The Mage premiere will have its world debut at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, 852 Films said, and the film will hold a special opening screening during the festival in Bucheon, South Korea.
Produced by 852 Films and overseen by producer Chan Tsz-chung (陳子聰), the supernatural crime thriller The Mage stars Ho Chiu (何超), Iman, Chan Ka-lok (陳家樂), and Cheung Man-kit (張文傑). The producers said the film will receive a world premiere run at the festival and that organizers have added extra weekend screenings so more audiences can attend.
The film is directed by the Pang brothers (彭氏兄弟), who are known for their work in horror and suspense. The directors described the story as a blend of supernatural themes and crime investigation, layered with elements of Eastern fantasy to create a deliberately mysterious cinematic world.
Festival organizers and 852 Films released a 30-second trailer ahead of the screening, and the short clip already hints at the movie’s tone. The trailer opens with a frantic line that frames the story’s central mystery, and quick cuts stack unsettling imagery to build tension.
Early in the trailer, Ho Chiu’s scavenger character shouts, “I did not kill him, I was trying to save someone!” The scene then cuts rapidly between startling set pieces, including a bed submerged in water and a shot of a character performing a ritual to confront an unseen threat, all underscoring the film’s oppressive atmosphere. Iman appears in the trailer with a look of mounting fear, a moment the filmmakers said is intended to deepen audience curiosity about the plot.
Ho Chiu, who takes a markedly different turn from previous roles by playing a principled scavenger, said attending Bucheon is personally meaningful. She recalled a prior invitation to a South Korean film event that she could not accept after Chan Tsz-chung fell seriously ill, and she added that returning to South Korea with a recovered Chan Tsz-chung and their completed film helps make up for that missed opportunity.
Chan Tsz-chung said The Mage is one of his key projects since recovering, and he described the film as an attempt to fuse classic fantasy motifs with a modern detective approach to evoke a fresh viewing experience. He singled out Iman for praise, saying the actor displayed notable performance potential and international appeal.
Iman, making a first appearance in a Hong Kong production, said he was excited to be invited to an international festival so early in his local film career. He told reporters the role was an opportunity to explore themes of life, death, and philosophy, and he said the shoot was a fresh learning experience that he hopes will help overseas audiences connect with The Mage’s world.
The Pang brothers said they have shown work at Bucheon several times and welcomed the chance to return with The Mage for a world premiere. They described the screening as a milestone for the film and for their ongoing collaboration in genre cinema, and they noted the early footage has helped lift the curtain on the film’s mysteries.
According to a 852 Films representative, distribution rights for The Mage have already been acquired by a buyer, and the company said a release schedule will be announced soon. Festival organizers confirmed the film’s world premiere and the additional weekend shows in a written statement provided to reporters.
Schedule and ticket information for The Mage premiere at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival will appear on the festival site and through 852 Films’ official channels, the organizers said.
Background: The Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, often abbreviated as BIFAN, is an annual genre festival in Bucheon, a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, known for showcasing science fiction, horror, and fantasy cinema.