After the successful last edition, FOCUS ASIA 2026, the industry section of the Far East Film Festival, is happy to announce the complete selection of the All Genres Project Market, the market for projects with an Asian and European co-production potential, and Far East in Progress, the first and only European platform completely dedicated to Asian films in post-production seeking international distribution and festival premiere.
Out of over 120 submissions from over 24 countries, received in the past months, the Focus Asia selection committee formed by Martin Horyna (Czech Republic), Mike Hostench (Spain), Young-woo Kim (South Korea), Ming-Jung Kuo (Taiwan), Winnie Lau (Hong Kong), Wonsun Shin (South Korea), Valeria Richter (Denmark), has selected 13 projects from 13 territories, offering once again to industry guests the opportunity to discover a unique line up that comprises an incredible diversity of projects, from drama, coming of age, art-house to magical realism, crime, sci-fi and fantasy. In addition to its genre diversity, the final selection brings together a balanced combination of debuting directors and experienced filmmakers, supported by a new generation of producers alongside internationally recognised, award-winning companies.
The projects selected for the All Genres Project Market 2026 are:
A Way to Etretat, directed by Su-Won Shin and produced by June Film (South Korea)
Adarna, directed by Lois Patiño and produced by Elastica Films (Spain) and Matriuska Producciones (Spain)
Dear Sơn An, directed by Kim Quy Bui and produced by Varan (Vietnam) and A Company Film (Germany)
Holy Mother, directed by Sinung Winahyoko and produced by KrossKultur Media (Indonesia)
I Have to Fuck Before the World Ends, directed by Andrea Benjamin Manenti and produced by Volos Films Italia srl (Italy), Citrullo International (Italy), Epicmedia (Philippines) and Puffin Pictures (France)
Naked in Glendale, directed by Haohao Yan and produced by Seesaw Productions (China) and Q&A Entertainment (United States)
New Life, directed by Yingtong Li and produced by Yitis Film (China)
Noodles, Our Love Was Instant and Forever, directed by Whammy Alcazaren and produced by Daluyong Studios (Philippines) and TwoFold (Philippines)
Route 7, directed by Jinrung Chun and produced by Cloud11 Studios Inc. (Japan)
Snake in the Dreamscapes, directed by Lou Yi An and produced by Content Digital Film (Taiwan) and Hope Content Marketing (Taiwan)
Somewhere in the South, directed by Ce Ding Tan and produced by Evil Genius Studio (Malaysia) and Giraffe Pictures (Singapore)
UFO Club, directed by Milena Kaneko and produced by K2 Pictures Co.,Ltd. and Bunbuku,Inc. (Japan)
Wake Me Up When the Mourning Ends, directed by Kok Rui Lau and produced by Thousand Sails Pictures Limited (Hong Kong), Volos Films Italia srl (Italy) and Janji Pictures Production Sdn Bhd (Malaysia)
Great expectations also for Far East in Progress, a perfect example of the virtuous system that the Far East Film Festival has managed to create over the years, where international projects are first incubated and developed within the Ties That Bind workshop or the All Genres Project Market, for being then presented to over 50 festival programmers, sales agents and distributors attending the rich Focus Asia programme. Success stories like Ah Girl by Ang Geck Geck Priscilla ( Rotterdam International Film Festival 2026 and now in competition at the Far East Film Festival) and White Flowers and Fruits by Yukari Sakamoto (San Sebastian IFF 2025) clearly show the potential of this industry section targeting Asian films in post-production.
The titles selected at Far East in Progress 2026 by the selection committee headed by Marie-Pierre Vallé are:
Doppel, directed by Jun Tanaka and produced by Keyaki Works (Japan) and Solaria Film (Italy)
Good Death, directed by Atsushi Funahashi and produced by Big River Film (Japan), Flash Forward Entertainment (Taiwan) and Harine Films (Poland)
Midnight Sun, directed by Zhejian Michael Cong and produced by Màn Rán Studio (United States) and Oui Production (France)
Picturehouse, directed by Nghiem-Minh Nguyen-Vo and produced by Girelle Production (France), East Films (Vietnam), Add Oil Films (Singapore) and Daluyong Studio (Philippines)
Sanamsar, directed by Bat-Amgalan Lkhagvajav and produced by Media Crackers LLC (Mongolia)
The Quiet Applause, directed by Sungbin Byun and produced by Ssarinamu Film (South Korea)
For the very first time, Bangkok’s premiere post-production and production company White Light Studio joins Focus Asia to deliver the brand new White Light/Focus Asia Award. The prize, worth USD 20.000 in professional post-production services, will be granted to the most promising project selected from Far East in Progress and the All Genres Market.
Udine will become a true global hub for the future, where new business models, innovative formats and worldwide distribution converge in a uniquely crafted programme for over 200 industry participants coming from Europe, Asia and Canada. In addition to the project market and works in progress section, Focus Asia has shaped an ambitious programme of lectures, case studies, labs, one to one meetings, and networking activities, all built thanks to an extremely solid network of international partners. From training to networking and business development, Focus Asia solidifies its role as a key meeting point, a place where industries intersect, new opportunities emerge, and the future of cinema takes shape.
The MiC confirms itself as the main supporter of Focus Asia, and furthermore, the General Directorate for Cinema and Audiovisual of the Ministry of Culture, with the organizational support of Cinecittà, will inaugurate the 2026 edition with a special reception set up on the opening night of the event and a special showcase of Italian producers.
In cooperation with Cinecittà, CCIDAHK (Hong Kong), and Telefilm Canada, delegations of producers will participate in exclusive tailor made labs designed to open doors to the Asian and European market. Through this initiative, participants will gain valuable insights and connect with key decision-makers, strengthening global collaboration and fostering new opportunities between Asia and the rest of the world.
The team from Europa Distribution, the main European network of independent distributors, will also be back in Udine, together with over 15 European distributors who will be taking part in the Distribution Lab. After the successful first edition in 2025, Europa International, the network of European Sales Agents, will join Focus Asia for the second year, renewing an exciting partnership.
Focus Asia 2026 will strengthen its forward-looking approach by combining market analysis with emerging storytelling trends through two high-level industry panels. A dedicated Box Office Study will offer a data-driven overview of the global performance of Asian titles, while a session on Vertical Content will explore the rapid rise of Micro-Dramas and their impact on new IP models and digital distribution. Expanding its all-genre approach, the programme also launches a new collaboration with Anima Mundi, introducing a Think Tank focused on the evolving animation landscape across Europe and Asia.
Furthermore, thanks to the collaboration of the FDCP - Film Development Council of the Philippines, TAICCA- the Taiwan Creative Content Agency, KOFIC Korea Film Council, and VIPO - Visual Industry Promotion Organisation, the Project Market and the Far East in Progress section will be able to count on direct support for the directors and producers of the projects and of the works in progress featured in this edition, in order to guarantee the physical presence of the greatest possible number of selected teams.
In summary, the 2026 edition of Focus Asia will not just be a meeting point for film industries worldwide, it will be a gateway for films and professionals of the future.