Ong Xuan Jing ties for Best Actress at MIFFest; Jecheon and Venice announce September plans

Ong Xuan Jing shares MIFFest Best Actress title

At the closing ceremony of the 9th Malaysia International Film Festival (MIFFest) on July 25 in Kuala Lumpur, nine-year-old Singaporean Ong Xuan Jing shared the Best Actress prize for her debut role in coming-of-age drama Ah Girl (2026). She tied with 21-year-old Swiss actress Lila Gueneau for the historical French drama Silent Rebellion (2025), with other nominees including Taiwan's singer-actress 9m88, Sudanese model-actress Buliana Simon and Czech actress Katerina Falbrova. Xuan Jing described the joint win as feeling "like a dream" in remarks to Chinese-language daily Lianhe Zaobao and credited co-stars Carrie Wong and James Seah for their patience and guidance on set. The accolade is Xuan Jing's second international prize of 2026, after her Firebird Award for Best Actress at the 50th Hong Kong International Film Festival in April made her the youngest Best Actress recipient in HKIFF history. Ah Girl is slated for a later 2026 release in Singapore.

Jecheon festival names September hosts and Music Insight finalists

Organizers of the 22nd Jecheon International Music & Film Festival (JIMFF) confirmed comedian Jang Do-yeon and actor Moon Sang-min will host the opening ceremony on Sept. 3 in Jecheon, North Chungcheong Province, marking Jang's second consecutive year in the role. Jang said she "remembered laughing much more than expected" while hosting last year, and Moon — known for "Under the Queen's Umbrella" (2022) and "Wedding Impossible" (2024) — called the booking "an honor." The festival also revealed seven finalists for its Music Insight competition, established in 2025 to recognize domestic Korean film scoring; the grand prize carries a trophy and 15 million won (about $10,265). Finalists include Jeong Yong-jin for "The Square," Cho Young-wuk for Park Chan-wook's "No Other Choice," Dalpalan for "The People Upstairs," Kim Sa-wol for "Manok," Kim Tae-seong for the animated "The King of Kings," Kim Jun-seok for "Hi-Five," and Lee Soo-bin for "3670." The 22nd edition runs Sept. 3–8 and will feature guest talks including filmmaker Bong Joon-ho alongside the One Summer Night live concert series; Kim Tae-seong took the inaugural Music Insight grand prize last year for the occult thriller "Exhuma."

Gyllenhaal heads Venice jury with Monroe tribute in tow

Maggie Gyllenhaal will serve as jury president at the Venice Film Festival in September and debut her 17-minute short film Flesh Impact, starring Dakota Johnson and Ellen Burstyn as versions of Marilyn Monroe to mark Monroe's centennial. The project was made "with the blessings" of estate holders Authentic Brands Group and is presented by automotive brand Genesis; Johnson plays Monroe at the height of her fame while Burstyn portrays an imagined later-life version, with Peter Sarsgaard and Sepideh Moafi rounding out the cast. Producers include William Green for The Cut, Michelle Ross for Superprime, Nicolette Spencer and Melissa Moore for INNOCEAN, with executive producers Maddi Carlton, Brandon Boerner, Rebecca Skinner, David Webb and Courtney Kivowitz. Burstyn will also appear in Kornel Mundruczo's out-of-competition Place to Be and is set to receive a Golden Lion for lifetime achievement. Gyllenhaal, in a statement, said she had "always been fascinated" by Monroe and wanted to reclaim the story through "a modern lens," while Genesis chief marketing officer Amy Marentic said the brand supports projects that spark "meaningful conversation" across generations.

Upcoming checkpoints

The next concrete milestones are the Sept. 3 JIMFF opening ceremony in Jecheon, the Sept. 3–8 JIMFF run including the Music Insight grand prize announcement, and the September Venice Film Festival where Gyllenhaal's jury and the Flesh Impact premiere are scheduled. Ah Girl is slated for release in Singapore later in 2026.