Co-hosted by the European Film Agency Directors (EFAD) and the Asian Film Alliance Network (AFAN) at the Commerzbank Haus, this strategic workshop gathered film agencies, audiovisual professionals, and academic experts to reflect on the role of public funding in film circulation. The session focused on how public policy can better support the international visibility and audience reach of films supported by screen agencies.

The afternoon featured three keynotes that combined market intelligence with evolving distribution strategies:

• Asian Market Intelligence “The A Report”: Ellen Y. D. Kim (ACFM, South Korea) presented a cross-border research report covering 17 Asian film markets. She highlighted key trends in production, the growth of OTT services, and the role of standardized data in supporting partnerships and investment across the region.

• European Market Structural Health: Jakob Isak Nielsen (Aarhus University, Denmark) examined the structural health of smaller European film markets as presented through the latest CresCine report. He outlined critical differences in cinema infrastructure, export capacity, and audience engagement between various European territories.

• Audience Design & Innovation: Anamaria Antoci (Tangaj Production, Romania) shared insights into modern audience design. Her presentation covered early audience engagement, evolving distribution approaches, and the use of emerging tools such as AI, underlining how public policy shapes the relationship between a film and its viewers.

The presentation was followed by a powerful roundtable featuring experts from European Film Promotion (Sonja Heinen), Films Boutique (Jean-Christophe Simon), and producer Jonas Weydemann (Weydemann Bros). The discussion identified obstacles in current promotional models and explored how agencies can collaboratively develop strategies that genuinely align with modern market conditions. Through this joint dialogue, AFAN and EFAD continue to strengthen the exchange of best practices on policies supporting diverse audiovisual ecosystems.

The successful event concluded with a major announcement: Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) president Joey Javier officially invited all AFAN and EFAD members to this year’s ASEAN Film & TV Summit. Javier's address closed the event while setting the stage for the next vital forum for collaboration and discussion on key industry challenges across the Asian creative landscape.

Date/Time: Monday, 16 Feb | 12:30 – 16:30

Venue: Commerzbank Haus, Pariser Platz 1

A Forward-Looking Partnership

These sessions were made possible by the invaluable insights and active participation of our members and partners from across Taiwan, the Philippines, Mongolia, Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, and Japan.

The conversation on co-production and sustainable international cooperation is only just beginning. As AFAN prepares for the next major market, we look forward to continuing these dialogues and turning them into actionable models for the global film community.