Written and directed by Tan Ce Ding, “Somewhere in the South” is a Malaysian feature film produced by none other than Singaporean filmmaker Anthony Chen alongside Edward Lim, a long-time collaborator of the director. The film has been selected for the Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF), which will take place on the 17th to 19th March 2026 in Hong Kong.
Having won the Caméra d’Or at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival for his debut film, “Ilo Ilo”, Chen requires little introduction in the world of Asian cinema. Chen also co-directed “The Breaking Ice”, the Singaporean entry in the Best International Feature Film category at the 96th Academy Awards and “Please Hold The Line”, his short film that has previously premiered at major film festivals including Venice International Film Festival, Clermont-Ferrand, and Golden Horse.
Set in a declining southern Malaysian town that briefly becomes the subject of public attention, “Somewhere in the South” follows a restless young man who becomes involved with a group promising change, after being asked to wear its tiger mascot suit, only to find himself losing his sense of identity behind the costume.
“This is my debut feature, a project I have been developing over the past year. I’m very excited to finally work on a subject that feels distinctly Malaysian, yet remains largely unexplored on screen,” said Tan Ce Ding. “The script has been developed across different countries through focused international development programmes, and I just returned from Tokyo last month, where the project underwent further development. Entering HAF marks an important step forward, and I look forward to working closely with Anthony as the film continues to take shape.”
“I’ve long admired Tan Ce Ding’s bold short films,” shared Chen, speaking openly about his admiration for Tan’s work. “CD, as we fondly call him, is exactly the kind of exciting new voice we’re seeing rise in Malaysian cinema. His first feature, with its remarkable honesty and ambition, captures the growing confidence and urgency of this movement. I look forward to working with him to elevate “Somewhere in the South” for the international stage.”
As of now, the film is still in script development and thus does not have a release date yet. However, it’s set to have dialogue in Cantonese, Malay, and English, and will be presented at HAF, where selected teams engage with international producers, financiers and industry partners.
