Supernatural crime thriller “The Mage,” starring Josie Ho in the leading role of Danny and Oxide Pang, will be introduced to international buyers at the Busan International Film Festival’s Asian Contents and Film Market (ACFM) when it premieres in its first territories in Asia.
Southeast Asian distributor Abnormal Studios will meet with in-market buyers and connect interested parties with 852 Films, which is producing the film, and will take responsibility for subsequent sales inquiries and rights deals for territories that remain open.
Conroy Chan produced the Cantonese-language feature for 852 Films, with the Pang Brothers once again sharing directorial duties. The duo is known internationally for genre hits such as “The Eye”, “Bangkok Dangerous” and “Re-Cycle”.
Ho plays Lan Pui Ching, a one-time spirit medium and scavenger who believes she holds the souls of those who have met sudden deaths and attempts to guide these souls towards reincarnation. He constantly shows up at suspicious-looking death scenes, which puts him on police officer Wong Ming’s radar. As the investigation uncovers a series of murders linked to a strange ritual, the two are pushed to work together and confront otherworldly threats as well as unfinished business from Lan’s past.
Iman Taheri, Carlos Chan, German Cheung, Kathy Yuen and Sabrina Ng complete the cast. The film combines horror and crime with Hong Kong spiritual folklore and is aimed at fans of midnight movies and cult cinema.
The world of “The Mage” premiered at the Bucheon International Fantasy Film Festival (BIFAN) in South Korea in July. It later opened the Midnight section of the Bangkok International Film Festival and will have its European premiere in the Sitges Collection section at Spain’s Sitges International Fantasy Film Festival. Ho, the co-founder of 852 Films, received the Fantasy Icon Award at the 30th edition of BIFAN, honoring his work in genre films.
There are currently two Asian agreements. Edko Films picked up Hong Kong and Macau and CJ ENM picked up Hong Kong, Taiwan and Southeast Asia. The film was released in Hong Kong, Malaysia and Taiwan on October 8, in Singapore on October 15, and in Thailand on October 29. It will be released in Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam in November.
Abnormal Studios, a subsidiary of Westec Media Limited, has been acquiring and releasing films in Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Mongolia and Nepal, among other markets, since 2020. The album’s releases include hits such as “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies” and “Twilight of the Warriors: Inside the Wall”. The company has directed more than 400 films to date and currently releases around 100 films every year.