A Woman Builds
by Huang Ji, Ryuji OtsukaSingapore, Japan, Taiwan
Produced by Ryuji Otsuka (Yellow-Green Pi), Ming-Jung Kuo (Island X Pictures), Fran Borgia (Akanga Film Asia)
Lynn enjoys working in China, apart from her husband and child in Japan. In her pseudo-single life she has her colleague Long for company, VR for sexual satisfaction, and the determination to build her own house.
I Will Smile in September
by Aakash ChhabraIndia, Singapore
Produced by Sanjay Gulati (Crawling Angel Films), Fran Borgia (Akanga Film Asia)
After a heart-wrenching separation from the love of his life and a brutal altercation in the aftermath in which he loses his front teeth, a young brass band player in Old Delhi attempts to move on in life by finding his smile back.
Winner of the 'A Journey to Europe' Screenwriting Competition - Cineuropa 2021.
Notun Gur
by Deyali MukherjeeIndia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, United Kingdom
Produced by Sriram Raja (SRDM Productions), Fran Borgia (Akanga Film Asia), Vimukthi Jayasundara (Film Council Productions), Ivy Yu-Hua Shen (Betula Films), Ajay Rai (In Front Films)
When stepping into adulthood, a young poet has to choose between his poetry and the inspiration behind the poetry. The choice he makes might make or break him.
A Ballad of Long Hair
by Giovanni RustantoIndonesia, Singapore
Produced by Annisa Adjam (SINEMA 5), Fran Borgia (Akanga Film Asia)
Ismaya (17), is an introverted student with a peculiar syndrome; his hair grows as fast as half a meter every day. He is a true heir to his late mother, Iswanti’s reputation as a witch. His hair carries healing powers that both he and his tyrannical father, Santoso (42), are unaware of.
Santoso cuts Ismaya’s hair daily, selling it to a hair salon to be made into expensive wigs. In this salon, Ratna (35), an undercover agent assigned to hunt down witches and their descendants, monitors Ismaya. Commissioned by a high-ranking general, Ratna awaits Ismaya’s 18th birthday when his hair’s healing powers will emerge, fulfilling the general's wife's desire to exploit them. Helped by his best friend Rudi (17), Ismaya rebels against his father and dives into the liberating world of metal music.
Amidst the mounting political tension, Ismaya escapes home, skipping his daily haircut to perform live for the first time. Oblivious to his magical powers, Ismaya embarks on an adventure that soon turns the lives of everyone. His band's music echoes through the streets and his head-banging hypnotizes the crowd, igniting their spirits to voice their concerns to the streets. With Iswanti's help, Santoso reunites with Ismaya, repairing their father-son relationship.
Winner of the Most Promising Project - Southeast Asian Film Lab 2022.
The Thonglor Kids
by Aditya AssaratSingapore, Thailand
Produced by Fran Borgia (Akanga Film Asia), Aditya Assarat & Tanwarat Sombatwattana (Pop Pictures)
Beat is turning 40 and finds himself at a crossroads in life. A well-respected professor, he resigned his position at the university a few years ago over his support for the student protesters. Now living quietly in Khao Yai, a small town three hours outside of Bangkok, his life is turned upside down when his best friend Ong comes to visit. Beat finds himself drawn back in to the teenage hijinks that always unfolds when the two of them are together. As the weekend spirals into a drunken ruin, leaving a trail of hurt feelings and broken hearts for everyone involved, Beat is forced to reevaluate his life and the principles he has always tried to live by. Ong however, doesn’t share his best friend’s disappointment. He tells Beat that he cannot just withdraw from life. He has no choice but to live it, mistakes and all.
