Studio76, the Taipei-based original stories production and distribution company, just wrapped up the production of Love Punch, the latest digital movie in the slate to be released in Q1 2023. The digital movie is co-produced by Studio76 Taiwan and IFA Media Singapore, with support from Singapore’s IMDA and co-investments from TWR Entertainment Taiwan and Hong Kong’s Celestial Tiger Entertainment.

The digital movie is directed by Hung Tzu-Hsuan, who debuted with the feature film The Scoundrels which received 6 nominations and 2 awards at the 2019 Taiwan Golden Horse Film Festival, while the film also received 4 nominations and 2 awards at the 2019 Taipei International Film Festival.

Wen Chen-Ling, who delivered a stunning performance in the recent Taiwan PTS-produced period drama series Seqalu: Formosa 1867 takes the leading role in Love Punch, started as a lost soul in her late 20s but finally regains her passion and stamina in female boxing rings. She unexpectedly met her long-disconnected boxing coach, played by veteran actress Ding Ning, and both join hands to thrust Wen to the final rounds of professional boxing matches.

Wen and Ding both took over 2 months of professional female boxing training from top couches in Taiwan who trained actual athletes for the Olympic Games. They also have to gain muscle for shooting and lose weight to look more like professional players. Though both have taken boxing lessons in the past this is the first time for them to take real, national-athletes training sessions and both are excited to be able to take the performance roles in this exceptional story.

Hong Kong-based Celestial Tiger Entertainment, which runs KIX and THRILL premium pay TV channels across 11 Asian markets, is co-investing while also pre-buys the exclusive pay TV broadcast license rights in the 11 Asian markets including Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, etc. Studio76, which handles the global licensing of Love Punch is actively looking for international platforms, sales partners and agencies for streaming and TV broadcast licenses.

Studio76 has produced a slate of awards-winning TV movie productions including Kill For Love, while the previous production 76 Horror Bookstore Tin Can of Fear won the Asian Best TV Movie award in Asian Academy Creative Awards in 2020.

Singaporean-based prod-co IFA Media is the recipient of over 80 global industry awards, including 6 Golden Bells for its Chinese language scripted series for HBO Asia and Netflix, and a Peabody for its factual documentary work. IFA’s recent work includes the Thai language drama series Forbidden for HBO Asia, Midnight Asia for Netflix, and The World’s Biggest Druglord – Tse Chi Lop for Discovery+.