Veteran producer Bill Kong is bringing four commercial titles to the European film market through his Edco Films banner as Hong Kong performs well at the 2026 Berlin Film Festival, with Singapore-Hong Kong-China co-production Panda selected for the Forum section.
Kong, whose credits include the Oscar-winning “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and Zhang Yimou’s “Hero,” is currently showing two sequels to the “Cold War” series, “Cold War 1994” and “Cold War 1995.” Both were directed by Longman Leung and co-produced by Kong with Ivy Ho. In Cold War 1994, MB Lee, head of the Bureau of Organized Crime and Triads, becomes involved in a high-profile kidnapping case involving a wealthy family. As Lee moves through various circles, including the Triad, the city’s elite, and the British regime, he discovers that factions within the police force have their own agendas for power, prestige, and wealth.
“Cold War 1995” follows the aftermath of a kidnapping that sparks a backlash from the British government, and MI6 agents arrive from London to handle the aftermath as the 1997 extradition looms and various factions seek to secure their positions.
The film stars Daniel Wu and Terrence Lau, and the first installment is currently in post-production.
Edco is also showing “Night King,” a comedy drama directed by “A Guilty Conscience” director Jack Ng, starring Dayo Wong and Sammy Cheng as a divorced couple forced to reunite to save a failing nightclub. Set in 2012, the film follows Hoon, manager of Club EJ, as his once glamorous club undergoes a hostile takeover and his violent ex-wife Madame V is installed as the new CEO. Determined to modernize and breathe new life into their business, a estranged couple must join forces with their hostesses in an epic last stand against a powerful conglomerate bent on closing Club EJ for good. The film is produced by Kong and Ho.
Rounding out Edco’s EFM lineup is Unidentified Murder, a comedy-drama about an influencer couple whose staged prank spirals out of control and turns into a real tragedy. A series of accidents, blackmail, and an encounter with extraterrestrial life somehow brings the mysterious disappearance of a child from 25 years ago to light. The film marks the directorial debut of Jack Lee Trung Kit, co-directed with writer-director Kwok Kar-hei, and stars Lin Man Lung, Lency Yong, and Peter Chan Charm Man.
In the Forum section of the festival, “Panda” follows four marginalized people as they wander Nanjing along the Yangtze River, grappling with trauma and seeking salvation.
Director Zhang Xinyan, who won the Jia Zhangku Next Talent Project scholarship in 2019, describes the film as an exploration of “Chineseness” using classical Chinese literature and magical realism as themes. “Society alienates people, and beauty is a way for us to resist alienation,” Chan says.
A Singapore-Hong Kong co-production, the film is produced by Guo Xiaodong, Frank Yong and Xiang Yinghao, and produced by Singapore’s Levo Films. After a long development period, the project won the Best Film Screenplay Award at the 2018 Yangjiang Youth Film Festival, the Best Film Project Award at the 2019 Chongqing Youth Film Festival, and the Best Pitch Award at the 2019 HiShorts. Film Festival before winning the Jury Award in the Under Production category at the 2024 Shanghai International Film Festival Project Market.
“We are honored to be selected as the only Chinese film for the independent and visionary Berlinale Forum,” said producer Guo. “Zhang Xinyan is a shining star among Chinese filmmakers since 1995.”
Levo Films’ previous works include “Caro Mio Ben” (“My Dear Beloved”), which was screened at the 2017 Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival. “Tree House” was released at the 2019 Locarno Film Festival. “The Men Who Wait” performed at the 2021 Berlinale. “Republic” was screened at the 2023 Busan International Film Festival.
Shot in black and white and color, “Panda” stars Zhang Xianming, Elvis Yang, Chen Han, Liu Jiahe and Zhang Ruiying, and was cinematographered by Karl Hou.
Hong Kong productions at EFM also include Entertainment Power’s Pass and Goal, directed by Jill Wong Park Kei and starring Gigi Leung as a financial consultant who helps develop a youth soccer team. The family drama also stars Londi Chan, Sahar Zaman and Chan Charmman, and is another example of the diverse genre offerings in the region’s market.
