APM - Asian Project Market

2025 Asian Project Market Unveils 30 Official Selections!

 

The 2025 Asian Project Market (APM), scheduled to take place from September 20 (Sat) to 23 (Tue), has announced its official lineup of 30 film projects.

 

30 Projects from 15 Countries

Capturing Regional Voices and Creative Diversity

 

This year, APM received a record-breaking 455 submissions from 44 countries, continuing its streak of surpassing previous records. As the largest co-production and financing platform in Asia, APM plays a vital role in discovering fresh, emerging talent and connecting them with global investors, producers, and distributors, while fostering an ecosystem for pragmatic co-production and investment cooperation.

The 2025 official selections tackle a broad range of themes, including social inequality, family love, LGBTQ+ issues, gender, war, and borders, through diverse genres and deeply resonant narratives that highlight regional distinctiveness.

 

New Arrivals from Busan-Discovered Directors

Collaboration between CHANEL X BIFF Asian Film Academy Alumni

 

Several filmmakers with strong ties to the Busan International Film Festival return with new projects.

Indian director Pradip Kurbah, recipient of the 2019 Jiseok Award and Best Film and Best Director honours at the 2025 Moscow International Film Festival, presents his refined cinematic style in Moon. Also noteworthy is The Last of Them Plagues, directed by emerging Indian director Kunjila Mascillamani, produced by actress Kani Kusruti, a 2024 BIFF New Currents juror. Director Biplob Sarkar, previously invited to BIFF 2023 under the New Currents section, returns with The Magical Men. The film was developed under a collaboration between Asian Producers who met in Busan, exploring LGBTQ+ rights and their lives. Director Lau Kok Rui from the 2022 CHANEL X BIFF Asian Film Academy (BAFA) presents Wake Me up When the Mourning Ends, while director Li Yingtong and producer Annie Song, alumni of 2024 BAFA, worked together on New Life, supported by this year’s ACF Script Development Fund.

 

A Rising Wave of Female Directors

Breaking Boundaries of Narrative and Genre

 

West Asia makes a strong presence with four projects, notably featuring the rise of internationally acclaimed female directors. Armenian Director Christine Haroutounian, invited to the Berlin International Film Festival with her feature debut film After Dreaming (2025), showcases Black Star Angel, which has also secured funding from the ACF Script Development Fund. In South Asia, a traditionally dominant region at APM, brings six projects, including three directed by women and two from Bangladesh. These selections highlight the growing influence of South Asian female directors and the vibrant resurgence of Bangladeshi cinema. Among them, Silence of the Looms, directed by Mirza Shabnam Ferdousi, delves into Bangladesh’s historical legacy with a contemporary perspective. 

 

Chinese-language cinema features five projects, with three from Taiwan standing out, particularly in their portrayal of female protagonists. These are new films by established directors that explore history, society, and gender issues across various genres, showcasing the mature perspective and production capabilities of contemporary Taiwanese cinema. Japan is represented by three projects that illuminate the lives of marginalized youth. The new releases of directors Shiraishi Kazuya, Fujita Naoya, and Zhang Yaoyuan capture the insecure realities of foreign laborers, a reclusive woman’s struggle for identity, and a multifaceted view of what Japanese youth face today.

 

Seven New Works by Emerging and Mid-Career Korean Directors

Showcasing Genre Diversity and Delicate Sensibility

 

Korea contributes seven projects by both emerging and mid-career directors: Gilddong by director Park Riwoong, who won the New Currents Award at 2024 BIFF for The Land of Morning Calm (2024); Arrival of Water by director Jo Heeyoung known for her deliberate sensitivity and introspective storytelling; Dance Dance Revolution by director Choi Hana who made a striking debut with More Than Family (2020); and The Descent by director Kim Hyoeun following her 2024 BIFF invitation for Tango at Dawn.

Moreover, Gochi, directed by Yoon Eunkyoung, celebrated for its imaginary narratives; Paradis Karaoke, directed by Byun Sungbin, was invited to 2022 BIFF Korean Cinema Today – Vision Section for Peafowl (2024); and Silent Cry, directed by Jero Yun, who opened 2018 BIFF with Beautiful Days (2018). Spanning human drama, coming-of-age stories, psychological mysteries, historical epics, and occult horror, these projects reflect the rich diversity of Korean cinema. They are poised to explore international co-production opportunities through 2025 APM.

 

The 2025 Asian Project Market (APM) will be held for four days, from September 20 (Sat) to 23 (Tue), during the 20th edition of the Asian Contents & Film Market at BEXCO. Selected projects will be nominated under each sponsor category, with the winners to be disclosed at the APM Awards Ceremony on September 23 (Tue).

 

 

[2025 APM Selection List]

(Alphabetical Order)

*Supported by ACF Script Development Fund

 

 

 

▶ 30th Busan International Film Festival | September 17 (Wed) – September 26 (Fri)

▶ 20th Asian Contents & Film Market | September 20 (Sat) – September 23 (Tue)