Home / Arts and Entertainment / Asian Film Projects Shine at Busan Market
Asian Film Projects Shine at Busan Market
13 Oct
Summary
- Two films, 'Goldfish' and 'A Chronicle of Minor Things', won multiple awards.
- Busan APM saw a record 604 submissions from 48 countries this year.
- ACFM awards recognize promising projects traveling to international festivals.
The Busan Asian Project Market (APM) has honored outstanding emerging films, with "Goldfish" by Indonesian director Aditya Ahmad and "A Chronicle of Minor Things" by India's Tribeny Rai receiving multiple accolades. Ahmad's "Goldfish" clinched three awards, including the QCinema Special Award, Kongchak Studio Award, and VIPO Award, for his coming-of-age drama set in South Sulawesi. Rai's project earned the Sørfond Award and the APM Busan Award for its original storytelling and subtle incorporation of social issues.
This year's APM achieved a record with 604 submissions from 48 countries, demonstrating its significant global platform for film development. Out of 30 selected projects from 17 countries, eight projects shared prizes across 11 categories. Director Ellen Y.D. Kim of ACFM emphasized that these awards support projects destined for international stages, with winners traveling to festivals in Jakarta, Manila, Oslo, and Bangkok.
Further recognition was given to co-productions with Korean involvement and documentary projects. Fukada Koji's "Grateful" received KRW60 million, while "Rhizome" and "Trinity" each received KRW40 million. In the documentary showcase, "Moon Is Watching You," "Our Waves," and "Restless Farewell" won the Impact Asia Award, with "Restless Farewell" also receiving the Newstapa Award for its focus on young migrant workers in Shanghai.
The Busan Story Market also facilitated business connections, with "My Upstairs Neighbors" and "Friend Request" winning the JAFF Market IP Connection Award. Taiwan's imCore Corp. won the MPS Award, and Korean startups Lumicraft and Reproduction received the AWS Award for their innovative technology platforms. The ACFM event, held from Oct. 10-13, facilitated numerous business meetings, underscoring its role in fostering international film collaborations.
