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The Philippines’ QCinema Project Market (Qpm) handed out $442,000 (PHP26M) in grants and co-production support at its closing ceremony on November 16.

Three projects from the Philippines received the QCinema Project Market Philippine Co-Production Grant, each valued at $ 34,000 (PHP2M) – Daughters Of The Sea, from Martika Ramirez Escobar; Heaven Help Us, directed by Eve Baswel, and Sonny Calvento’s Mother Maybe.

The QCinema Project Market – Southeast Asia Co-Production Grant, worth $17,000 (PHP1M) was awarded to Myanmar-Indonesia co-production The Beer Girl In Yangon, directed by Sein Lyan Tun. In addition, co-production grants of $12,000 each were presented to Other People’s Dreams, directed by Singapore’s Daniel Hui, and The Passport, from Malaysia’s Ananth Subramaniam.

Qpm’s industry partners also handed out several awards including Nathan Studios’ development grant of PHP250,000, which went to Secret Cries, while the Taiwan Creative Content Agency presented the $5,000 Taicca Award to Ewa, the sole animation...

Vietnam talent showed strong presence at the 12th QCinema International Film Festival in Quezon City, Philippines, as Trương Minh Quý’s “Viet and Nam” claimed the top prize, while compatriot Dương Diệu Linh’s “Don’t Cry, Butterfly” secured the Grand Jury Prize.

“Viet and Nam,” which made its debut in Cannes Un Certain Regard, emerged victorious in the Asian Next Wave competition. The jury, comprising Babyruth Villarama, Gabor Greiner, Ming-Jung Kuo and Nguyen Le, praised the film for “conjuring the haunting presence of trauma and memories that are embedded within the landscape, and tenderly following a romance that unfolds deep within the coal mines.”

“Don’t Cry, Butterfly,” Dương’s debut feature, follows a middle-aged wife who, upon discovering her husband’s infidelity, embarks on a mystical journey in search of a better life. The film previously won three prizes at Venice.

Elizabeth Lo took home the Best Director award for “Mistress Dispeller,...

The fourth annual Jakarta Film Week recently concluded, awarding top honors to Costa Rica’s “Memories of a Burning Body” for best global film and Indonesia’s “Yohanna” as best Indonesian feature. More than 140 films from 50 countries screened over the five-day festival in Jakarta, Indonesia.

“Memories of a Burning Body,” directed by Antonella Sudasassi Furniss, explored themes of female sexuality. It had previously won an audience award at the Berlin International Film Festival. “Yohanna,” directed by Razka Robby Ertanto, addressed the challenging issue of child labor and built on momentum from its premiere at the Rotterdam Film Festival earlier this year.

This year’s event showcased emerging Indonesian cinema with its opening film “Goodbye, Farewell,” one of few Indonesian movies entirely filmed in South Korea. It drew notable industry figures like producer Kim Young-min and director Duong Dieu Linh to foster cultural exchange. The festival also expanded its industry programs,...

Antonella Sudasassi Furniss’ Memories Of A Burning Body and Razka Robby Ertanto’s Yohanna have won the best global feature and best Indonesian feature respectively at the 4th Jakarta Film Week (Jfw).

Female sexuality drama Memories Of A Burning Body by Costa Rica’s Furniss previously won the Panorama audience award when it premiered at the Berlinale while child labour drama Yohanna from Indonesia’s Ertanto first played Rotterdam earlier this year.

Jfw’s closing night (October 27) also marked the first public appearance of Indonesia’s new minister of culture Fadli Zon, who presented the awards of the pitching forum,...

Tam has been working hard as a wedding planner in Hanoi, Vietnam, for many years now. While attending to her career helps keep her busy, she finds herself feeling unfulfilled in other parts of her life.

One night, in a shocking moment watched by many in their community, Tam discovers that her husband Thanh has been unfaithful. Rather than confront him directly about it, though, she begins seeking guidance from spiritual healers and mediums in the hopes of somehow winning back his affection through supernatural means.

Tam’s attempts to repair her marriage in this unconventional way are the starting point for many surreal events in Duong Dieu Linh’s debut film, “Don’t Cry, Butterfly”. As strange occurrences start happening in Tam’s home, relationships between the characters are explored in fascinating new ways.

Tam’s daughter Ha feels constrained by the dynamic between her parents while also forging her own path forward.

As the Singapore International Film Festival (Sgiff) marks its 35th edition, the nation’s largest and longest-running film event reinforces its position as a key reference point for Singapore and Asian cinema, while showcasing its unique perspective on contemporary trends in global cinema.

Held from 28 November to 8 December, this year’s lineup features 105 films from 45 countries, with 80% of the selections hailing from Asia. International highlights this year include the horror-comedy Nightbitch featuring Amy Adams, The Shrouds by master of body horror David Cronenberg, Grand Tour by Cannes-award winning director Miguel Gomes, and a newly restored version of Bong Joon-ho’s debut feature Barking Dogs Never Bite, which will have its international premiere at Sgiff.

In keeping with one of the festival’s core missions to nurture both local and regional cinema, this year’s Sgiff boasts an impressive lineup of works originating from both at home and abroad; many of...

The 35th edition of the Singapore International Film Festival has unveiled its full lineup, which features 105 films from 45 countries, with 80% of the selections hailing from Asia.

Held from 28 November to 8 December, the festival will hold special gala presentations for two films, The Fable and The Unseen Sister, with selected talents from each film in attendance.

International highlights this year include the horror-comedy Nightbitch featuring Amy Adams, The Shrouds by David Cronenberg, Grand Tour by Cannes-award winning director Miguel Gomes, and a newly restored version of Bong Joon-ho’s debut feature Barking Dogs Never Bite, which will have its international premiere at Sgiff.

The festival will also present the Screen Icon Award, which recognises exceptional Asian talents, to Yang Kuei-mei and Lee Kang-sheng.

For the first time, each festival section will have an opening film that embodies the spirit of its category, with all of them hail from the Asian region.

Singapore International Film Festival (Sgiff) has unveiled the full programme for its 35th edition, which includes honorary awards for Taiwanese actors Lee Kang-sheng and Yang Kuei-mei, and the launch of a Sgiff Industry Days conference.

Set to run from November 28 - December 8, the festival will continue to champion local and regional voices, with Asian cinema representing 80% of the line-up. The full selection comprises 105 films from 45 countries and features recurring themes of migration and displacement as well as the influence of technology on the medium of film.

The Asian Feature Film Competition, the festival’s main competition section, showcases nine features by promising directors across Asia,...

The Singapore International Film Festival is marking its 35th edition with 105 films from 45 countries, with Asian titles comprising 80% of the program.

Running Nov. 28-Dec. 8, the fest will host three world premieres of Singapore features, including Ong Keng-Sen’s “The House of Janus,” Wong Chen-Hsi’s “City of Small Blessings,” adapted from Simon Tay’s novel, and Jason Soo’s documentary “Al Awda.”

Among the international highlights are Amy Adams-starrer “Nightbitch,” David Cronenberg’s “The Shrouds,” Miguel Gomes’ “Grand Tour,” and a restored version of Bong Joon-ho’s feature debut “Barking Dogs Never Bite.”

Two special gala presentations are scheduled: Raam Reddy’s “The Fable,” starring Indian actor Manoj Bajpayee, and Myanmar-born Taiwanese filmmaker Midi Z’s “The Unseen Sister,” featuring Zhao Liying and Xin Zhilei.

The fest will present its Screen Icon Award to Taiwanese talents Yang Kuei-mei and Lee Kang-sheng. Yang, a four-time Sgiff performance award winner, recently appeared in “Yen and Ai-Lee,...

Jakarta Film Week 2024 was officially opened on October 23, 2024 with great excitement at Cgv Grand Indonesia, Jakarta. Now in its fourth year, the festival continues to demonstrate its commitment to strengthening Indonesia’s film ecosystem and bringing local

films to the international stage.

The commitment of the Jakarta Provincial Tourism and Creative Economy Agency (Disparekraf) and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbudristek) in supporting the film industry

The Jakarta Provincial Tourism and Creative Economy Agency (Disparekraf) continues to support Jakarta Film Week as a way to encourage the growth of the national film industry. This

festival also strengthens the film ecosystem and helps Indonesian films gain broader recognition on an international scale.

In line with this, Nuzul Kristanto, Head of the Film Appreciation and Literacy Task Force at the Directorate of Film, Music, and Media (Pmm) of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbudristek), expressed the...

On October 22, 2024, the QCinema International Film Festival announced its much-anticipated lineup for this year, with The Gaze as its central theme. With 76 titles—22 short films and 55 full-length features—spanning across 11 distinct sections, the festival invites audiences to explore diverse perspectives through film. The Gaze seeks to challenge and expand how we view the world, from traditional masculine and feminine perspectives to new and transformative ways of seeing.

Quezon City Mayor Maria Josefina Belmonte officially opened the occasion, emphasizing QCinema’s vital role in advancing the city government’s cultural policies. She highlighted the festival’s contribution to Quezon City’s vision for sustainability and environmental friendliness, underscoring the partnership between the city and the festival to fulfill these goals.

The 12th edition of QCinema will open with Directors’ Factory Philippines, an omnibus film project in collaboration with Cannes Directors’ Fortnight. The project features four films created by Filipino directors alongside filmmakers from neighboring countries.

The Philippines’ QCinema International Film Festival has locked its 12th edition lineup, with Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s “Cloud” — Japan’s submission for the 97th Academy Awards — set to close the November event. The festival opens with “Directors’ Factory Philippines,” an eight-filmmaker omnibus collaboration with Cannes Directors’ Fortnight that pairs Filipino directors with counterparts from across Asia.

The omnibus features four films: Eve Baswel and Malaysia’s Gogularaajan Rajendran direct “Walay Balay”; Maria Estela Paiso teams with India’s Ashok Vish for “Nightbirds”; Arvin Belarmino collaborates with Cambodia’s Lomorpich Rithy on “Silig”; and Don Eblahan partners with Singapore’s Tan Siyou for “Cold Cut.”

The Quezon City-based fest will unspool 77 titles, including 55 features and 22 shorts, across 11 sections under this year’s theme “The Gaze.”

In the main competition Asian Next Wave, eight features compete: Duong Dieu Linh’s Venice Critics’ Week grand prize winner “Don’t Cry Butterfly”; Nelicia Low’s “Pierce...

As local films continue to gain momentum on the global stage, the 35th Singapore International Film Festival (Sgiff) is set to showcase the vitality and diversity of our nation’s filmmaking talent while reflecting current trends in Asian and international cinema. This year, the festival promises an exciting lineup of over 30 Singaporean and made-with-Singapore feature and short films, as well as new initiatives such as the introduction of the festival’s first-ever ambassador, and a revamped Audience Choice Award.

Sgiff 2024 also marks the introduction of film producer and creative Jeremy Chua as the new General Manager of the festival. Drawing from his extensive experience as a film producer and his in-depth knowledge of the film industry both locally and regionally, Chua brings with him an insider’s perspective on how best the Singaporean film scene can be elevated from within. His vision aims to shift common perceptions of Singaporean cinema,...

Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi will receive an honorary award at the Singapore International Film Festival (Sgiff) this year.

The 35th edition of Sgiff will organize a special tribute and hold a dialogue session with Panahi, who will receive the festival’s highest honor, the Cinema Honorary Award. This also marks the first time that Panahi is attending Sgiff in-person after the lifting of his 14-year travel ban. Panahi’s films like The Circle, This Is Not A Film and Crimson Gold will be screened at the festival.

The festival’s Cinema Honorary Award was introduced in 2014 and has recognized filmmakers like Hong Kong’s Fruit Chan, Indonesia’s Garin Nugroho, Cambodia’s Rithy Panh, and Japan’s Takashi Miike.

“It’s an incredible honor to be selected as the recipient of the Cinema Honorary Award by Sgiff,” Panahi said. “Since my visit to the festival in 1998 with my film, The Mirror,...

Iranian cinema icon Jafar Panahi will mark the lifting of his 14-year travel ban by attending the 35th Singapore International Film Festival (Sgiff). The festival’s lineup spotlights rising Singaporean talent and international auteurs.

The festival will open with Yeo Siew Hua’s “Stranger Eyes,” the first Singaporean film to premiere in the main competition at the Venice Film Festival.

Panahi, set to receive the festival’s Cinema Honorary Award, recognizing filmmakers who have made exceptional and enduring contributions to Asian cinema, will participate in an exclusive dialogue session. Several of his films will be screened, including “The Circle” and “This Is Not a Film.”

“It’s an incredible honor to be selected as the recipient of the Cinema Honorary Award by Sgiff,” Panahi said. “Since my visit to the festival in 1998 with my film, ‘The Mirror,’ I have been deeply impressed by the festival’s achievements in nurturing and...

Jakarta Film Week 2024 returns for its fourth year with the support of the Jakarta Provincial Tourism and Creative Economy Agency. Through a press conference held on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, at Cgv FX Sudirman, the festival was officially announced to take place from October 23-27, 2024. Various exciting and innovative activities are set to be held at key locations in Jakarta, such as Cgv Grand Indonesia, Taman Ismail Marzuki, and Mercure Jakarta Cikini.

Support from the Jakarta Provincial Tourism and Creative Economy Agency in Strengthening the Film Industry

The Head of the Jakarta Provincial Tourism and Creative Economy Agency, Andhika Permata, emphasized the Jakarta government’s commitment to maintaining the film ecosystem and supporting the film industry, especially amid Jakarta’s charm as a global city. “Jakarta, which radiates its charm as a hub of activity and the growth of millions of residents, especially in the creative economy sector, continues progressing towards becoming global.

The 68th BFI London Film Festival has just announced the line-up and – as always – a wide variety of Asian films is included in the vast Programme. Over 12 days, the Lff will showcase 255 works from 80 countries, featuring 64 languages and including 112 projects made by female and non-binary filmmakers.

The London Film Festival, officially called the BFI London Film Festival is organised annually by the British Film Institute (BFI) since 1953. It is the UK’s largest public Festival of its kind and is visited by thousands of film enthusiasts who have the the ability to see films, documentaries and shorts from all over the world. The festival will take place at London’s BFI Southbank and The Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, as well as cinemas and venues across central London, and will run from 9 to 20 October 2024.

All the info about tickets and booking are Here.

And now, let’s browse the...

A new Vietnamese horror-comedy film called “Don’t Cry, Butterfly” earned major recognition at the prestigious Venice Critics’ Week film festival. The movie, directed by Duong Dieu Linh in her feature directorial debut, collected both the grand prize and the award for most innovative feature. These honors mark an important achievement for the emerging Vietnamese film industry.

Set in Hanoi, “Don’t Cry, Butterfly” tells the story of a housewife who uses voodoo magic in a bid to regain her cheating husband’s love. However, her efforts inadvertently invite a mysterious presence into their home. Festival juries praised the film for its unique blending of genres and exploration of themes like womanhood, family, and culture. The main jury highlighted how the film creatively mixes elements of comedy, drama and fantasy. They also commended its portrayal of the complex relationship between a mother and daughter.

Director Duong is no stranger to international festivals.

Vietnamese Director Duong Dieu Linh’s horror-comedy “Don’t Cry, Butterfly” is the big winner of the Venice Critics’ Week where it scooped the grand prize and the award for most innovative feature.

Written and directed by Duong Dieu Linh, the Hanoi-set film follows a housewife who uses voodoo to try and get her cheating husband to fall back into love with her. Instead, she invites a mysterious presence into the house.

“Don’t Cry, Butterfly,” which is being sold by Barunson E&a, marks the directorial debut of Duong Dieu Linh. It’s also a companion piece to her award-winning short film series about middle-aged women that includes “A Trip to Heaven,” “Sweet, Salty” and “Mother, Daughter, Dreams.” Just like the shorts, “Butterfly” explores recurring themes of womanhood, family relations and cultural traditions, and is told through a quirky sense of humor and use of magical realism.

The main jury – comprising producer Kerem Ayan,...

Vietnamese feature Don’t Cry, Butterfly and UK title Paul & Paulette Take A Bath were among the winners at the 39th Venice Critics’ Week, announced on Friday, September 6.

Duong Dieu Linh’s Don’t Cry, Butterfly took the main Grand Prize, awarded by a jury of Kerem Ayan, Yasmine Benkiran and Ariane Labed. The jury selected the film “for its singularity and creativity; because it tests new ideas, mixing comedy, social drama and fantasy; for the way it depicts the complexity [of] ‘mother and daughter’.”

Scroll down for the full list of feature winners

Duong’s feature debut sees a woman turn...

The 44th running of the Hawaii International Film Festival presented by Halekulani will open with “Tinā,” an uplifting drama film that marks the feature directorial debut of Miki Magasiva, and close with Sori Fumihiko’s “Hakkenden: Fiction and Reality.”

In between, the festival will pack in 92 features and 114 short films, major awards for guests including Jimmy O Yang, Hong Kong’s Sandra Ng and documentary filmmaking star Stanley Nelson.

“This year, we have the largest selection of Hawai`i films in competition in the festival’s history, are presenting multiple films that explore Indigenous perspectives, narrative sovereignty, and the nurturing of cultural identity, and additionally, we are launching a new spotlight showcasing the best in television,” said Beckie Stochetti, Hiff executive director.

Hailing from New Zealand, with dialog in English and Samoan, “Tinā” sees Anapela Polata’ivao (“Our Flag Means Death”) portray a well-respected and gifted vocal coach endure family tragedy...

Feature film directorial debut of Duong Dieu Lin and also a continuation of her award-winning short film series focusing on middle-aged women, “Don’t Cry Butterfly” finally sees the light of day after years of project markets and multiple rounds of Asian grant funding applications, premiering in Venice.

“Don’t Cry, Butterfly” is screening at Venice International Film Festival

Tam is a middle aged wedding planner, who spends most of her free time with other women her age in the neighborhood, all of which seem to share the same issues, mostly revolving around their aging and their husbands. One day, however, Tam becomes witness to her husband’s infidelity in the worst fashion, as he is caught on live TV, meaning everyone the two of them know also knows, including their daughter, 20-year-old Ha.

Check also this interview Interview With Kaity Nguyen: I Think I Ran Over That Bridge More Than...

A horror-tinged tale of superstition and dwelling in rose-tinted fantasies, “Don’t Cry, Butterfly” announces its magical realist leanings through one of the scarier means of humiliation: having your dirty laundry broadcast for the whole nation to hear. Sort of. Early in the film, middle-aged Tam (Le Tu Oanh), a wedding venue staffer, is suddenly stopped on her drive home from work one night by her daughter, Ha (Nguyen Nam Linh), with both women traversing the streets of Hanoi on mopeds. As the people around them watch the Vietnamese national team compete in a crucial soccer match, Ha asks her mother if she’s okay and then asks for her phone. It shows that Tam’s husband and Ha’s father was present at the match with another woman, his apparent infidelity caught on camera.

Initially speaking on the progress of the game, the soccer commentator, overheard from the TV at...

Exclusive: Venice Critics’ Week title Don’t Cry Butterfly has been boarded by Cj Cgv Vietnam for distribution in Vietnam.

Affiliated with Korea’s Cj Group, Cj Cgv Vietnam also distributed the Vietnamese-language Camera d’Or winner Inside The Yellow Cocoon Shell last year.

Don’t Cry Butterfly follows a 45-year old housewife, Tam, who learns through live TV that her husband is having an affair. Turning to mystical means, she then attempts to voodoo her husband back into love.

The debut feature by Duong Dieu Linh will have its world premiere at the Venice Critics’ Week on September 3 before arriving at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 10.

Don’t Cry Butterfly is a Vietnam-Singapore-Indonesia-Philippines co-production. Korea’s Barunson E&a picked up world sales rights to the title ahead of the Cannes market this year.

“The idea for this feature started 10 years ago, when I came back to Vietnam to make my first short film,...

The Philippines’ Quezon City Film Commission and QCinema have revealed the lineup for the second edition of the QCinema Project Market (Qpm).

Twenty projects were selected from 63 submissions across the Philippines and Southeast Asia. The market aims to connect filmmakers with international partners and offers approximately $300,000 in grants and prizes.

Notable projects from last year’s Qpm have made significant progress. Rafael Manuel’s “Filipiniana” and Woo Ming Jin’s “Fox King” are in post-production, while Duong Dieu Linh’s “Don’t Cry Butterfly” is world premiering at Venice Critics’ Week.

Southeast Asian Projects from the 2024 selection include:

“The Beer Girl in Yangon” – Director: Sein Lyan Tun, Producer: Yulia Evina Bhara. Synopsis: A 17-year-old girl works in a Yangon beer station after her father’s political arrest, navigating love and hallucinations.

“Picturehouse” (Vietnam) – Director: Minh-Nghiem Nguyen-Vo, Producer: Johann Chapelan. Synopsis: In 1960s Vietnam, a family-run movie house becomes a sanctuary for a boy amid war.

Vietnamese cinema’s profile has been on the rise at major international film festivals of late. Debut director Phạm Thiên Ân won Cannes’ Caméra d’Or prize in 2023 with his meditative drama Inside the Yellow Cacoon Shell, and Trương Minh Quý brought the country back to the French festival this year with the well-received romantic drama Viet and Nam. Next up, the 81st Venice Film Festival, opening Aug. 28, will add a strong female voice to this budding Vietnamese new wave with the premiere of Don’t Cry, Butterfly, directed by another first-timer, Dương Diệu Linh.

A metaphysical drama (see its first trailer, below), the new film follows Tam (Lê Tú Oanh), a diligent middle-aged wedding venue worker who learns that her husband has been cheating on her when a live TV broadcast of a soccer match catches him on camera in the stands with his mistress. Determined to win back her...

Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has unveiled the 43 features selection for the Centrepiece programme including world premieres for Algerian director Merzak Allouache’s feuding matriarchs comedy Front Row and Laura Piani’s romantic comedy Jane Austen Wrecked My Life.

Taking their place in the global cinema showcase alongside the latest work from 41 countries are features that have already impressed at festivals, such as Mohammad Rasoulof’s Cannes award winner The Seed Of The Sacred Fig, and Steven Soderbergh’s Sundance selection Presence.

The 18 world premieres include Iranian filmmaker Ali Samadi Ahadi’s human rights drama Seven Days written by Rasoulof,...

A drama about an Iranian human rights activist and a documentary about the hacking of queer indie pop duo Tegan and Sara are among the films that have been added to the lineup of the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, which unveiled its Centrepiece section on Tuesday to kick off a second week of programming announcements.

The 43 films come from filmmakers representing 41 countries, with 18 of the titles receiving their world premieres at TIFF. Those premieres include “Seven Days,” a film about an imprisoned Iranian activist directed by Ali Samadi Ahadi and written by Mohammad Rasoulof, a filmmaker who was himself sentenced to flogging and prison by Iranian authorities; “Jane Austen Wrecked My Life,” a romantic comedy from French writer-director Laura Piani; “The Legend of the Vagabond Queen of Lagos,” a debut from the Nigerian filmmaking group known as the Agbajowo Collective; and Erin Lee Carr’s “Fanatical: The Catfishing of Tegan and Sara,...

Venice Critics’ Week, the Venice Film Festival sidebar dedicated to first-time filmmakers, unveiled the selection of seven competition features and two out-of-competition titles for its 39th edition, which runs Aug. 28-Sept. 7.

Among the more timely entries is Homegrown from U.S. director Michael Premo. The documentary follows three far-right activists as they campaign for Donald Trump during the tumultuous 2020 election.

U.S-French filmmaker Alexandra Simpson makes her Venice debut with No Sleep Till, a drama set against the backdrop of a Florida coastal town in the lead-up to a hurricane. Other Venice Critics’ Week competition highlights include Paul & Paulette Take A Bath, from UK-French director Jethro Massey, about an American photographer and a French girl who bond over a dark game involving the reenactment of notorious crimes at their original locations; Anywhere Anytime, from Iranian-Italian director Milad Tangshir, a modern-day immigrant story inspired by Italian neorealist classic Bicycle Thieves; and Don’t Cry Butterfly,...

UK-French director Jethro Massey’s debut feature Paul & Paulette Take A Bath is among the world premieres that will screen in next month’s Venice Critics’ Week.

The dark comedy is about a young American journalist and a French woman, whose friendship and flirtation develops around a dark game – going to the sites of historic crimes to recreate moments in the lives of victims and perpetrators. Marie Benati and Jérémie Galiana star.

Also in the line-up is Michael Premo’s Donald Trump documentary Homegrown, that follows three right-wing activists on Donald Trump’s 2020 US presidential campaign trail.

Iranian rock star...

After years of project markets and multiple rounds of Asian grant funding applications, Vietnamese horror-comedy “Don’t Cry Butterfly,” is confirmed to have its world premiere in competition at the Venice Critics Week. Its backers have unveiled a first poster image.

Written and directed by Duong Dieu Linh, the Hanoi-set film follows a housewife who uses voodoo to try and get her cheating husband fall back into love with her, but instead invites a mysterious presence into the house.

The film marks the feature film directorial debut of Duong Dieu Linh, and is also a companion piece to her award-winning short film series about middle-aged women. These include “A Trip to Heaven,” “Sweet, Salty” and “Mother, Daughter, Dreams.” As with the shorts, “Butterfly” explores recurring themes of womanhood, family relations and cultural traditions, and is told through a quirky sense of humor and use of magical realism.

The film is...

Venice Critics’ Week has unveiled the selection for its 39th edition running from August 28 to September 7.

The seven titles in Competition include U.S-French filmmaker Alexandra Simpson’s debut feature No Sleep Till, set against the background of a Florida coastal town in the lead-up to a hurricane.

The film is produced by Tyler Taormina under the banner of the Omnes Films collective which made a splash at Cannes this year with two films in Directors’ Fortnight: Tyler’s Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point and Eephus by Carson Lund.

Also out of the U.S., Micheal Premo will unveil his timely documentary Homegrown, following three right-wing activists as they criss-cross the country in 2020, campaigning for Donald Trump.

Further contenders include UK-French director Jethro Massey’s debut film Paul & Paulette Take A Bath, about a American photographer and a French girl who bond in Paris around a dark game involving...

U.S. journalist and filmmaker Michael Premo’s doc “Homegrown,” which follows a group of Donald Trump supporters from the 2020 campaign trail all the way to the attack on the U.S. Capitol, is among titles set to world premiere at the Venice Film Festival’s Critics’ Week.

Brooklyn-born Premo played a significant role in Occupy Wall Street and Occupy Sandy’s hurricane response effort.

The out-of-competition opener of the section dedicated to first works is French director Aude Léa Rapin’s “Planet B,” a cyberpunk sci-fi film starring Adèle Exarchopoulos (“Blue Is the Warmest Color”) about a group of political activists in 2039 France who, pursued by the state, vanish without a trace only to reawaken “trapped in an entirely unfamiliar world,” according to the provided synopsis.

Besides “Homegrown,” the seven-title competition comprises Italian drama “Anywhere Anytime,” directed by Iran-born helmer Milad Tangshir. The film riffs off Vittorio De Sica’s “Bicycle Thieves,...

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,...

Some twenty aspiring film projects have been selected to participate in the inaugural edition of the Qcinema Project Market (Nov. 18-19) that this year represents and expansion of the QCinema Film Festival in The Philippines’ Quezon City.

The selected titles include development projects by several of East Asia’s better known independent and art-house directors and projects. Among them is “Filipinana,” which on Tuesday collected three prizes at Busan’s Asian Project Market. Another is “Fox King,” by well-established Malaysian filmmaker Woo Ming Jing, which will also travel to the Tokyo Gap Financing Market. Also lining up is established Singapore filmmaker Boo Junfeng and producer partner Raymond Phathanavirangoon with “Trinity.”

The 20 selected projects are vying for over $400,000 in grants and prizes, including a $35,000 co-production grants for Southeast Asian projects and $50,000 for Filipino projects.

“From an impressive submission of sixty five projects from all over the region, these selected projects really...

Beijing Basks In Festival Return

The Argentina-Chile coproduction “The Punishment,” directed by Matias Bize, was named best feature over the weekend at the close of the Beijing International Film Festival.

Mexico’s Lila Avilés won the Tiantan Award for best director for her film “Totem.” Antonia Zegers and Line Renaud shared the best actress award for “The Punishment” and “Driving Madeleine,” respectively.

The best actor award went to Xin Baiqing for Chinese movie “The Shadowless Tower.” The film, which premiered in February in Berlin, was the numerical winner. With the best screenplay, music, cinematography and artistic contribution awards, it won a total of five prizes.

Chinese actor and director Tian Zhuangzhuang collected the best supporting actor award. Mexican, Montserrat Maranon earned the best supporting actress prize.

The ceremony wrapped up a festival at which organizers claimed to have played 1,488 films. International guests included Israel’s Nadav Lapid, Germany’s Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck...

The debut feature of Duong Dieu Linh and a documentary from Quang Nong Nhat selected.

Bangkok-based film fund Purin Pictures has selected five projects from Southeast Asia as the recipients of its spring 2023 funding round, which will receive a combined $120,000 in production grants.

The titles include Duong Dieu Linh’s feature debut Don’t Cry, Butterfly and Quang Nong Nhat’s documentary Baby Jackfruit, Baby Guava.

“Over the past several years, Vietnam in particular has proved to be a bright spot in the region for cinema,” said Aditya Assarat, co-director of Purin Pictures. “You could say we are in the...

Indonesia’s KawanKawan Media has partnered with Singapore’s Momo Film Co on Nelson Yeo’s “Dreaming & Dying” and Duong Dieu Linh’s “Don’t Cry Butterfly,” it was revealed at this week’s Asian Contents & Film Market, held on the sidelines of the Busan International Film Festival.

“Dreaming & Dying,” about three middle aged individuals who are forced to confront their inner demons as a long-buried love triangle between them resurfaces, is currently in production.

Yeo said: “ ‘Dreaming & Dying’ is the accumulation of my obsession with dreams and memories. Primarily, it is about how we choose to remember things in our own ways, and as time passes, that fantasy becomes the reality.”

The Hanoi-set “Don’t Cry, Butterfly” follows housewife Tam who finds out that her husband is cheating on her. Instead of confronting him, she voodoos her husband back into love. KawanKawan joins Momo and An Nam Productions, which recently secured coin from U.

Singapore’s Momo Film Co has boarded a raft of projects, it was revealed on the opening day of the Busan Asian Contents & Film Market on Saturday.

Momo, in which Blue Ant Media’s Beach House Pictures has a majority stake, was founded in 2018 by writer-director Kris Ong (“Sunday”) and Tan Si En, who is a co-producer on Busan and Locarno title “Arnold is a Model Student.”

Tan has boarded “Andragogy” by Wregas Bhanuteja as a co-producer. The film will follow Prani, a middle-aged schoolteacher, whose angry video goes viral and she gets trolled online. Adi Ekatama is producing for Indonesia’s Rekata Studio (“Photocopier”).

“Our partnership with Wregas and Rekata Studio emphasise Momo’s commitment to work with like-minded Southeast Asian talents and push boundaries through compelling and edgy stories. This is the first of many upcoming projects and we look forward to sharing it with audience around the world,...

Exclusive: Filipino production house Daluyong Studios, founded by Alemberg Ang, a co-producer on Japan’s Best International Feature Oscars submission Plan 75, is partnering with Tan Si En’s Singapore-based Momo Film Co to co-produce a slate of features and documentaries.

The joint slate includes feature films Don’t Cry, Butterfly, from rising Vietnamese filmmaker Duong Dieu Linh; and Tropical Rain, Death-Scented Kiss, directed by US-Singapore animation filmmaker Charlotte Hong Bee Her; as well as short film and feature Bold Eagle, directed by the Philippines’ Whammy Alcazaren; and documentary feature Tens Across The Borders, from Sze-Wei Chan.

Daluyong previously partnered with Tan Si En and Anthony Chen’s Giraffe Pictures on Some Nights I Feel Like Walking, from Filipino filmmaker Petersen Vargas, which is currently in pre-production. The project, about a teenage runaway who falls in with a group of hustlers, won the Seafic Award at the 2019 Southeast Asia Fiction...

Colleen Kwok’s “The Stars The Sun The Moon” won the top prize for a Hong Kong-produced in-development project at the Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum. Mainland Chinese title “Not Found” by Huang Ningwei won the equivalent prize for the best non-Hong Kong project.

A total of 14 prizes were announced at a virtual ceremony on Wednesday, with “Silent Ghosts,” another local project, directed by Hang Yeng, collecting the top work in progress award.

Haf organizers said that this year’s online platform hosted more than 900 private meetings between filmmakers and potential backers, a figure that was almost double the level of activity in 2020, when Covid forced the project market into a virtual format for the first time.

The third time it has been staged remotely, Haf this year hosted 43 projects, including 15 works-in-progress. There were also 11 Hong Kong projects, with 21 filmmakers presenting their debut feature projects. The event ran for three...

Winners revealed at virtual Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum.

Yang Heng’s Silent Ghosts was awarded the Works-in-Progress prize at the close of this year’s virtual Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum.

The Hong Kong fantasy drama was chosen from 15 projects presented this week at Haf, which took place online for the third time this year due to ongoing pandemic restrictions.

Scroll down for full list of winners

Selected for its “originality and creativity,” the project received a cash award of $12,800. Produced by Yan Ni for No Chopsticks Pictures, the story centres on a tourist who follows the trail of...

Leading indie film project market, the Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum has revealed a selection of 28 titles for its twentieth edition and confirmed that it will be held online for the third time in a row.

“Unfortunately, we won’t have the opportunity to celebrate our 20th anniversary by hosting our usual in-person event due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and travel restrictions,” Hkiff industry director Jacob Wong said. “Nevertheless, based on experience gained from the last two years, we will strive to improve our online booking and meeting system to make it a breeze for all participants.”

The market will operate March 14-16, 2022, alongside the 26th edition of rights market Hong Kong FilMart (March 14-17.)

The market contains a familiar mix of experienced hands and newcomers. Among the well-established producers and directors with projects selected are: Huang Ji (2021 Rotterdam festival winner “Egg and Stone”); Hong Kong’s Jun Li...

The selection includes eight Hong Kong projects and the first-ever Thai-Muslim horror

The Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf) has announced 28 in-development projects for its 20th anniversary edition.

All are fiction projects, including eight from Hong Kong, 12 debut features and projects spearheaded by renowned filmmakers and producers including Huang Ji, Jun Li, Tetsuya Mariko, Ida Panahandeh, Michael J. Werner, Fruit Chan, Nonzee Nimibutr, Yang Chao and Jane Zheng.

For the third year in a row, Haf will run online from March 14-16 alongside the 26th edition of Hong Kong Filmart.

“Unfortunately, we won’t have the opportunity to celebrate our...