Juno Hong's Debut Selected for SIFF Project
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- Juno Hong brought debut feature 'Only the Moon Knows' to the Shanghai International Film Festival's SIFF Project, where it was selected as one of three international co-production projects presented at the market.
- The film centers on Cheng Jun, a Chinese international student working the night shift at a 24-hour convenience store who forms a bond with a homeless elderly woman sheltering there, with their friendship reaching a breaking point as Cheng Jun prepares to return home.
- Hong drew directly from her own time studying and working abroad, stating: 'This debut feature... is a story born directly from my own life and personal experiences.'
- The project has a budget of RMB 2 million ($296,000) with 10% of financing secured, and Hong is seeking international co-producers, post-production collaborators, and an international distributor.
- Hong previously served as script supervisor and coordinator on Chinese independent productions including 'The Last Summer,' 'Fish,' and Zhao Hao's forthcoming debut 'If I See A Rainbow.'
- Hong holds a graduate degree from Dongguk University's Graduate School of Digital Image & Contents in Korea and is currently based in Beijing.
- Hong's financing approach targets partners who value independent cross-cultural cinema over commercial returns, focusing on international co-productions and cultural film funds rather than purely commercial backers.
Why it matters: With only 10% of a modest $296,000 budget secured, Hong's selection at SIFF Project gives the debut feature visibility in front of the kind of international co-producers and cultural film funds she needs to close financing. The project hinges on attracting post-production collaborators and a distributor willing to back cross-cultural independent cinema over a commercial return.
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