Singapore’s first scripted feature-length treaty co-production with Canada, KUNGFULAND, represents a strategic convergence of international financing, virtual production technology, and cultural storytelling that may establish a template for future cross-border collaborations.
The Treaty Framework
The Singapore-Canada co-production treaty provides a bilateral framework enabling productions to access financing, tax incentives, and distribution channels in both jurisdictions. KUNGFULAND is the first scripted feature-length action-comedy produced under this treaty using virtual production technology.
The film is produced by Singapore-based Ajacent Media and Canada’s 100 Dragons, with support from the Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore (IMDA). Principal photography commenced on 10 June 2026 at AUX Infinite Studios in Singapore.
Virtual Production as Creative and Economic Strategy
KUNGFULAND employs cutting-edge LED wall technology combined with Shaw Brothers-inspired practical sets to evoke the aesthetic of 1970s martial arts cinema. The hybrid approach allows the production to achieve visual authenticity that would be prohibitively expensive through entirely physical set construction, while maintaining the tactile quality that distinguishes practical production design from purely digital environments.
Set in Chinatown in 1999, the film pays homage to the golden era of Hong Kong martial arts filmmaking, a cultural touchstone that resonates across Asian and international audiences. The creative choice reflects an understanding that Singaporean cinema can draw upon regional cultural heritage while leveraging global production partnerships.
Talent and Creative Collaboration
The production brings together a multinational cast including Idrissa Sanogo Bamba, Ellen Wong, Dion Johnstone, and Hugh Tran, with a cameo by legendary Hong Kong actor David Chiang. The screenplay was written by Canadian Maninder Chana alongside Singaporeans Jacen Tan and Andrew Ngin, with Jacen Tan directing.
Producers Kat Goh (Singapore) and Teresa M. Ho (Canada) lead the production team, ensuring that the collaboration extends beyond financing into genuine creative partnership. This depth of binational involvement distinguishes treaty co-productions from simpler service arrangements where one jurisdiction provides production capacity while the other retains creative control.
Investment and Distribution
Enigmatig Limited, a Singapore-headquartered global business enabler, has invested in KUNGFULAND, with Founder and CEO Desmond Foo describing the project as embodying the company’s mission of “helping ambitious ideas find their way across borders”.
Distribution arrangements span multiple territories: Shaw Organisation will distribute in Singapore, Raven Banner Releasing in Canada, and Flourishing Films for the rest of the world. The distribution structure ensures that the film reaches audiences in both co-producing countries while maintaining international reach through specialist partners.
The Broader Co-Production Landscape
KUNGFULAND is not an isolated initiative. Singaporean producers are increasingly engaging with international co-production frameworks as a means of accessing financing and audiences beyond what the domestic market can support. Strange Root, a Singaporean HAF project, secured co-production partners from Indonesia, Germany, the Netherlands, and the Philippines. Nelson Yeo’s Black Sun attracted investment from Oui Production, while The House on the Moon represents a co-production between Singapore, Taiwan, Germany, and Indonesia.
This pattern reflects a strategic recognition that Singapore’s strength lies not in competing with larger markets on volume, but in serving as a hub for sophisticated, internationally oriented productions that leverage the city-state’s financing infrastructure, production expertise, and regulatory clarity.
Virtual Production as Regional Capability
The use of virtual production on KUNGFULAND demonstrates that Singapore’s investment in LED volume infrastructure—including facilities like X3D Studio and AUX Infinite Studios—is translating into tangible production capability. International partners gain access to advanced virtual production services while Singaporean talent develops expertise that can be applied to future projects.
The convergence of treaty frameworks, virtual production technology, and multinational creative collaboration positions KUNGFULAND as more than a single film. It represents a model for how Singapore can participate meaningfully in global film production while maintaining creative and cultural specificity.