yeoh is set to top an international cast for the Destin Daniel Cretton-directed Disney+ fantastical series American Born Chinese. She will star alongside Ben Wang (MacGyver), Yeo Yann Yann (Wet Season), Chin Han (Mortal Kombat), Daniel Wu (Reminiscence), Ke Huy Quan (Finding Ohana), former Taekwondo champion Jim Liu and Sydney Taylor (Just Add Magic).

Produced by 20th Television for Disney Branded Television, American Born Chinese will begin production this month in Los Angeles. The genre-hopping action comedy is adapted from Gene Luen Yang’s graphic novel by Emmy-winning writer-producer Kelvin Yu who is EP and showrunner. Cretton directs and is also EP alongside Melvin Mar and Jake Kasdan, Erin O’Malley, Asher Goldstein and Gene Luen Yang.

Yeoh, whose film work includes Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Crazy Rich Asians,...

This review of “The Year of the Everlasting Storm” was first published after the film’s July premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.

In a way, Mark Cousins’ “The Story of Film: A New Generation” was the ideal film to be the first screening at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival, because the documentary surveyed the most groundbreaking cinema of the 21st century and looked ahead to celebrate the return of moviegoers to theaters as the pandemic receded. But “The Year of the Everlasting Storm,” which premiered days later at Cannes, may be a perfect bookend to come as the festival nears its conclusion.

Whereas “The Story of Film” pointed the way toward the future as we come out of tough times, “Everlasting Storm” uses seven great filmmakers to peer deeply into where we’ve been during the pandemic, and where we may still be today; it’s set in the immediate past,...

A sweeping and melancholic first trailer has arrived for Neon’s secret omnibus film project, “The Year of the Everlasting Storm.” Featuring seven stories from seven auteurs from around the world, the film chronicles an unprecedented moment in time, and is a true love letter to the power of cinema and its storytellers. The seven-segment film is set to debut at the Cannes Film Festival this year (re-opening its doors for an in-person event after last year’s cancelled one), alongside two other Neon titles, “Memoria,” directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul (who has a segment in “Everlasting Storm”) and “Titane,” directed by Julia Ducournau.

“The Year of the Everlasting Storm” has been slotted as Special Screening at the Cannes Film Festival this year. (The full lineup for the French festival was just announced on Thursday.) The film features contributions from seven major award-winning directors: Weerasethakul, David Lowery, Laura Poitras, Jafar Panahi,...

With the pandemic forcing filmmakers into quarantine it meant many productions and premieres were delayed, leaving creative minds to explore other outlets to produce. We’ve already seen a few results of this with the omnibus films Homemade and Erēmīta (Anthologies)–-both featuring a collection of shorts from world-renowned talent as they were stuck at home––and now another intriguing one has been unveiled.

Screen Daily reports that Apichatpong Weerasethakul, David Lowery, Jafar Panahi, Laura Poitras, Dominga Sotomayor, Anthony Chen, and Malik Vitthal have contributed “personal segments” to the new secretly-shot new feature The Year Of The Everlasting Storm. Produced and financed by Neon, the film is “a love letter to cinemas, and its storytellers.”

Set for a Tba 2021 release, Neon shared the first footage at The Big Screen Is Back event in LA yesterday. With a number of the filmmakers also having their own new features this year––Apichatpong...

Submitted by Singapore to the Academy Awards as its candidate for Best International Feature Film, Wet Season did not garner a nomination, but that has not halted release plans. The film is heading to U.S. theaters on April 23, courtesy of Strand Releasing. Our own Kwenton Bellette saw it last year as part of the Melbourne International Film Festival. He began his review with a very helpful introduction: "Singapore Director Anthony Chen returns after six years with his sophomore feature Wet Season. His first film Ilo Ilo (2013) is a tender, masterfully shot race-class drama set during the 90s Asian recession. It follows a Malaysian native maid and her role in a Singaporean household with precision period detail. In Wet Season the lens is more...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

With glimmers of theatrical exhibition starting to find renewed life after a full year of dormancy in New York and Los Angeles, this April brings a handful of films worth seeking out––some premiering exclusively in cinemas while others will also be getting a digital release. From fascinating documentaries to long-awaited releases from renowned auteurs to acclaimed indies, check out our picks to see this April below.

13. Tiny Tim: King for a Day (Johan von Sydow)

Tiny Tim, a unique artist whose influence would be felt decades later after his passing, is now the subject of a documentary. Featuring the performer’s diaries and letters as read by Weird Al Yankovic, along with archival footage from D.A. Pennebaker, Jonas Mekas, and Andy Warhol, Christopher Schobert said in his Fantasia review, “King for a Day would have perhaps benefitted from more time with Tiny’s daughter (with his first wife); while...

In today’s Global Bulletin, Amazon begins filling 1,000 apprenticeships coming to the U.K. in 2021, ViacomCBS Networks International appoints Anna Priest as senior VP and chief marketing officer in the U.K., Nl Film fills out its leadership teams and Viddsee begins streaming spoof series “AI Love K-Drama” in Singapore.

Apprenticeship

Amazon has launched a recruitment drive to fill 1,000 new full-time apprenticeship positions across the U.K. over the coming year. Paid apprenticeships will be available in 25 fields including engineering, broadcast production, creative design, It, heal, safety and the environment. Two new broadcast production assistants will be recruited as part of the apprentices scheme and will join the Amazon Prime Video U.K. Originals team, working with Dan Grabiner on unscripted and Johnny Lewsley and Lydia Hampson on scripted.

Of the 1,000 positions, 100 are degree-level with 500 more going to current Amazon employees to both retrain in their current position and teach...

Shortlists to be announced on February 9.

The Academy on Thursday (January 28) published a list of 93 films eligible for international feature film Oscar category.

Algeria’s Heliopolis, about the brutal suppression by French colonial authorities of an uprising in 1945, is omitted from the list. Screen understands the national selection committee withdrew the submission.

There were also a record number of documentary submissions – 238 compared to the previous high of 170 – in light of amended eligibility rules this season due to the pandemic, and a reduced field of 27 animation contenders.

The shortlists will be announced on February 9. The 93rd annual Academy Awards are scheduled...

Exclusive: Filmmaker Anthony Chen is re-uniting with his Ilo Ilo and Wet Season stars Yeo Yann Yann and Koh Jia Ler on the third film in his ‘growing up’ trilogy, We Are All Strangers.

Today we can reveal details about the pandemic-set drama, which was recently announced for the Berlinale Co-Production Market 2021.

Singaporean filmmaker Chen, the 2013 Cannes Caméra d’Or winner, is due to begin production on the movie in spring, 2022. The film will continue the director’s exploration of domestic relations and familial dynamics and touch on themes of privilege, class, and inequality as they are brought into sharper relief by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The film grew out of Chen’s concern for his young actor Jia Ler as he faces the brutality of the adult world. Shooting can only commence once the actor completes his mandatory military service. The feature will likely be ready for festivals a decade...

“Bad Tales,” a drama written and directed by Damiano and Fabio D’Innocenzo, has been acquired by Strand Releasing for North American distribution. Sold by The Match Factory, the movie world premiered in competition at Berlin in 2019 and won the Silver Bear for best screenplay.

The drama unfolds in the suburbs of Rome and is set over the course of a fateful summer. The film revolves around a seemingly normal family in which the devious deeds of fathers, and the passivity of mothers create a bad influence for their children.

Since opening in Berlin, “Bad Tales” went on to play at a flurry of festivals, notably Karlovy Vary, Zurich, BFI London and El Gouna festivals.

“‘Bad Tales’ is one of the brightest films to come out of the Berlin Film Festival, and the brother’s unique vision definitely makes them auteurs that fit perfectly in line with Strand’s eclectic library,...

Listen up Oscar fans and international cinema aficioniados. We'd been holding off on this three part deep dive into the list of titles vying for Best International Feature Film until the Academy's announcement. Sadly we hear through the grapevine that they're not actually making this list "official" until very late in January. In other words, less than two weeks after they announce the 90 plus titles, they'll be cutting most of them when the finalist list of ten is announced on February 9th. This is no way to treat the movies, giving them such a tiny window of "official" attention. So we're sharing the list of 93 titles (a record) now and doing our deep dive now... with the caveat that one or two titles might change in late January when the Academy makes this official. If things do change we'll republish the list and the articles then. If they don't, we can just link back.

Every year since its creation in 1956, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) invites the film industries of various countries to submit their best film for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. The award is presented annually by the Academy to a feature-length motion picture produced outside the United States that contains primarily non-English dialogue and that was released theatrically in their respective countries between 1 October 2019 and 31 December 2020.

Here are the Asian Submissions for Best International Feature Film. There are some excellent movies in this bunch and we have seen and reviewed already some of them.

Armenia

“Songs of Solomon” by Arman Nshanian

Bangladesh

“Sincerely Yours, Dhaka” by eleven different directors

Bhutan

“Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom“ by Pawo Choyning Dorji

Cambodia

“Fathers” by Huy Yaleng

China

“Leap” by Peter Chan

Georgia

“Beginnin” by Dea Kulumbegashvili

Hong Kong

“Better Days” by Derek Tsang

India

“Jallikattu...

Strand Releasing has acquired all North American rights to Anthony Chen’s “Wet Season,” which represents Singapore in the Oscar race for best international feature film.

The movie world premiered in the Platform section at the Toronto International Film Festival, and is being represented in international markets by Memento Films International.

Penned and directed by Chen, “Wet Season” revolves around a Chinese language teacher whose marriage and school life are falling apart because she’s unable to bear a child. An unlikely friendship with a student helps her reaffirm her identity as a woman.

“Wet Season” marks Chen’s sophomore outing. His feature debut, “Ilo Ilo,” world premiered at Cannes in 2013 and earned him the prestigious Camera d’Or award for best first film. “Ilo Ilo” went on to win more than 40 awards around the world, including the Sutherland Award at BFI London Film Festival, and four Golden Horse Awards...

Film co-productions are on the rise in South East Asia, but their growth brings tricky choices for producers.

Leading practitioners Monday shone a useful light on how to navigate the often tricky paths of co-productions at a Singapore International Film Festival panel discussion. The film festival is part of the ongoing Singapore Media Festival.

Co-productions in the region are gaining pace with the Singapore Film Commission’s Southeast Asia Co-Production Grant supporting projects with up to S$250,000 per project, and the Film Development Council of the Philippines’ Asean Co-production Fund that offers up to $150,000 per project, which is due to go live in January.

The Singapore Grants have already borne fruit with beneficiaries showcased at the festival including “Aswang,” “Bình,” “Citizen Hustler,” “Judy Free,” “Nursery Rhymes” and “Ploy.”

Speaking at the ‘Southeast Asian Producers Network: Accessing International Co-production—Why and How?’ panel, Vietnamese producer Tran Thi Bich Ngoc (“The Third Wife...