Global Flicks: Flying Lotus to Compose score for 'the furious', noomi rapace and teo yoo headline 'stratagem'
Hunting jessica brok
Africa: Quiver Distribution has secured U.S. rights to the South African thriller Hunting Jessica Brok, targeting a September theatrical release. Directed by Alastair Orr, the film follows a former black ops agent (Danica De La Rey Jones) whose peaceful life shatters when past enemies resurface, forcing her back into action to protect her daughter. The cast includes Clyde Berning and Hlubi Mboya in this high-stakes survival story. Produced by Known Associates Entertainment, the film will debut in South Africa this August before hitting American screens on Friday, September 19th, 2025. Prime Video will stream it across sub-Saharan Africa shortly after.
teo yoo - The Chosunilbo JNS
Asia: A new Tokyo-based film collective, Maboroshi, debuted at Cannes and will be led by seasoned producers and distributors Jin Zhao and Haochen Xu. The company aims to bridge global cinema with Japanese audiences while fostering Sino-Japanese co-productions. Its name, meaning "illusion" and "image," reflects its artistic vision. Partnering with The Katsuben Cinema, Maboroshi will showcase international arthouse films, including works by Ken Loach and Albert Serra.
Taiwan's D-Day Pictures and Singapore's Mokster Films have joined forces for Phantom, a Taoist-inspired twist on The Invisible Man, announced at Cannes. Directed by Lester Hsi (The Bridge Curse), the horror flick follows a social worker uncovering eerie deaths tied to supernatural forces and hidden wartime secrets. Produced by Fiona Hu and Mokster’s Nelson Mok, the film marks Mokster’s first production venture while handling global sales. The story covers forbidden rituals and ghostly encounters as the protagonist unravels the truth behind a sealed cave. The film is slated for a 2026 release.
Music artist Flying Lotus will compose the score for The Furious, an Asian action film directed by Kenji Tanigaki. The story follows a desperate father (played by Xie Miao) battling criminals to rescue his kidnapped daughter. Produced by industry heavyweight Bill Kong (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), the movie boasts a stellar pan-Asian cast including Joe Taslim and Jeeja Yanin. Edko Films is financing and handling distribution in Greater China, while XYZ Films manages global sales. The project, currently at Cannes, blends intense fight sequences with emotional stakes for a gripping cinematic experience.
Noomi Rapace and Teo Yoo will headline the spy thriller Stratagem, playing a CIA operative and a mysterious tech genius locked in a dangerous game of cat and mouse. Directed by Michael Idov (The Humorist), the film unfolds at a high-stakes cybersecurity summit in the Swiss Alps, where Rapace's character attempts to recruit Yoo's hacker—only to discover he's playing his own game. The screenplay comes from Idov and Lily Idov, known for Deutschland 89 and Leto. The film will be produced by David Lancaster (Whiplash) and Matt Leipzig (Joyland), with Highland Film Group's Arianne Fraser and Delphine Perrier serving as executive producers.
A new Thai thriller called Delivery Man has premiered its first images at Cannes, featuring Bhumibhat Thavornsiri and Plearnpichaya Komalarajun. The story follows a socially awkward food courier whose harmless deliveries turn into a dangerous fixation on one female customer. Thavornsiri, fresh from award-winning performances in Hunger and Doi Boy, plays the obsessive delivery man, while Komalarajun takes on the role of his unintended target. Directed by Ornusa Donsawai and Pun Homchuen, with Kongkiat Komesiri co-writing, the film is currently shooting for an early 2026 release. Night Edge Pictures and EST N8 are presenting the project to international buyers at the market.
Alexis Tafur - The Black Snake
Europe: Aurélien Vernhes-Lermusiaux’s new film Black Snake, set in Colombia’s desert, has been acquired by Paris-based MMM Film Sales ahead of its ACID premiere, with ARP handling French distribution. The story follows Ciro, who returns home after a decade to care for his dying mother while facing past ghosts and unresolved legacies.
Camilo Becerra
Latin America: Chilean director Camilo Becerra’s upcoming drama The Sky That We Paint has gained support from Storyboard Media, reuniting after their successful partnership on his last film, Maybe It’s True What They Say About Us, which debuted at San Sebastián and was later acquired by Prime Video, earning widespread praise. His new film follows three troubled teens named Ana, Matías, and Iggy whose intense bond unravels into lasting scars, only for Ana and Iggy to reconnect years later in search of lost innocence. Starring Clemente Rodríguez and Octavia Bernasconi, the story is set in late-‘90s Santiago, blending personal struggles with Chile’s political history. Currently in financing stages, the project promises a raw, poetic exploration of youth and trauma.
Faisal Baltyuor - Hoda Davaine
Middle East: Dubai's Cercamon has unveiled Vorteks, a new genre division focusing on horror, sci-fi, thrillers, and dark comedies. The label plans to handle 8-10 films annually under the leadership of industry veteran David Kwok. Known for his decade-long role as the Tribeca Film Festival's programming director, Kwok will now drive acquisitions and sales for Vorteks. The new venture aims to bring bold, unconventional stories to global audiences, with Kwok's expertise expected to help shape Vorteks into a standout player in genre cinema.
Saudi film industry pioneer Faisal Baltyuor takes the helm as Red Sea Foundation CEO starting June 1, replacing interim leader Mohammed Asseri. A key architect of Saudi Arabia's cinematic rebirth since theaters reopened in 2017, Baltyuor previously launched Ithra Cinema and built CineWaves Films into the kingdom's top film distributor. Baltyuor also established Riyadh's first arthouse cinema, Cinehouse, and produced landmark films including Haifaa Al Mansour's Venice-selected The Perfect Candidate and Netflix hit From the Ashes. His producing credits extend to Cannes-winning Sudanese drama Goodbye Julia and Saudi box office hit Sattar. Baltyuor now leads the Jeddah-based foundation overseeing the Red Sea Film Festival (December 4-13, 2025), film fund, and talent labs during Saudi cinema's explosive growth period.
