International Film Camp 2025 Wraps Up in Macao with Eight Winning Projects
From South to East Asia, diverse new voices shone at IFC 2025, with director Stanley Kwan delivering the closing masterclass.
Organised by the Asian Film Awards Academy, with patronages of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of the Hong Kong SAR Government and the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR Government, and with the support of the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDAHK), the Film Development Fund (FDF) of the Hong Kong SAR Government, Sands China Limited, and Shaw Studios as sponsors, the International Film Camp 2025 (IFC) successfully concluded in Macao on 15 September. Following the final pitching, eight short film projects were awarded production funding of HKD 300,000 (approx. USD 38,000) each. For the first time, the selection included filmmakers from Bangladesh and South Korea, reflecting the Academy’s theme “Together We Dare” and focus “To Innovate”. The Camp highlighted the bold spirit of young Asian directors, expanding new possibilities in cinematic storytelling.
Chief Mentor John CHONG noted: “This year’s International Film Camp has shown me the strength and limitless potential of Asian cinema. Some projects already reached a professional standard. Sharing five days of classes and exchanges with these young filmmakers made me feel as if I had returned to my own youthful days.”
At the inaugural edition, funded projects quickly gained international recognition. Mongolia’s A South Facing Window won two awards at the Locarno Film Festival, Hong Kong’s Once upon a time in the Mountain qualified for Oscar consideration at the Drama International Short Film Festival in Greece, and Mainland China’s Ride Your Horse was selected by the FIRST International Film Festival in Xining and is now being developed into a feature. At the Closing Ceremony, Dr. Wilfred WONG, GBM, GBS, JP, Chairman of the Asian Film Awards Academy, remarked: “The success of the first cohort proved that the Film Camp is a valuable platform for new directors to step onto the international stage. This year, eighteen young filmmakers have shown great talent and determination, and the knowledge and connections gained will be crucial to their future.” Mr. Grant CHUM, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of Sands China Limited, added: “For the second year, Sands China is honoured to support the Camp with AFAA, bringing global expertise to young Asian filmmakers and contributing to Macao’s growth as a film and creative hub.”
This year’s week-long Film Camp brought together 18 young directors from across Asia, each developing a short film project under the theme “My Best Friend.” Through masterclasses, panel discussions, and one-on-one mentorship, participants refined their ideas before presenting them to the jury on the final morning.
Ahead of the Closing and Award Ceremony, acclaimed director Stanley KWAN delivered a masterclass reflecting on his filmmaking journey. Sharing a story from Lan Yu, he revealed: “The final long take was never planned. It only came about when William CHANG found some cutaway empty shots during editing and felt they worked beautifully, so they were added in.” He encouraged participants to adopt a similar mindset: “When you shoot, capture some empty shots as well — you never know when they might come in handy.”
At the Closing and Award Ceremony, Dr. Wilfred WONG, GBM, GBS, JP and Chief Mentor John CHONG presented the awards to the winners in a lively and celebratory atmosphere. In total, eight projects were selected, showcasing a diversity of voices. The line-up included two projects from Hong Kong and two from Mainland China, along with first-time winners from India, Kyrgyzstan, and Vietnam — reflecting the breadth and vitality of Asian cinema. (See the full list of results in the table below.) The full list of winners is provided below. The projects span a wide range of genres, from mythology to thriller, the winning projects each offered a unique take on the theme “My Best Friend”.
A Week of Inspiration and ExchangeOver the course of five days, the 18 fellows took part in a series of masterclasses and industry panels. In addition to the closing session led by Stanley KWAN, this year’s masterclasses featured acclaimed Hong Kong director Mabel CHEUNG and Filipino filmmaker Brillante MENDOZA, winner at the Cannes Film Festival. Mabel, Chief Mentor in the inaugural edition, reflected on the growth of the programme: “Though this is only the second year, the Camp has already nurtured many promising new directors. Ideally it could run annually, so we can witness their growth from shorts to international festivals. The Camp truly supports the next generation of filmmakers.”. MENDOZA shared his distinctive method, often withholding the full script from actors: “When actors are fully immersed in their roles, their performances stay authentic and spontaneous.”.
This year’s one-on-one mentorship sessions also proved invaluable. Chief Mentor John Chong, together with IFC director Roger GARCIA, Hong Kong director and screenwriter CHAN Hing Ka, Cannes and Golden Horse award-winning Singaporean filmmaker Anthony CHEN, and Chinese director CHEN Daming, met individually with fellows to provide tailored guidance on everything from script development to production planning.
In a script workshop, CHAN reminded young creators: “Inspiration doesn’t appear out of nowhere — it comes from daily observation and discipline. What matters most in a script is not clever twists, but a clear theme and characters that move the audience.”
Anthony added that a director must understand characters more deeply than anyone else to earn the actors’ trust, cautioning fellows not to be trapped by conventional definitions of “success” but to pursue the stories they truly want to tell. CHEN described the director as both a “leader and performer” on set, balancing artistic vision with real-world challenges.
Industry Dialogues: Bridging Creativity and the MarketBeyond mentorship, the Film Camp also hosted a series of industry panels to give fellows deeper insight into different aspects of the film world. Topics ranged from the challenges of a first feature, to the international distribution and market potential of Asian short films, to the role of festivals in nurturing emerging directors.
Guest speakers included producer Amy CHIN, director Eric TSANG, producer Harriet WONG, producer XIE Meng, Sabrina BARACETTI (President of the Far East Film Festival), Thomas BERTACCHE (Festival Co-founder), Jongsuk Thomas NAM (festival programmer for BIFAN), Felix TSANG (Sales and Acquisitions Manager at Golden Scene), and Richard PEÑA (Professor Emeritus, Columbia University).
Sabrina emphasised the unique value of the Camp: “It is a rare opportunity for young filmmakers to gain early exposure to the international film industry and to better prepare and define their efforts before officially stepping into the role of director.”.
Fellows Reflect: Inspiring the Road AheadSeveral fellows shared their takeaways after the Camp. Minh Thy from Vietnam said: “It was invaluable to exchange with participants from different regions and to learn from such experienced mentors.” LAM Lo from Hong Kong remarked: “Every session was directly relevant to paving the way for our future feature films. I also came to appreciate how cultural backgrounds shape cinematic approaches. It was a rare and eye-opening experience.” Sreeram from India described it as “a once-in-a-lifetime experience” and expressed gratitude to AFAA for providing resources and guidance to the next generation of filmmakers.
About the International Film CampLaunched in 2024 by the Asian Film Awards Academy, the International Film Camp aims to discover and nurture emerging filmmakers across Asia, offering professional training and an international exchange platform. Short films funded in the inaugural edition have already screened at the Udine Far East Film Festival, Locarno Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF50), and FIRST International Film Festival in China — affirming the Camp’s role in advancing Asian short film creation and supporting the development of young directors.
The complete list of awardees is as follows (in alphabetical order by region):
The Night Journey
HAN Tianchu
Mainland China
Land Breeze
Mainland China
XU Hangcheng
I Don’t Wanna Grow Up
KONG Ho Yan
Hong Kong
The Elephant in the Room
LAM Lo
Hong Kong
DELIVERY
Sreeram PATTATHIL
India
Forgive me, Friend
Tynystan TEMIRZHAN
Kyrgyzstan
After Her
Jane ZHANG
Macau
DEATH IN TOKYO
PHAM Hoang Minh Thy
Vietnam
Please contact us if any questions,
Email: info@afa-academy.com
Tel: +852 3195 0608
Website: www.afa-academy.com
