I Will Smile in September
by Aakash ChhabraIndia, Singapore
Produced by Sanjay Gulati (Crawling Angel Films - India), 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.
A Ballad of Long Hair
by Giovanni RustantoIndonesia, Singapore
Produced by Annisa Adjam (SINEMA 5 - Indonesia), 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.
Skin of Youth
by Ash MayfairVietnam, Singapore, Japan
Produced by Tran Thi Bich Ngoc (An Nam Productions - Vietnam), Fran Borgia (Akanga Film Asia), Kayo Yoshida (Bitters End - Japan), Ash Mayfair (Mayfair Pictures)
1990s Saigon, San wants to have enough money for a sex-change operation that will fulfil her dream of living in a woman’s body. San’s lover, Nam, must work as an underground dog-cage fighter to support this dream. The young lovers are unaware that the dark forces they will have to battle may cost them their relationship and test the limit of their humanity.
Winner of the Sorfond Award - Busan APM 2019, SEAFIC Open SEA Fund Award Co-winner 2019, Talents Tokyo Special Mention Award 2019.
Stranger Eyes
Singapore, Taiwan, France, USA
Produced by Fran Borgia (Akanga Film Asia), Stefano Centini (Volos Films - Taiwan), Jean-Laurent Csinidis (Films de Force Majeure - France), Alex C. Lo (Cinema Inutile - USA). Co-Produced by Dan Koh (Singapore)
After the disappearance of his baby daughter, Darren receives mysterious DVDs containing videos of his private life and most intimate moments. When he finds the mysterious voyeur, Darren turns the gaze around and confronts his own image in the other.
Winner of the HAF Fiction Award 2020.
Amoeba
by Siyou TanSingapore, The Netherlands
Produced by Fran Borgia (Akanga Film Asia), Denis Vaslin (Volya Films - The Netherlands)
An exploration of Singapore's societal and cultural expectations through the lens of a misfit in an all-girls' school, as she joins a girl gang and tries to pass the all-important final year examinations. As the young nation carves out its own identity through its unmitigated hunger for progress, Choo—who doesn’t conform to its exacting standards—struggles to maintain her individuality as she seeks to belong.
Winner of the SEAFIC Open SEA Fund Award 2020/21, and the Southeast Asian Film Lab - Most Promising Project Award 2019.
