Filipino project What’s Left of Us, the new feature directed by Tyrone Acierto and produced by Wilfredo Manalang (FUSEE), wins the TAICCA/Focus Asia Co-Production Award! With over 200 participants from 40 territories, 11 projects in development, 7 works in progress, 3 days of panels & case studies and almost 300 one to one meetings, Focus Asia 2025 confirms his unique role in fostering artistic and production links between Asia and Europe
Within the frame of this special edition, marked by a large series of new partnerships and reinvented initiatives, the TAICCA/Focus Asia Co-Production Award, cash prize worth €10,000, goes to the Filipino project What’s Left of Us, the new feature directed by Tyrone Acierto. A portrait of a family fighting to survive in a world plagued by a memory-erasing disease, battling the infected and their own fading minds in a desperate search for safety, each other, and hope. The confirmation of the TAICCA award for the third consecutive year, is part of a reinforced international strategy based on a close long-lasting collaboration with many different funding agencies, training organizations, markets and institutions from Asia, Europe and beyond
Now in its tenth edition, Focus Asia has managed to build up an impressive network of international partners and Udine became a true global epicenter, where business, cultural exchange, and industry knowledge converged in a uniquely crafted programme for industry participants coming from Europe, Asia, Australia, Canada, Mexico and Chile
On the Asian side, numerous partnerships were confirmed this year with the main funding and promotional entities in the Philippines, Hong Kong, Japan, and Taiwan. Thanks to its collaboration with FDCP - Film Development Council of the Philippines, VIPO - Visual Industry Promotion Organization, TAICCA - Taiwan Creative Content Agency, Focus Asia has been able to count on the direct support of the directors and producers of the projects and works in progress at this edition, with the aim of guaranteeing the physical presence of the greatest number of selected teams.
But the reach of the Focus Asia 2025 partner network is not confined to the East. In cooperation with General Directorate for Cinema and Audiovisual of the Ministry of Culture of Italy, and Cinecittà, Cinema Chile, CCIDAHK - Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency Hong Kong, FFA - German Federal Film Board, Netherlands Film Fund and Telefilm Canada, delegations of producers have participated in exclusive tailor made labs designed to to highlight the real co-production opportunities offered by South Korea, Japan, South East Asia, as well as to better understand the landscape of Asian distribution and Asian investing companies
Alongside the project market, works in progress and programmes to foster Asia Europe co-production, the team from Europa Distribution, the European Network of Independent Film Publishers and Distributors, has been back to Udine, once again accompanied by 15 distributors who took part for the third year in the Distribution Lab. For the first time, a partnership has been inaugurated with Europa International, the European network of international film sales agents, allowing its member companies to join a tailor-made Sales Lab, an exclusive initiative offering direct market access and valuable insights into sales strategies tailored to Asia’s highly fragmented and dynamic industry.
For future editions, there is still a lot to explore and discover, but there is no doubt that after 10 editions Focus Asia managed to create a unique boutique market that throughout these years constantly grew, reinvented itself and dreamt big about the future, confirming a strategic leading role amongst the existing platforms dedicated to Asian and European film professionals
Focus Asia is organized by Centro Espressioni Cinematografiche with the support of MiC - Ministero della Cultura Direzione Generale per il Cinema. It is developed in partnership with the Friuli Venezia Giulia Audiovisual Fund, EAVE, Ties That Bind, Confindustria Udine, and in collaboration with, Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA, Hong Kong), Cinema Chile, Europa Distribution, Europa International, FFA-Filmförderungsanstalt / German Federal Film Board, Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), Golden Horse Film Project Promotion Taiwan, HAF Hong Kong – Asia Film Financing Forum, Marché du Film - Festival de Cannes, Netherlands Film Fund, Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA), Telefilm Canada and Visual Industry Promotion Organization (VIPO)