Successful Closing in the Great Attention of Drastically Increased Participants from Diverse Countries and Industries

On October 9th, Asian Film Market 2018 successfully completed its 4-day journey with the APM 2018 Awards Ceremony. Compared to last year, 150 more participants visited the Asian Film Market. A total of 1,737 professionals of 911 enterprises from 54 countries participated and actively engaged in production, investment, imports, exports and publication rights businesses. The number of countries has increased by 20% as well as by 38% in the number of enterprises. This figure affirms the growing attention of Asian Film Market from diverse countries and industries. In its 21st edition, the Asian Project Market (APM) arranged 743 business meetings, a record-breaking result, which established APM as the largest co-production market in Asia. Over 350 meetings held in E-IP Market, Book To Film, E-IP Pitching, and newly launched Asian IP Showcase demonstrate film industry’s interest in original intellectual property. Including newly introduced Block Chain and digital distribution platform seminar, Asian Cinema Fund, Platform Busan, and events organized by Korean Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) and Korea Manhwa Contents Agency (KOMACOM), multifarious Asian Film Market than in any years gain recognition from the participants. However, inconvenience caused to the participants by typhoon Kong-rey and Busan International Ocean Marathon on the first and second day of the Asian Film Market is a task needs to be improved and supplemented.

Korean Sales Company’s Accomplishment with Box-office Hits and New Films

Active business regard to box-office hits and new films was held between domestic, foreign sales companies and over 450 buyers, including major investors and distributors in Korea. CJ Entertainment pursued well balanced sales with Asian film lineup and library, including PMC and Sovereign Default. Showbox got the attention through Ma Dong-seok starring film Unstoppable and Bbaengban featuring Gong Hyo-jin and Ryu Jun-yeol. LOTTE Entertainment introduced director Kim Joo-hwan’s new film The Divine Fury, The Witness starring Jung Woo-sung and Kim Hyang Gi, and Malmoe featuring Yu Hae-jin and Yoon Kye-sang as main films to Asian countries. Contents Panda was noted for showcasing Train to Busan, Korean film which had the biggest hit all around Asia, in VR Zone and is also preparing to premiere Rampant in 19 countries and 4 continents. Finecut, Co., Ltd. received continuous attention from buyers with Monstrum and The Witch : Part 1. The Subversion as well as M-Line Distributions with FENGSHUI, MISS BAEK, and Our Body.

Celebrating its 21st year, Asian Project Market 2018 Arranged the Most Number of Meetings of All Years

Starting from 1998, 21st Asian Project Market proved once again as the Asia’s most prestigious investment/coproduction event, with over 743 meetings held between 29 APM Projects and 149 international producers/investors. This year, the number of exhibitors and meetings broke a record of all years by increasing more than 20 and 100 each where a lot of attention and great interest were captured. This success is a result of APM’s tenacity for introducing young directors and new works of veteran directors as well as promoting Asian-European co-production. Much concern was toward a new project of Korean director who had caught the world’s attention throughout the number of film festivals where the Asian project led by talented producer and new director came into the spotlight as well.

E-IP Pitching and Book To Film with Higher Participants Satisfaction

A total of 29 novels (increased by 11 year-on-year), webtoons, webnovels, and stories were introduced through 7th Book To Film and 4th E-IP Pitching this year. Over 500 industry professionals including film, TV, and drama attended the events so that there was no enough space to hold all of them. A pilot event, Asian IP Showcase, was newly introduced through Japanese and Chinese publication contents in order to expand further into Asia, and global publications participated to secure the copyright for an active viability of adapting books into films. There is no doubt that participation of film industry as well as TV and drama productions has also significantly increased. Prominent media such as JTBC, SBS The Story Works, Entermedia Pictures, Studio Dragon, Monster Union, including Netflix, YouTube Premium, and Global Gate engaged along with Chinese major film productions resulting in holding more than 350 meetings. As transaction related conversation is lasting for good, more achievement and hopes of the possibility of adaption across multiple platforms are highly expected.

Block Chain, the Future of VR Films to Prosper Alongside Online Distribution Platforms

Asian Film Market 2018 held a VR conference with BARUNSON CO., LTD. under the title of VR Technology & VR Narrative following last year and casted light upon block chain as mid-shoestring film fund by holding an additional block chain seminar. Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) offered newly KODOC Pitching to introduce superior documentaries and 7 contents through Story To Film. Korea Manhwa Contents Agency (KOMACON) also proposed Korean digital webtoon (Manhwa) through Manhwa & Film Pitching Show and opened an event ‘New Era of Webtoon’ while running a public relations hall at the Asian Film Market for the first time. Korean Film Digital Distribution Association (KFDA, launched last year) opened ‘Korean Film Asks the Way to Platform’ to encourage mutual growth of major investment companies and distribution platforms
Busan International Film Festival’s internal programs, the Asian Film Fund and Platform Busan, also established an organic cooperation relationship by holding various events in the Asian Film Market Exhibition Hall. Celebrating its 2nd year, Platform Busan granted 170 participants from 25 countries opportunities to search and experience oeuvres of director Chang-dong Lee, producer Jason Blum, and cinematographer Fabrice Aragno. Furthermore, panel-talk event regarding overseas sales and distribution market composed by European Film Promotion (EEP) and European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs (EAVE) and special lecture run by post-production expert, Lee Chatametikool attracted vast attention and questionnaires from many.

E-IP Awards 8 Projects and Asian Project Market Awards 9 Projects; Increase in Awards

A total of 8 projects were awarded this year, including 6 awards in Book To Film and E-IP Pitching by Asian Film Market. New Entertainment World (NEW) selected The Sixth Wife by GORAEBANG and Good Job by ALL THAT STORY as NEW CREATOR Award awardees, awarding 10,000,000 KRW to each winner. The Global web comic platform Tory Comics, a newly joined award sponsor, awarded 5,000,000 KRW each to A Week Before I Die from Book To Film and Land of Silence, and The Devil and Delivery Knight from E-IP Pitching. E-IP Audience Award goes to The Insect and Devil School.
APM finalized with arranging the most number of business meetings, 9 out of 29 original high-quality projects were honored with the following awards. Mas Award, newly established this year, goes to Yesterday Will Be Perfect by director Timothy Yeung. The Exam by director Shawkat Amin KORKI will receive Sørfond Award, which provides opportunities for the official invitation of Sørfond Pitching Forum. The Busan Award goes to The Final Print by director Jang Woojin, Bright East Films Award to Blossom by Liu Yanwenjun, CJ Entertainment Award to Where We Belong by director Kongdej Jaturanrasmee. The Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) Award and ARTE International Prize each goes to In the Water by director Shin Dongseok and My Small Land (working title) by Emma Kawawada. LOTTE Award for The Martyrdom by Kim Uiseok and MONEFF Award goes to Man of the Sea by director Jéro YUN. The winners of the Asian Project Market (APM) were announced at the APM Award Ceremony, held at the Haeundae Grand Hotel on Oct 9th.

E-IP Market 2018 Award Winners [Title / Publisher or Production Company / Author]

NEW CREATOR Award (BOOK TO FILM): The Sixth Wife | GORAEBANG | HAN Jisu
NEW CREATOR Award (E-IP Pitching): Good Job | ALL THAT STORY | Haewon | Story
Tory Comics Award (BOOK TO FILM): A Week Before I Die | GOLDENBOUGH | SEO Eun Chae
Tory Comics Award (E-IP Pitching): Land of Silence | TOONPLUS / YOON Seonyoung | Story
Tory Comics Award (E-IP Pitching): The Devil | TOYOU’S DREAM | Meen (Story), Keun bit (Art) | Webtoon
Tory Comics Award (E-IP Pitching): Delivery Knight | TOOMICS | LEE Yun Kyun | Webtoon
E-IP Audience Award (BOOK TO FILM): The Insect | GOZKNOCK ENT | JANG Min-hye
E-IP Audience Award (E-IP Pitching): Devil School | YOUTHMEANS | SUO | Story
Asian Project Market 2018 Award Winners [Title / Publisher or Production Company / Author]

Busan Award: The Final Print | JANG Woojin | Korea
MAS Award: Yesterday Will Be Perfect | Timothy YEUNG | Hong Kong, China / Canada
Bright East Films Award: Blossom | LIU Yanwenjun | China
CJ Entertainment Award: Where We Belong | Kongdej JATURANRASMEE | Thailand
LOTTE Award: The Martyrdom | KIM Uiseok | Korea
KOCCA Award: In the Water | SHIN Dongseok | Korea
ARTE International Prize: My Small Land (working title) | Emma KAWAWADA | Japan
Sørfond Award: The Exam | Shawkat Amin KORKI | Kurdistan,Iraq / Germany / Japan
MONEFF Award: Man of the Sea | Jéro YUN | Korea

Asian Film Market 2018 Results in Numbers
Market Badge: 1,737 participants and 911 companies from 54 countries
Sales Booths: 73 sales booths from 171 companies of 23 countries
Market Screening: 69 screenings of 64 films from 11 countries and 37 companies (38 Market Premieres)

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