They make us laugh, they scare us, they keep us on the edge of our seats. Genre films are the heart of cinema – universal through shared conventions, yet ever-changing through localised cultural sensitivity. Still, especially in Europe, they’re often pushed aside.
Join us to shift our perspective and explore different approaches to producing and distributing genre films. We’ll examine the hurdles and how to overcome them with experienced filmmakers, producers and sales agents from Hong Kong, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam. Are genre films market-driven constraints or creative opportunities? What does the international market look like for genre cinema from emerging Asian territories? And why do these films struggle to find distribution beyond festivals, despite thriving home markets?
Panelists
Asra Aman, producer, Badak (IFFR Limelight, 2026)
Hanung Bramantyo, filmmaker (The Hole, 309 Days to the Bloodiest Tragedy, IFFR Harbour 2026)
