APM - Asian Project Market

               Announcing the 29 Official Projects for Asian  Project Market 2022!

Asian Project Market (APM), which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, has announced the final 29 official projects for 2022.

29 Projects from 15 Countries Selected!

APM 2022, Asia's largest investment and co-production market, has selected 29 official projects from 15 countries amongst the submission of 288 outstanding projects from 40 countries.

Starting this year, APM 2022, which has excluded non-Asian projects in order to provide more focused support for Asian projects, has raised its criterion for project submission. The projects must be submitted by directors who have directed at least one short or full-length feature film, and producers who have participated in the production of at least one full-length feature film. In addition, three films supported by the Asian Cinema Fund’s Script Development Fund will also be included as APM projects and be provided business meeting opportunities. This strengthens the links and cooperation between various film projects of the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) and the Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM) programs.

Projects by BIFF Alumni Directors and Asian Female Directors!

Director Farkhat Sharipov, who was invited to A Window on Asian Cinema at the 25th Busan International Film Festival and the winner of the Grand Prix of the Generation 14plus in the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival, presents Soldier of Love, and director Wang Qi, recipient of the Kim Jiseok Award Special Mention in the 26th Busan International Film Festival, presents Red River. Director Natesh Hegde, who visited BIFF 2021, has returned with Tiger's Pond, the second film of the mystery trilogy, following its previous film, Pedro (2021).

Continuing last year’s trend, the rise of the female Asian filmmakers’ spectrum and movement in the industry is gathering much anticipation. Director Sahraa Karimi, who received much international acclaim after being invited to the 76th Venice International Film Festival for her first feature film, Hava, Maryam, and Ayesha (2019), captured the tragedy of Afghanistan in her film, My Kabuliwala, in cooperation with Indian director, Balaka Ghosh. Moreover, DIAPHANOUS, directed by Dornaz Hajiha, who was officially invited to this year’s Karlovy Vary International Film Festival for her first film, Like A Fish on the Moon (2022), and Sima's Song, directed by Afghanistan's leading female director Roya Sadat, have also been included in the APM 2022 lineup.

Southeast Asian and Japanese projects showed their strengths in handling social issues such as labor, refugees, and crime. Director Lê Bảo, who was invited to the 71st Berlin International Film Festival and the 26th Busan International Film Festival for his debut film Taste (2021), presents a dense suspense in his second feature film, The Sea is Calm Tonight, by juxtaposing a narrative of Rohingya refugees, a minority living in western Myanmar, and the boat people from Vietnam. Director Maung Sun's Future Laobans tracks the international dimension of organized crime, and director Yosep Anggi Noen’s GASPAR finds blame in the reality of broken faith. Furthermore, director Aditya Assarat’s The Thonglor Kids, which focuses on inner reflection, and director Nicole Midori Woodford’s Last Shadow at First Light will captivate the audience with dark fantasies veiled in family secrets.

From Newcomers to Established Veterans, 9 Korean Directors Present Various Genres!

9 film of various genres by Korean directors were selected for the APM 2022, including The Day of Dongkyeong, directed by Kim Sein, the winner of 5 awards including the New Currents Award at last year’s BIFF, The Way to School by Chung Jiyoung, Hana by Lee Dong-eun, 20th Century Girls by Choi Jinyoung, Erinyes by Jung Wonhee, Something About Us by Lim Jungeun, The Kid by Oh Seongho, Turning Pages (Working Title) by Eugene Suen, and Loop Out by Kim Dukjoong. Such as this, the selection of projects by directors who have captivated not only BIFF, but the domestic and international press, cinephile, and audience’s attention, is raising the expectations of Asian film officials with their solid screenplays and stellar directing.

More Diversified APM 2022 Awards!

APM 2022 Awards will be receiving sponsorship, supported by a larger number of sponsors than prior to the pandemic outbreak. The newly established TAICCA Award and the VIPO Award, sponsored by Taiwan Creative Content Agency and Japan’s Visual Industry Promotion Organization respectively, will have a reward of $10,000 to support film development. Cambodia’s Kongchak Studio will sponsor the Kongchak Studio Award, providing an in-kind prize worth $25,000 in sound post-production services and facilities. Moreover, the APM projects will be sponsored by Busan Metropolitan City, CJ ENM, KB Kookmin Bank, Nutrilite, ARTE Kino, Norwegian South Film Fund, Pop Up Film Residency, and MONEFF. The winners of the APM 2022 Awards will be announced on Oct 11 (Tues).

APM 2022, which is expected to further activate investment and co-production for Korean and Asian contents, will take place for three days from Oct 9 (Sun) to Oct 11 (Tues), 2022, during the Asian Contents & Film Market, in the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center (BEXCO).