GKIDS is bringing Another World, a visually arresting animated dark fantasy from Hong Kong, to audiences following the film’s landmark theatrical and festival success.
Directed by Tommy Ng Kai Chung in his feature directorial debut, Another World has already made history as the No. 1 highest-grossing Hong Kong film of 2025 and the highest-grossing Hong Kong animated film of all time. The film also earned Best Animated Feature at the 62nd Golden Horse Awards and was selected for several major international festivals, including the Annecy International Animation Film Festival 2025, the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival and the 21st Zurich Film Festival.
Based on Naka Saijo’s novel SENNENKI, published by Tokuma Shoten Publishing Co., Ltd., Another World blends supernatural fantasy with deeply human themes of grief, rage, forgiveness and reconciliation.
A Dark Fairy Tale Between Life, Death and Reincarnation
Another World follows Gudo, a Soul Keeper responsible for guiding human souls into their next life. When Gudo befriends a young girl named Yuri, he discovers that her untimely death has left her soul cursed by unresolved rage and regret.
As Yuri’s soul teeters on the edge of annihilation, Gudo sets out on a dangerous journey to prevent her pain from unleashing destruction across both the human world and the spirit realm.
Described as a dark fairy tale, the film explores how hatred and despair can shape a soul — and how compassion, even in its smallest form, can become a path toward healing.
A Story Rooted in Forgiveness and Emotional Healing
In his director’s note, Tommy Ng Kai Chung describes Another World as a reflection of the harshness of the real world and the hidden struggles people often carry. He explains that the film centers on belief: the belief that compassion can bridge generations and heal even the deepest scars.
Screenwriter and producer Polly Yeung Po Man also connects the film’s emotional core to anger, regret and redemption. Her note frames the story around a central question: how long does it take for someone to let go of anger and hatred, not only toward others, but toward themselves?
That question gives Another World its emotional weight, positioning the film not only as a fantasy adventure, but as a meditation on pain, self-forgiveness and the possibility of change across lifetimes.
Interview with Tommy Ng Kai Chung
In collaboration with VTuber, Krystal Vee, we had the opportunity to sit down with director Tommy Ng Kai Chung for a special virtual interview about the making of the film.
Cast and Creative Team
The Cantonese-language film stars Chung Suet Ying as Gudo, Choi Hiu Tung as Yuri, Louis Cheung as Dark Sky, Kay Tse as Goddess, Will Or as Keung and Yeung Nga Man as Goran.
The film is directed by Tommy Ng Kai Chung, written by Polly Yeung Po Man and produced by Yeung alongside Chan Gin Kai. Another World runs 112 minutes and is presented in its original Cantonese language. The film is currently not rated.
Ng is the founder of Point Five Creations, a Hong Kong-based animation studio specializing in full-service cel animation production. His previous work includes award-winning animated shorts such as Everywhere, Another World and Tale of Rebellious Stone, along with commercial and music video projects for brands and titles including Assassin’s Creed, Nike Air Max and Snakehips X Jess Glynne’s “Lie For You.”
Hong Kong Animation Steps Onto a Larger Global Stage
With its record-breaking box office performance and growing international festival presence, Another World represents a major moment for Hong Kong animation. The film’s combination of hand-crafted visual style, spiritual fantasy and emotionally driven storytelling places it alongside the kind of global animated cinema GKIDS has long championed.
GKIDS has built its reputation around bringing artist-driven animation to North American audiences, including works from acclaimed filmmakers such as Makoto Shinkai, Satoshi Kon, Tomm Moore and Mamoru Hosoda. The company also serves as the North American home of Studio Ghibli.
For audiences drawn to fantasy stories with emotional depth, Another World offers a journey through rage, sorrow and redemption — one that asks whether compassion can survive even across death, reincarnation and a thousand years of unresolved pain.
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