Busan Market Spotlights Philippine Co-Production Fund and Asian Projects

· Entertainment · South Korea · Philippines

The Busan International Film Festival's Asian Contents & Film Market hosted a wave of deal activity and project announcements. The Philippines unveiled a revamped International Co-Production Fund with two tracks — majority and minority — where the cash offered is tied to the size of the Filipino stake in a project; the Film Philippines Office presented the framework at the market. Projects pitched at the Asian Project Market included "Once Upon a Time in the Philippines," a debut feature from E del Mundo inspired by the 2009 Maguindanao massacre, and "The Family Table," a Korean drama from director Lee Hanju about a father confronting a school-bullying case. Hong Kong's Cappu Films took worldwide sales on Tribeca queer romance "Ephemera" and sales outside Australia and New Zealand on Australian dramedy "Her Last Laugh."

Why it matters：It reflects how Asian film markets are using co-production incentives and sales agents to draw international financing, an increasingly important channel for regionally produced content.

Key points

  • Philippines' new ICOF has majority and minority tracks tied to the Filipino equity stake.
  • Asian Project Market pitched titles including 'Once Upon a Time in the Philippines' and 'The Family Table'.
  • Cappu Films took worldwide sales on 'Ephemera' and ANZ-excluded sales on 'Her Last Laugh'.

Sources (original reporting)

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