Bridging Cultures Through Films: ASEAN Film Festival 2026 to Open this August with its Largest Programme to Date

This year's festival features Timor-Leste's first participation, a lineup of over 30 films, and free screenings across from 20 August to 27 September.

Tickets will be available on the official AFF website in two stages: today and 24 August.

HONG KONG, Aug. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hong Kong-ASEAN Foundation (HKAF) is pleased to announce the fourth edition of the ASEAN Film Festival (AFF), opening on 20 August. AFF 2026 will present over 30 films — the largest selection since the festival's inception — featuring works from all 11 ASEAN member countries, including first-time participation from the newest member country, Timor-Leste, alongside films from China (Hong Kong and Chinese Mainland) and other countries.

With free screenings across Hong Kong, the programme brings together stories, cultures and creative voices from across the region and beyond. Through these diverse perspectives, audiences are invited to explore the richness and cultural diversity of ASEAN and other communities through cinema. This year's edition also highlights the connection between film and music, with many ASEAN selections using sound, songs and performance to deepen their storytelling.

Films and music at the core of exploring cultural diversity

AFF 2026 offers Hong Kong audiences a curated selection of films that reflect the stories, traditions and contemporary life of participating countries and regions. This year's expanded lineup broadens the dialogue and deepens cross-regional appreciation among audiences in Hong Kong, particularly younger generations. Film and music together form the emotional core of this exchange, helping to convey the cultures of ASEAN and beyond in engaging and accessible ways. The festival provides an accessible platform for audiences to learn and explore varied perspectives.

Mr Daryl Ng, Chairman of the Hong Kong-ASEAN Foundation, said, 'Film and music are universal languages that bring people together across cultures and generations. As the ASEAN Film Festival continues to grow, we are pleased to invite audiences to discover the rich stories, creativity and cultural diversity of ASEAN and beyond. This year's programme marks the festival's largest edition to date, offering an even broader and more dynamic selection of films. We hope the festival will provide an enjoyable and insightful experience, offering audiences an engaging way to explore different cultures and perspectives through film and music. We are grateful for the continued support of our valued partners, including the Consulates-General of the 18 countries in Hong Kong, 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, the Financial Services Development Council, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Invest Hong Kong, Our Hong Kong Foundation and various chambers and associations, whose collective efforts enable us to broaden the festival's reach and strengthen its impact.'

Hong Kong as a hub for economic and cultural exchange

As an international city where cultures from different parts of the world come together, Hong Kong provides a strong platform for cultural exchange through film. AFF 2026 will feature post-screening sharing sessions with directors and filmmakers from selected films, offering audiences insights into the creative process behind these productions, as well as conversations with Hong Kong filmmaking professionals on the role of music in storytelling.

In addition to ASEAN selections, this year's programme also includes selected works from Australia, Bangladesh, Belarus, China (Hong Kong and Chinese Mainland), Kazakhstan, Nepal, Pakistan and Russia, offering audiences a broader range of cultural and cinematic perspectives. Many of the directors and actors of the featured films have garnered international recognition for their creativity and unique storytelling techniques.

Among the highlights is Timor-Leste's AFF debut with "Intangible Cultural Heritage: Short Films from Timor-Leste," a music-themed collection introducing the country's rich cultural traditions to festival audiences. The festival will open with the Philippines' "Song of the Fireflies", and the programme will also include audience favourites such as "SuckSeed" (Thailand), a coming-of-age comedy about a teenage rock band, and "881" (Singapore), a nostalgic musical drama celebrating the getai stage tradition. Audiences will be moved by emotional stories like "Babah" (Malaysia), "I Wanna Be Your Lobster…" (Myanmar), and "The Gula Anau Story" (Brunei Darussalam). The festival also presents Indonesia's fantastical family adventure "Jumbo," Cambodia's tender romance "Turn Left Turn Right," Lao PDR's "Khuan Nang," and Viet Nam's music-themed "Sound Across the Ocean," alongside Hong Kong's music-driven drama "Last Song for You" and China's "Dear You" — together reflecting AFF 2026's growing embrace of local and Chinese Mainland storytelling.  

Beyond ASEAN, the programme also features Pakistan's blockbuster action epic "The Legend of Maula Jatt," Australia's "33 Postcards," and Russia's "Diodorova: Against the Current," rounding out a selection that spans the region and beyond. For the full list of films, please refer to the appendix.

AFF 2026 is a collaborative endeavour involving the Hong Kong-ASEAN Foundation, the Consulates-General of the 18 countries in Hong Kong, and partners across the cultural and business 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, Financial Services Development Council, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Invest Hong Kong, Our Hong Kong Foundation, and various chambers and associations.

The public is invited to visit the official AFF 2026 website to register for free tickets, available on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets for screenings from 21 August to 6 September are now available, while tickets for the remaining screenings from 10 to 27 September will be available on 24 August. For full details on the featured films and screening schedule, please visit the AFF 2026 website: www.aseanfilmfest.org.

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Bridging Cultures Through Films: ASEAN Film Festival 2026 to Open this August with its Largest Programme to Date

• The seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook (NEO) for Q4 2026 in Asia Pacific and the Middle East (APME) stands at +33%, improving by five points quarter-over-quarter and four points year-over-year.
• The Information sector (+42%) reports the strongest NEO in Q4 2026, while Hospitality (+20%) reports the weakest NEO among sectors.
• Most employers report hiring timelines are unchanged (40%) or faster (31%) than in 2025, with better targeting of candidates (27%) cited as the leading driver.
• Early-career hiring remains resilient across APME, with 45% of employers increasing hiring over the past year, more than double the proportion reporting a decline (18%), while 36% report no change.

SINGAPORE, Sept. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Hiring intentions strengthened across APME heading into Q4 2026. Most employers also report filling vacancies at the same speed or faster than a year ago, according to the latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey.

The survey of 12,794 employers across 11 APME countries and territories found that 46% plan to increase headcount in the coming quarter, 13% anticipate a decrease in staffing levels, while 40% expect no change.

Hiring sentiment improved across APME markets in Q4 2026, with most markets reporting quarter-over-quarter increases. India (+54%) continues to report the strongest hiring Outlook in the region, and globally, followed by UAE (+41%) which records the region's strongest quarter-over-quarter improvement, rising 24 points from Q3 2026. Meanwhile, Japan (+7%) reports the most cautious Outlook in the region.

"The stronger Outlook across APME reflects employers' continued focus on growth and transformation," said François Lançon, Regional President, Asia Pacific & Middle East, ManpowerGroup. "Organizations are creating jobs as they expand, pursue new growth opportunities, and build the capabilities needed to keep pace with technological change. Increasingly, hiring decisions are being shaped by what businesses need to deliver now and to stay competitive next."

View the full results: https://www.manpower.com.sg/en/meos-apme

About ManpowerGroup

ManpowerGroup® (NYSE: MAN), the leading global workforce solutions company, helps organizations transform in a fast-changing world of work by sourcing, assessing, developing, and managing the talent that enables them to win. Our expert family of brands – Manpower, Experis, and Talent Solutions – creates substantially more value for candidates and clients across more than 70 countries and territories and for more than 75 years.

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Hiring Intentions Strengthen Across APME as Net Employment Outlook Reaches +33% for Q4 2026, ManpowerGroup Survey Finds