ASIAN FILM AWARDS ACADEMY
The Asian Film Awards Academy (AFAA), a non-profit organisation, was founded by Busan, Hong Kong and Tokyo International Film Festivals with the shared goal of celebrating excellence in Asian cinema. Aiming to promote and recognise Asian films and its talents, AFAA highlights, strengthens and develops Asian film industry through the annual Asian Film Awards and several year-round initiatives.
Our year-round events and programmes are held with the objectives to promote Asian films to a wider audience, expand the film market within Asia, and build and sustain connections among Hong Kong and international film professional. Masterclass Series – in conversation with filmmakers, Journey to the Fest –Student Visit to International Film Festivals, Asian Cinerama – Film Roadshow, and Young Film Professionals Programme – overseas training and work-placement, are examples of our year-round programmes. These programmes could not have held successfully without the financial support of Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDAHK), formerly known as Create Hong Kong, and Film Development Fund (FDF) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government. The AFAA has worked to promote, educate, inform and develop knowledge, skills and interest in Asian cinema among the industry, students and audiences in Asia and beyond with the support of film festivals and cultural organisations.
HONG KONG FILM GALA PRESENTATION
The Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation, presented by the Asian Film Awards Academy, with the financial support from the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency, formerly known as Create Hong Kong, and Hong Kong Film Development Fund, is a touring film programme that showcases the exceptional creative talents of Hong Kong filmmakers to diverse audiences across different regions. Our mission is to establish strong relations and bring together film professionals from ASEAN countries and Hong Kong for an in-depth discussion of the art of cinema and collaboration. Since 2021, we have been to international cities such as Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Phnom Penh and so on.
CULTURAL AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIES DEVELOPMENT AGENCY (CCIDAHK)
The Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDAHK), established in June 2024 and formerly known as Create Hong Kong, is a dedicated office set up by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau. It provides one-stop services and support to the cultural and creative industries with a mission to foster a conducive environment in Hong Kong to facilitate the development of arts, culture and creative sectors as industries.
FILM DEVELOPMENT FUND (FDF)
The Film Development Fund (FDF) was first set up by the Government in 1999 to support projects conducive to the long-term development of the film industry in Hong Kong. Since 2005, the Government has injected a total of $1.54 billion into FDF to support Hong Kong’s film industry along four strategic directions, namely nurturing talent, enhancing local production, expanding markets and building audience. In the past, FDF has supported a number of film productions and other film-related projects through various film production funding schemes and other film-related project schemes.
HONG KONG ECONOMIC AND TRADE OFFICE IN DUBAI
The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Dubai, established in 2021, is the official representative of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China in the six member states of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC), namely Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. It is responsible for enhancing the understanding of Hong Kong’s unique advantages, advancing Hong Kong’s economic and trade interests, and supporting overseas enterprises in expanding business in Hong Kong. The Dubai ETO maintains close liaison with local governments, businesses and trade organisations and monitors and reports on developments likely to affect Hong Kong’s trade and economic interests.
HONG KONG FILM GALA
PRESENTED BY IN COLLABORATION WITH
FINANCIALLY SUPPORTED BY
DIRECTOR
Thomas LEE
Daniel HO
DRAMA, SOCIAL ISSUE,
MOTIVATIONAL, ETHICAL
107 MIN CANTONESE
CAST
Lawrence CHENG
Amy LO
BIOGRAPHY
DIRECTOR’S
Thomas LEE is an experienced assistant director who graduated from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in 2005, majoring in Film and Television Directing. His graduation work, Our Steps, won awards at various student film festivals. In 2007, his short film Thank You was selected by the Fresh Wave Open Division. He has worked on productions in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Hollywood, including The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor and The Goldfinger
Daniel HO graduated from the Cinema and Television Concentration, School of Communication at Hong Kong Baptist University in 2009. After graduation, participated in the production of films such as Overheard 2 and Motorway, and worked in different roles including post-production coordination for Floating City and editing for Uncertain Relationships Society. In 2022, created the interactive short film Little Kong for the Hong Kong Arts Festival - No Limits. An Abandoned Team is the first film worked on as both screenwriter and director.
AN ABANDONED TEAM
YAM Chun Kai, is a 60-year-old curmudgeon living alone. Forced into retirement, Uncle Kai reflects on his failed marriage and strained relationship with his daughter. As the hopelessness prompts him to end his life, a stray dog named Roast Piggy finds Uncle Kai and leads an animal welfare volunteer, Una TANG, to rescue him—the intelligence and humanity of Roast Piggy change Uncle Kai’s attitude towards stray animals. Uncle Kai becomes friends with Una and joins her animal shelter “Warm Home” as a volunteer, helping the abandoned animals. Una hopes Uncle Kai can take this opportunity to clear the air between him and his daughter Zoie. Just as Uncle Kai’s life seems to be getting back on track, several dog poisoning incidents occur in the village he lives in...
UAE Premiere
DIRECTOR
Riley YIP
97 MIN
CANTONESE
CAST
Marf YAU
Sheena CHAN
Shin CHEUNG
Adam PAK Paisley HU
An emerging scriptwriter and filmmaker from Hong Kong, Riley studied Film and Television at Hong Kong Baptist University and graduated in 2012. Following her graduation, she joined Hong Kong Television Network as a scriptwriter, contributing to several television dramas, including Election and Doom +5. Riley later transitioned into the film industry, where she co-wrote for the critically acclaimed film Weed on Fire, which won awards for “Best New Performer” and “Best Original Film Song” at the 36th Hong Kong Film Awards.
Her debut feature film as a scriptwriter and director, Blossoms Under Somewhere (originally titled The Wonder), was selected as a winning project in the “First Feature Film Initiative” for the Higher Education Institution Group, receiving a production grant of HK$5 million from the Hong Kong Film Development Council.
BLOSSOMS UNDER SOMEWHERE
Ching, a high school girl who wants to fall in love but feels isolated due to being born with a stutter, runs an online business with Rachel, her only friend. Ching unexpectedly gains the attention and love of buyers. As she submerges herself in this unethical business, Ching believes she has found true love. However, she is unaware that she has lost her only friendship.
UAE Premiere
DIRECTOR
Anthony PUN
DISASTER, DRAMA
136 MIN
CANTONESE
CAST
Andy LAU
Bai YU
Karen MOK
Veteran cinematographer Anthony PUN is famous for his ingenious touch and visual flair, with which he created series of blockbuster hits including Heroic Duo, New Police Story, Leaving Me, Loving You, Divergence, Rob-B-Hood, Invisible Target, Connected, Overheard series, Shaolin, The White Storm and Monster Hunt series. Widelyrecognised for his outstanding cinematographic works, he has received five nominations for the Hong Kong Film Awards (HKFA) Best Cinematography with works like Empire of Silver and Overheard 2, and twice taking home the award for The Silent War and The Goldfinger PUN began his directorial journey with Alan MAK, co-directing Extraordinary Mission. His solo debut One More Chance featured international icon CHOW Yun-fat.
CESIUM FALLOUT
“Courage is fire.” – Benjamin Disraeli
Since time immemorial, fire – and the fight against its ravages – has helped forge the bravest and most hardened of men. Set in the turn of the 21st century, a team of firefighters led by Kit LI and Simon FAN put everything they own on the line to extinguish an inferno sweeping across one of Hong Kong’s biggest recycling yard. While dwarfed by the vast field of blazing debris in front of them, Kit’s never-say-die attitude bears testament to the courage of Hong Kong’s perennially valiant firefighters, but also symbolic of the self-sacrifice they – and the people of Hong Kong – are willing to make to protect our home.
UAE Premiere
DIRECTOR
Jill LEUNG
110 MIN CANTONESE
CAST
Ekin CHENG
Ian CHAN
Natalie HSU
Cecilia CHOI
Jill LEUNG is a Hong Kong screenwriter, new director. Participated in renowned films such as the SPL series and the Ip Man series as a screenwriter. Worked alongside Wilson YIP for years. Last Song For You is his first feature as director.
LAST SONG FOR YOU
That summer, young HA Man Huen and young SO Sing Wah crossed paths through a shared love of music, wondering just how far this love could take them. Years later, musician SO unexpectedly encounters his first love HA, in a hospital during troughs of their lives. Struck by how much he has changed, ailing HA decides to send him to a journey as a parting gift, hoping this will reignite his life.
UAE Premiere
DIRECTOR
Oliver Siu Kuen CHAN
DRAMA
112 MIN CANTONESE
CAST
Hedwig TAM LO Chun Yip PANG Hang Ying AU Ga Man Patra
FUNG So Bor
Oliver Siu Kuen CHAN is a director and scriptwriter based in Hong Kong. Her debut feature Still Human was shown in multiple film festivals and won her accolades both domestically and internationally including Best New Director at the 38th Hong Kong Film Awards.
MONTAGES OF A MODERN MOTHERHOOD
Suk-jing recently welcomes a baby daughter into her ordinary life, which, to her surprise, will never be the same again. She is soon stressed-out taking care of the baby 24/7, while her husband never proactively takes part in it. Conflicts with in-laws, postpartum bodily changes, affected work performance are straws piling up on her back
After long nights of nursing in loneliness, where will the break of day lead her?
UAE Premiere
DIRECTOR
Philip YUNG is a Hong Kong film director, screenwriter, and producer. YUNG has been active in film and television productions since 1998. His debut feature film, Glamourous Youth, earned him a nomination for Best New Director at the Hong Kong Film Awards. Port of Call received widespread acclaim in 2015, winning Best Screenplay at the 35th Hong Kong Film Awards and Best Film at the 22nd Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards. Yung’s most recent projects include Where the Wind Blows and the upcoming films Penny Pinchers and Papa. He has also produced titles such as The Sparring Partner and Cycle Game
PAPA
Café owner Nin’s mundane but contented life is shattered forever when his fifteen-year old son Ming slashes his mother and younger sister to death one evening. Diagnosed with acute schizophrenia, Mingisremandedtoapsychiatricprisonindefinitelyuntilfullrecovery.
Aside from visiting his son twice a month, Nin continues to lead a pedestrian existence, while memories of his wife, daughter, and son keep flooding into his head. As time passes, Nin has given upon knowing the reason behind the misfortune. He only wishes that one fine day, Ming, his sole remaining family but also the murderer of his family, will come home again.
UAE Premiere
CAST
Dayo WONG
Michael HUI
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Anselm CHAN is a renowned screenwriter within the Hong Kong film and television industry, an up-and-coming director, and a member of the Hong Kong Screenwriters’ Guild. Debut film is READY O/R KNOT and the second is the sequel READY O/R ROT. The Last Dance is his third film.
THE LAST DANCE
Despite the pandemic sending most industries into recession, debtridden wedding planner Dominic gets a miraculous chance to turn things around when a funeral planner retires and passes the baton to him. His creative gimmicks for funerals help his business find unexpected success, but Dominic’s biggest obstacle is winning the approval of respected and sternly traditional Taoist priest, Master Man.
UAE Premiere
Michelle WAI
Catherine CHAU
Tommy CHU
DIRECTOR
Ronny YU
CAST
Brigitte LIN
Leslie CHEUNG
Elaine LIU
Francis NG
LAM Kit Ying
Born in Hong Kong, Ronny YU dreamt of making films since he was a child. Throughout the 1980s, YU directed numerous box office hits in Hong Kong, notably The Bride with White Hair (1993), which showcased his signature storytelling style and won the Grand Prize at the Fantastica Film Festival. He followed with The Phantom Lover (1995) before launching a successful Hollywood career, reviving franchises like Bride of Chucky and Freddy vs. Jason. Yu also directed Formula 51 and Fearless, starring Jet LI. In 2008, he contributed to NBC’s Fear Itself with The Family Man, and he took on multiple roles for Saving General Yang, which was released in 2013.
HONG KONG CLASSICS:
THE BRIDE WITH WHITE HAIR
ZHUO Yihang is a young Knight of Wudang, who shines with great talent in martial arts. Well-loved by his master Ziyang, the young boy also possesses a rebellious spirit. One day, ZHUO secretly leaves the Wudang fortress to play outside. By mistake, he trespasses into the zone of the Mo, a deviant cult that rival to the Wudang. The boy is set upon by a pack of wolves but is saved by a long-haired girl who sings a folk song to placate the wolves. The most formidable of their opponents is none other than the master of the Mo cult, JI Wushuang. JI has super-nature power which allows him to transmute between male and female genders.
4K Restoration UAE Premiere
FILMMAKERS IN ATTENDANCE
Thomas LEE Director, An Abadoned Team
Oliver Siu Kuen CHAN Director, Montages of a Modern Motherhood
Sheena CHAN Actress, Blossoms Under Somewhere
Patrick SUEN Hong Kong Film Critic
SCREENING SCHEDULE
16:00
20:00
BLOSSOMS UNDER SOMEWHERE * AN ABANDONED TEAM * CESIUM FALLOUT PAPA LAST SONG FOR YOU
THE BRIDE WITH WHITE HAIR
20:30
MONTAGES OF A MODERN MOTHERHOOD
TICKETING INFORMATION
* Filmmaker(s) will attend the screening. All films are shown in original language with Chinese and English subtitles. All films are screened at Cinema Akil. Each ticket is priced at AED52.5 +VAT (through box office)/AED56.6 +VAT (through Cinema Akil’s official website). For detailed information, please refer to the official websites and Instagram of the Asian Film Awards Academy and Cinema Akil (www.cinemaakil.com).
