From 7 to 31 August, over 20 films will be screened for free
Tickets are now available on the official AFF website
Press Release | Posted: 24 July 2025 | Hong Kong
The Hong Kong-ASEAN Foundation (HKAF) is delighted to announce the third edition of the ASEAN Film Festival (AFF), featuring over 20 acclaimed films from various countries, running from 7 to 31 August. As ASEAN is a vital partner in the Belt and Road Initiative, this year’s festival will also showcase outstanding works from four Belt and Road countries — Egypt, Hungary, Kazakhstan, and Türkiye — for the first time. In addition to bringing together the ten ASEAN member countries, the festival aims to foster cross-cultural connections and people-to-people exchanges. Filmmakers and directors from around ten highlighted films will engage in special sharing sessions with local youth and ASEAN students in Hong Kong, enriching the viewing experience and enhancing their understanding of different countries.
Broaden cultural horizons through a month-long cinematic journey
This year’s selection provides Hong Kong audiences with a vibrant mix of genres and storytelling traditions, ranging from heartwarming comedies and inspiring dramas to thrilling mysteries and intense action. The 24 selected films showcase the soft power of filmmakers from diverse regions and highlight their significant contributions to the international film and creative cultural industry. Through the festival, the Hong Kong-ASEAN Foundation hopes to encourage Hong Kong audiences — especially the younger generation — to appreciate the rich and diverse cinematic works from ASEAN and Belt and Road countries, while exploring the profound and vibrant cultural heritage of these nations.
‘Films serve as a cultural medium that transcends geographical boundaries, conveying diverse stories with a shared emotional bond. This year, we are truly honoured to continue presenting exciting films from the ten ASEAN countries to our audiences in Hong Kong, and for the first time, to feature works from four Belt and Road countries. Their participation enriches the festival, sparking new exchanges and creative connections across borders. This further highlights Hong Kong’s unique charm as a cultural hub, and reinforces the city’s vital role as a “super connector” and “super value-adder” between Mainland China and the international community,’ says Mr Daryl Ng, Chairman of Hong Kong-ASEAN Foundation. ‘We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the consuls-general for their invaluable support in selecting representative films, as well as to the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, M+, the Asia Society Hong Kong Center, the Belt and Road Office of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, and other esteemed partners, for their support and insights. Through these collective efforts, we hope to provide Hong Kong audiences with a richer array of film arts, enhancing our cultural perspectives and allowing the younger generation to appreciate the essence of cultures from ASEAN and Belt and Road countries.’
AFF 2025 is a collaborative endeavour involving the Hong Kong-ASEAN Foundation, the Consulates -General of the 14 countries in Hong Kong, and various partners across multiple sectors. Co-presenters include the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency, M+ and Asia Society Hong Kong Center. Supporting organisations comprise the Belt and Road Office of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, the Financial Services Development Council, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, InvestHK, Our Hong Kong Foundation, and various chambers and associations.
Showcasing Cultural Diversity and Enhancing Regional Connectivity
In recent years, the HKSAR Government has introduced various initiatives to promote economic and cultural cooperation between Hong Kong and ASEAN. Against this backdrop of strong collaboration, the AFF enters its third edition, now featuring films from an additional four Belt and Road countries, supported by the Belt and Road Office of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau. The event aims to use film as a bridge to foster cross-cultural connections, broaden humanistic perspectives, and strengthen regional connectivity and mutual understanding, contributing to the development of cultural, tourism, and film industries across regions. AFF 2025 will offer a month of free screenings at multiple venues across Hong Kong, along with post-screening discussions featuring filmmakers who will share their creative visions and behind-the-scenes stories. Some sessions will also include local film industry professionals, in collaboration with the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency, encouraging meaningful cross-regional dialogue and creative exchange.
Many of the featured directors and actors from ASEAN and Belt and Road countries have garnered international recognition for their creativity and unique storytelling techniques. Among the curated highlights are award-winning blockbusters such as ‘Ah Boys to Men 3: Frogmen’ (Singapore), which set a record for Singapore’s opening week box office, and the 4K restored version of Thailand’s classic box office hit ‘My Girl’ (Thailand). Audiences will be moved by emotional stories like ‘Falling in Love Like in Movies’ (Indonesia), ‘Nuansang: The Heart of Teacher’ (Laos), and ‘If My Lover Were a Flower’ (Myanmar). The festival also presents a powerful autobiographical story, ‘Champion’ (Türkiye), an epic tale of love, sacrifice, betrayal, and redemption, ‘Samsara’ (Indonesia), and a stirring tale of female leadership and courage, ‘Tomiris’ (Kazakhstan). Notably, AFF 2025 features two cross-country collaborations — ‘Out of the Nest’ (Thailand and China) and ‘Our Blossom’ (Hungary and Vietnam) — highlighting the creative synergy between regions with distinct yet interconnected cultural identities and celebrating the universal language of film.
Starting today, the public is invited to visit the official AFF 2025 website to register for free entry tickets, available on a first-come, first-served basis.
