The 2026 Asian Short Film Fund (ASFF) announces its shortlist projects today. 

Launched jointly by HKIFF Industry, under the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (HKIFFS) and NOWNESS ASIA, a subsidiary of Meta Media Group, the fund opened for submissions in April. It drew entries spanning Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Oceania, gathering projects from 47 countries and regions, including Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, India, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. While firmly rooted in Asia, this year’s lineup broadens its narrative horizons to include emerging cinematic voices from Western and Central Asian regions like Bhutan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, and Jordan. 

Out of the 10 shortlisted projects, nearly half are driven by female creators, breaking away from traditional storytelling patterns. The lineup features a rich cross-pollination of genres—including fiction, documentary, animation, and experimental films. From various perspectives, these works push the boundaries of cinematic form and territory while preserving their unique, avant-garde qualities. 

Following an online pitching session with the shortlisted teams in late July, the jury will select THREE winning projects. Each will be awarded up to USD 35,000 in production support. To guide the projects, internationally acclaimed Asian filmmakers Lav Diaz, Oh Jung-Wan, and Yeh Ju-Feng will serve as mentors, providing full-spectrum support from script development, production and international distribution. 

The winning projects will be announced in late August. The selected teams will subsequently travel to Hong Kong for one-on-one mentorship sessions to ready their projects for production and release.