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A football drama featuring AC Milan legend Alessandro Costacurta is heading to one of Asia’s most prominent film markets. Forza, directed by Marco Balsamo, will screen at the Tokyo International Film Festival’s TIFFCOM market from October 28 to 30. International sales company EST N8 has acquired the film for worldwide distribution. Before Tokyo, the film makes its public debut on October 25 at Jakarta Film Week.
A Story of Football, Family and Hope
Forza marks Balsamo’s debut as a feature film director. The story follows Bima, an 11-year-old boy from Bali who dreams of becoming a professional footballer. He hopes the sport will lift his family out of hardship. A chance connection with a former AC Milan player, nearing the end of his career, changes the outlook for both of them.
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Newcomer Ghazi Alhabsyi leads the cast as Bima. Costacurta, the celebrated AC Milan defender, appears alongside Balsamo himself and Tara Sibel Demren. The cast also includes three winners from the Indonesian Film Festival: Atiqah Hasiholan, Oka Antara and Tio Pakusadewo.
Balsamo wrote the screenplay and produced the film together with Demren. Riva Studios originated the project, with producers including Ario Sagantoro, known for his work on The Raid franchise. Adhya Pictures holds the rights to the film’s Indonesian theatrical release, currently scheduled for 2027.
Strong Early Demand in Indonesia
Audience interest in Indonesia has already been remarkable. Both rounds of online tickets for the Jakarta screening, held at CGV Grand Indonesia, sold out within five minutes. The swift response signals strong local enthusiasm for the film ahead of its wider release.
Balsamo reflected on the significance of the Jakarta premiere. “We’ve spent years bringing Forza to the screen, and Indonesia has been at the heart of it from the beginning,” he said. “This film is a labor of love and a testament to the perseverance and collaboration behind independent filmmaking. Sharing the film at Jakarta Film Week is especially meaningful. It’s a moment we’ve been looking forward to for a long time.”
Demren, who co-founded Riva Studios, said the film was designed for families to watch and discuss together. “We hope Bima’s journey reminds audiences how much it matters to have someone believe in you, especially when your dreams feel out of reach,” she said. “Seeing both ticket releases fill so quickly is an encouraging start.”
EST N8 Takes the Film to Global Buyers
EST N8 head of studios Sophie Shi expressed strong confidence in the film’s international appeal. “It bridges Indonesia and Italy the way only football can,” she said. “It’s a film for audiences around the world, with a story of family and hope that transcends language and culture.” She added that a family film built around the world’s most popular sport is well positioned to travel globally.
Shi and Jan Paul Villanueva negotiated the deal for EST N8. Balsamo and Demren represented Riva Studios in the agreement. At TIFFCOM, Villanueva will lead sales efforts as EVP of acquisitions and global distribution. He will work alongside Cathy Ni, head of sales and U.S. distribution, and Shams Pasha, global sales and marketing executive.
Demren and Balsamo founded Riva Studios in 2022 as an independent production company working across live action, animation and music. In 2024, the studio acquired French animation house TeamTO. Forza is Riva Studios’ first live-action feature film.
EST N8’s Broader TIFFCOM Lineup
EST N8 arrives at TIFFCOM with several other titles alongside Forza. The lineup includes Tame, a Thai horror film from B-EST Pictures, and Jaguar, a crime thriller set in Manila directed by Dean Colin Marcial. Also featured is Master, directed by Rezwan Shahriar Sumit, which won IFFR’s Big Screen Award.
Furthermore, the company is presenting Pilgrims, a Korean sci-fi animation from Heo Pyoungkang selected for Annecy, and The Invisible Half, a J-horror film from director Nishiyama Masaki.
EST N8 formed through the merger of EST Studios and N8. The company operates offices in Los Angeles and Bangkok and has sold and distributed more than 60 titles across over 100 territories. Its catalog includes Hidden Letters, shortlisted for the Academy Awards and nominated for an Emmy, as well as The Monk and the Gun, Bhutan’s official Oscar entry. Additionally, A Useful Ghost won the Grand Prize at Cannes Critics’ Week, and Blood Brothers topped Netflix’s global chart.
