Chinese-American project Naked in Glendale, directed by first-time filmmaker Haohao Yan and produced by Jane Zheng (Seesaw Productions) and Julia Xu (Q&A Entertainment) wins the White Light Award and Malaysian-Singaporean project Somewhere in the South, the debut feature directed by Ce Ding Tan and produced by Edward Lim (Evil Genius Studio) and Anthony Chen (Giraffe Pictures), wins the TAICCA Award!
With over 200 participants from 40 territories, 13 projects in development, 6 works in progress, 3 days of panels & case studies and almost 250 one to one meetings, Focus Asia 2026 confirms his unique role in fostering artistic and production links between Asia and Europe.
Within the framework of this special edition, Focus Asia proudly introduces its new partnership with White Light Studio, launching the inaugural WHITE LIGHT Focus Asia Award, worth USD 20,000 in professional post-production services, which goes to the Chinese-American project Naked in Glendale, the new feature directed by Haohao Yan. In this personal coming of age, a twelve-year-old Chinese model student and her inexperienced teacher develop secrets as they relocate to a Christian school in the United States under the Elite Education program.
In addition, the TAICCA Award, presented by the Taiwan Creative Content Agency, was awarded to the Malaysian-Singaporean project Somewhere in the South. Directed by Ce Ding Tan and produced by Edward Lim (Evil Genius Studio) and Anthony Chen (Giraffe Pictures), the film revolves around a political campaign that hits a small Malaysian town, where its tiger mascot becomes the unlikely star of the show. To hold onto it, the restless young man inside must become the tiger.
Both winning projects are debut features, a result that cements Focus Asia’s reputation as a powerhouse for talent scouting. By championing new voices at the very start of their journey, the market continues to act as a vital launchpad, turning ambitious first-time projects into the next wave of global cinematic successes.
Now in its eleventh edition, Focus Asia has solidified its role as a key meeting point and Udine became 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.On the Asian side, Focus Asia 2026 further strengthened its network of strategic partnerships with leading funding and promotional bodies across the region, including FDCP – Film Development Council of the Philippines, VIPO – Visual Industry Promotion Organization (Japan), and TAICCA – Taiwan Creative Content Agency. Through these long-standing collaborations, the platform was able to ensure the direct participation of directors and producers of the selected projects and works in progress, reinforcing its commitment to facilitating meaningful in-person exchange and maximizing concrete industry opportunities.
At the same time, the scope of Focus Asia’s partner network continues to expand well beyond Asia. In cooperation with the General Directorate for Cinema and Audiovisual of the Italian Ministry of Culture, Cinecittà, CCIDAHK – Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency Hong Kong and Telefilm Canada, Focus Asia hosted curated delegations of producers who took part in tailor-made labs designed to foster co-production dynamics and provide deeper insights into the evolving landscape of Asian financing, distribution and investment models.
Alongside the core activities of the Project Market and Far East in Progress, Focus Asia confirmed its commitment to training and industry exchange through its dedicated labs. Europa Distribution, the European Network of Independent Film Distributors, returned to Udine with a strong delegation of companies participating in the Distribution Lab, now firmly established as a key component of the programme. At the same time, the collaboration with Europa International continued to grow, with European sales agents once again joining a tailor-made Sales Lab, offering direct access to the Asian market and a strategic understanding of its rapidly evolving ecosystem.
Building on this solid structure, Focus Asia 2026 also expanded its forward-looking approach by integrating new areas of reflection, from data-driven analysis of Asian box office trends to the emergence of new formats such as vertical content and micro-dramas, as well as a dedicated Think Tank on animation developed in collaboration with Anima Mundi.
Looking ahead, while new challenges and opportunities continue to emerge, Focus Asia confirms its identity as a unique boutique platform that, over more than a decade, has consistently evolved, adapted and grown. Today, it stands as a key strategic hub for dialogue between Asia and Europe, where industry professionals come together not only to exchange ideas, but to actively shape the future of international co-production.
Focus Asia is organized by Centro Espressioni Cinematografiche with the support of MiC - Ministero della Cultura Direzione Generale per il Cinema, Cinecittà and Ice (Agency for the promotion abroad and the internationalization of Italian companies). It is developed in partnership with the Friuli Venezia Giulia Audiovisual Fund, EAVE, Ties That Bind, Confindustria Udine, and in collaboration with Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of the Government of Hong Kong, Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA), Hong Kong Film Development Council (FDC), Europa Distribution, Europa International, Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), German Films - Germany, Golden Horse Film Project Promotion Taiwan, HAF Hong Kong – Asia Film Financing Forum, Korea Creative Content Agency, KOCCA, Korea Film Council (KOFIC), Marché du Film - Festival de Cannes, Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA), Telefilm Canada, Visual Industry Promotion Organization (VIPO) and White Light Studio.