The film investment and business networking event will take place March 19-21.


Korean director E J-yong, Taiwanese helmer Arvin Chen and Chinese animation filmmaker Liu Jian will headline the 16th Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF), which is set to be held March 19-21.


E, the critically acclaimed director behind Bacchus Lady (2016), Actresses (2009) and Scandal (2003), will present new project The Big Picture at the film investment and business networking platform. The project revolves around the accidental killing of a man and his identity stolen by the killer.


Chen, who won the Asian Film Award at the Berlin International Film Festival with his directorial debut Au Revoir Taipei (2010), will bring to the forum Naïve Melody, a film about a young man going to a brothel to lose his virginity and its aftermath.


Liu, who wrote, directed and produced the animated features Piercing (2010) and Have a Nice Day (2017), will unveil Art College, which looks at the love and school life of two art students in the 1990s.


Five projects from Hong Kong were listed among the 25 films to be highlighted, which were chosen out of 360 submissions from 41 countries and territories. A Complicated Story and Ten Years director Kiwi Chow’s suspense drama Deadline is shortlisted, as is film industry veteran O Sing-pui’s romantic comedy-drama Sex Is Guilt. Director Leung Ming-kai also will present While You Were Working, about the singing aspirations of a Filipino worker in Hong Kong.


Three countries are newly included in this year’s lineup, namely Cambodia, Russia and Mongolia.


HAF will also host a Work in Progress Laboratory for directors and producers to look for postproduction funds for unfinished projects.