The Far East Film Festival Campus initiative continues to bring film lovers together from across the globe, and if that sounds like the beginning of a great film, it’s because, in many ways, it is. As the 28th Far East Film Festival returns from April 24 to May 2, 2026, the FEFF Campus celebrates its 12th edition by welcoming ten emerging writers to Udine, Italy, for what can only be described as a unique and quite possibly life-changing experience.

Looking at the diversity of this year’s participants, Asian cinema (and FEFF itself) has truly become a global language. The 2026 Campus cohort includes Alex Petrescu (Romania), Annabelle Duggan (United Kingdom), Magdalena Nieświec (Poland), Sara Domenicano (Italy), Vedrana Bogdanović (Serbia), Hanhee Oh (South Korea), Jia Enad (Philippines), Irving Ly (Vietnam), Rino Lu (China), and Yasmine Chan (Hong Kong). Different backgrounds, different perspectives, and one shared passion: cinema.

Over the course of the festival, these ten participants will officially become part of the ever-growing FEFF family, diving into a programme designed to guide, challenge, and inspire them as they take their next steps into the industry. As FEFF co-founder and president Sabrina Baracetti puts it, the Campus was created to connect people across borders and offer them a great opportunity to explore the many joys of Asian cinema, while helping them build their future careers. And really, if you’re going to fall in love with cinema all over again, Udine during FEFF is not a bad place to do it.

Since its launch in 2015, the FEFF Campus has become a vital space for young film professionals to go behind the scenes of an international festival. From learning how to write reviews (we promise it’s harder than it looks) to understanding how films are made, funded, and shared with the world, the programme offers a hands-on introduction to the industry. Participants also gain the invaluable opportunity to interview some of Asia’s biggest stars and see their work published on international platforms.

They will also take part in the popular FEFF Talks series and gain insight into the business side of cinema through industry programmes such as Focus Asia and Ties That Bind – because passion is essential, but knowing how the industry works doesn’t hurt either. Over the years, the Campus has welcomed an impressive list of mentors and guests, including Johnnie To, Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Derek Tsang, as well as icons like Sammo Hung, Brigitte Lin, and Moon So-ri. a reminder that sometimes the distance between “aspiring” and “established” is just one conversation away.

At View of the Arts, supporting initiatives like FEFF Campus is part of what we believe in. Creating space, amplifying new voices, and allowing emerging critics and filmmakers to be heard is at the heart of what we do. Because if cinema is about telling stories, then FEFF Campus is about making sure new voices get the chance to tell theirs and be heard.

Image courtesy of FEFF

_{View of the Arts is an online publication dedicated to film, music, and the arts, with a strong focus on the Asian entertainment industry. As we continue to grow, we aim to deepen our coverage of Asian music while remaining committed to exploring and celebrating creativity across the global arts landscape.}