Busan winner Ria, a folk-punk debut, finds sales home with Lights On

International sales company Lights On has picked up Ria, the debut feature from Philippines filmmaker Arvin Belarmino, after its world premiere at the Busan International Film Festival, Variety reported on Oct. 19.

Lights On, which licenses films to distributors territory by territory, boarded the film in Busan. The deal followed a strong festival launch. Ria won the Heart of Eurasia Award after its premiere, according to the same report.

The story follows a young woman rooted in the folk-punk scene who takes on a property developer to save her home. She joins forces with her foster mother and fellow punks to resist the plan to tear down their building. That building is the last structure still standing in a neighbourhood reduced to rubble.

The film is a five-way co-production between the Philippines, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Japan and Norway. Kristine De Leon is credited as a producer.

There is history here. Lights On previously worked with Belarmino on Agapito, a short co-directed with Kyla Romero that debuted at Cannes. Flavio Armone, co-founder and managing director of Lights On, leads the sales company.

Ria had been flagged early as one to watch at Busan. It was among the titles selected for the festival's Vision 2026 lineup, which comprised 23 films across the Vision Korea and Vision Asia sections, Screen Daily reported in August.

What makes this stand out is the route to the screen. A first feature built around a local music scene has arrived through a five-country financing structure and a festival launch. Sales now decide where it plays next, as buyers in other territories weigh festival awards, cast and local prospects before making offers for cinemas or streaming.