AFAN and FDCP Host Milestone ASEAN Film & TV Summit and AFAN Boot Camp for Young Filmmakers 2026 in Manila

The Asian Film Alliance Network (AFAN), in partnership with the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), officially concluded the ASEAN Film & TV Summit 2026 alongside the concurrent AFAN Boot Camp for Young Filmmakers at Seda Manila Bay.

The multi-day gathering brought together regional policymakers, international funding bodies, archival experts, educators, and emerging talent to address shared industry challenges, foster co-production, and build sustainable bridges between Asian screen industries and global partners.

High-Level Policy, Archival Preservation & Global Collaboration

The summit featured a robust conference program opened with warm welcomes from FDCP Chairman and CEO Jose Javier Reyes, Congressman Javier Miguel “Javi” Benitez, and AFAN Secretary General Lorna Tee. The occasion was further honored by First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, who highlighted government support for elevating the screen industry.

Key highlights of the conference sessions included:

  • Keynote Address: Dr. Patrick Campos delivered "The Cinema We Carry Forward: Film Education and Archival Relay in Southeast Asia," mapping the past, present, and future trajectories of regional cinema.

  • Panels on Archiving & Education: Regional delegates held dedicated discussions on film preservation, archival access, and sustainable film education pipelines. To widen public access, the sessions were streamed live via Zoom.

  • Closed-Door Europe-Asia Strategy Session: AFAN convened a high-level meeting between Asian agency heads and European leadership—including representatives from the Centre National du Cinéma et de l'Image Animée (CNC) and the European Film Agency Directors Association (EFAD)—to establish transparent frameworks for closer cross-border collaboration.

Empowering Emerging Talent: AFAN Boot Camp for Young Filmmakers

Running parallel to the policy discussions, the week-long AFAN Boot Camp for Young Filmmakers provided intensive mentorship for directors and producers from across Asia.

Organized in collaboration with French workshop Produces and Storytelling (PaS), the boot camp offered selected filmmakers an intensive lab experience focused on script development, co-production techniques, project positioning, and international market readiness. Led by expert mentors, the lab helped young creators refine their project packages for international partnerships.

The week-long workshop concluded with an official certificate presentation recognizing the participants' project development, followed by Filmmaker’s Night to cultivate lasting professional networks across Asia.

Advancing the Regional Screen Landscape

The ASEAN Film & TV Summit 2026 marks another milestone for AFAN and the FDCP in deepenin regional engagement, and international visibility for Asian cinema.

AFAN extends its sincere gratitude to the Film Development Council of he Philippines, our partners at Producing and Storytelling (PaS), visiting delegates from CNC and EFAD, keynote speakers and panelists, mentors, and participating filmmakers for contributing to a transformative week in Manila.