Co-organised by Hong Kong Asian Film Festival (HKAFF) Society Limited and Broadway Cinematheque, the opening ceremony of the HKAFF 2025 was held yesterday at Pacific Place.

The long awaited local animation Another World, has finally premiered as the festival's opening film in Hong Kong, with its beloved characters Gudo and Yuri being this year's official ambassadors. Director Tommy Ng Kai Chung, writer-producer Polly Yeung Po Man and their local production team spent 7 years reimagining an awarded animated short film into a full length film. In a world full of rage and despair, the film infused buddhist philosophy and orientalist aesthetics, sparking audiences to confront hatred and regrets, learning detachment and continuation. 

During the post-screening discussion, Polly shared her thoughts on the original novel, describing it as 'uncovering the brutality of humanity, yet revealing how kindness coexisted', she added, 'I have always been interested in adapting it into a film'. Congratulations to Polly and the entire team on this remarkable accomplishment! Chung Suet Ying and Christy Choi Hiu Tung, the voice actors of Gudo and Yuri respectively, appreciated how the film provided space for their creative interpretation. Louis Cheung and Kay Tse enjoyed the voice over process and felt proud about how Hong Kong animation is gaining international recognition. Goofy Yeung Nga Man noticed the character was always emotionally burdened, she therefore invested great effort in portraying the character's complexity. Will Or Wai Lam was impressed by the persistence and passion of the production team. 

Another World sets a powerful prologue for HKAFF 2025. Audiences are kindly invited to continue exploring the HKAFF catalogue and discover more gems from the Asian cinema. Stay tuned for more!