Aaron Kwok Drama ‘IOU' Unveiled by Distribution Workshop at Hong Kong FilMart

Distribution Workshop has revealed its latest feature film 'IOU' for international sales at Hong Kong FilMart, starring award-winning actor Aaron Kwok in the lead role.
Directed by Steven Zhang Zhonghua, an emerging filmmaker from China's post-80s generation, 'IOU' tells the story of a desperate man (Kwok) who blockades the rural lodging of siblings in China's Shaanxi province, attempting to force their father to repay a loan. The siblings' simple-mindedness and compassion eventually transform Kwok's character, leading to an unexpected decision when he returns to their shabby lodging on Lunar New Year's Eve after fleeing other creditors. The comedy-drama, set against the backdrop of recent illegal fundraising scams, satirizes what the producers describe as 'the selfishness of an interest-driven society.'
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The film represents a reunion between Kwok and accomplished Hong Kong producer Julia Chu, following their previous collaborations on 'Port of Call' (2015) and 'Where the Wind Blows' (2022). 'IOU' has already gained industry attention as a Top-30 finalist in the 33rd Golden Rooster Film Project Market and at the 20th HKIFF Industry event. Production began in early March with a budget of approximately $3 million.
Director Zhang has built a reputation for his work with child actors, with previous credits including 'Hearty Tomato' (2012), which was selected for the 28th Warsaw International Film Festival; 'The Home in the Tree' (2019), nominated for Best Children's Film at the 32nd Golden Rooster Awards; and 'Home by the River' (2025), which competed at the Poland Kinolub Film Festival.
Other titles in Distribution Workshop's current lineup include Juno Mak's 'Sons of the Neon Night,' Dante Lam's 'Operation Hadal,' Vincent Chow's 'Little Red Sweet,' and 'Penguin Girl' from Taiwanese first-time director Yuyu Yang. The company is also representing 'Dear Black Sheep,' a documentary following Taiwanese TV personality Bowie Tsang's experiences with cancer patients.
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Michael Corleone and Vito Corleone in The Godfather: Part II This one feels like a cheat, but Al Pacino and Robert De Niro were two of the biggest names in Hollywood at the time. Sure, their characters are in two separate periods, and a time travel moment would have made zero sense, but it's amazing we didn't even get an interaction in that final flashback scene at the end (obviously with Marlon Brando as older Vito). Again, big asterisk with this one, but it still qualifies. Korben Dallas and Zorg in The Fifth Element The Fifth Element isn't the only film in which the hero and villain don't share screen time, but it stands out more than others. And by stand out, their lack of confrontation proves the film carries itself through story and action well enough to go unnoticed. Vegeta and Chi-Chi in Dragon Ball Z Dragon Ball Z fans know just about every fight like the back of their hand, but it often goes unnoticed that two major players never meet. 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Stringer Bell & Bubbles in The Wire The Wire is another show where you could pick several characters, but for this list, I picked Stringer and Bubbles. Stringer appeared in 37 episodes, while Bubble appeared in 52. Through all the episodes their appearances crossed over, they never once had a scene where they interacted. Frozone and Syndrome in The Incredibles So much for top-shelf monologuing. The interaction between Frozone and Syndrome would have been hilariously legendary. Obviously, Syndrome is aware of Frozone and even targets him in the final fight, but they never share a meaningful scene. It's a shame; they are both big personalities. (Still waiting on that Frozone spinoff) The Wizard and the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz "Her sister was a witch!"In the Wizard of Oz, we get one scene with Glinda and the Wicked Witch of the West, but we never see the green nightmare meet the green fraud. We never even see their "real world" selves cross paths. 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Other than the motel shootout scene, Anton Chigurh and Llewyn Moss never share a scene together, despite them being the main protagonist and antagonist. Sheriff Ed Tom Bell, on the other hand, can't seem to catch up. Max and Will in Stranger Things Stranger Things features many young characters from "The Party" members to other students, whom we all watched grow up over the seasons. With all the turmoil Will went through in the first season and Max in the second, it feels like there is a story somewhere there, but neither has shared a meaningful interaction leading into the final season. Who knows, maybe Stranger Things 5 will see them off on a quest where they can bond over their struggles. I haven't seen every TV show or movie, so can you think of two characters you love who never interacted despite being in the same story? Comment below!