Hong Kong's Focus Films is teaming up with Singapore-based OneTon Cinema to co-produce Thai director Wisit Sasanatieng's upcoming film Armful.

The Chinese-languagestylised tragicomedy will feature a pan-Asian cast, most likely from Hong Kong, China, Singapore and Thailand. Set in 1970s South-East Asia, the film's influences range from Chinese martialarts films of the '60s and '70s to the gritty revenge tales of today.

Focus will spearheadinvestment and appointment of a sales agent on the $8m film, which wasdeveloped by One Ton and marks the Singapore outfit's debut feature.

Wisit's first film, stylisedThai western Tears Of The Black Tiger,was acquired by Miramax while his second, CitizenDog, was picked up by Luc Besson's EuropaCorp. The much-in-demand filmmakeris also developing a project called NamPrix for Thailand's Five Star and EuropaCorp.

Start-up production houseOne Ton is a spin-off from award-winning creative ad agency Spoon, based in Singapore.

Focus, founded by Hong Kong actor and filmmaker Andy Lau, is also lining up the second series of Focus: First Cuts, following the successof the first six-film series, along with Robin Lee's My DNA Says I Love You which features at this year's PusanPromotion Plan.