The Future of Global Content Business

20th Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM) Opens Doors to Innovation

The Asian Contents &Film Market (ACFM 2025), firmly established as Asia's premier content industry hub, returns to BEXCO Exhibition Hall 2 in Busan from September 20(Sat) to 23(Tues).

Since evolving from the Pusan Promotion Plan (PPP) in 1998 and launching as an independent market in 2006, ACFM has continuously adapted to the rapidly changing industry landscape over 20 years, expanding from co-production and sales markets to encompass story markets. Now celebrating its 20th edition, ACFM has become the largest content business platform in Asia, bringing together over 1,000 companies from 52 countries and more than 2,700 industry participants, including on-site registrants. With international participants exceeding 57% in 2024, ACFM has firmly positioned itself as a truly global market. The total number of visitors this year is expected to surpass 30,000 for the first time.

InnoAsia: Where Technology and Creativity Converge

The most anticipated new initiative this year is InnoAsia, a platform showcasing the convergence of cutting-edge technology and storytelling. InnoAsia gathers global big tech companies alongside Asia’s leading ones and creative studios under one roof. Major players including Google Cloud, Amazon Web Services, OpenAI, and Midjourney will participate alongside innovative Asian companies such as Dreamina AI, Kling, Pixverse, and Mugafi, joined by AI creative studios, startups, and key policy institutions.

Featuring exhibition booths, InnoStage &Lounge, conferences, bootcamp series, startup investment events, and WIP showcases, InnoAsia presents a new business ecosystem where technology and creativity converge.

Comprehensive Co-Production Ecosystem Support

ACFM has established a comprehensive support system spanning development, production, and distribution. The Asian Project Market (APM), which began as PPP in 1998, has recorded its highest number of submitted projects this year, reaffirming its position as Asia's largest co-production platform. The Producer Hub, launched in 2024, highlights Canada as the Focus Country in 2025, strengthening cooperation between English-speaking markets and Asia. Meanwhile, the newly established Doc Square supports documentary co-production and networking. On top of ACF’s development, post-production, and documentary funds, the ACF Co-Production Support Fund — launched with sponsorship from Thailand’s Hylife Group — provides production financing, completing a full-scale support for co-production ecosystem.

Expanded Global Participation and Record Programs

ACFM 2025 marks an expansion in both scale and reach. China's notable return is complemented by participation from new regions including the Middle East and Latin America. 289 companies and institutions from 31 countries (up from 275 across 30 countries in 2024) will take part in the exhibition, with 16 national pavilions and the European Film Promotion (EFP) umbrella booth featured.

Online market screenings will feature 179 titles from 51 companies across 18 countries (versus 138 titles from 47 companies across 15 countries in 2024). Industry events — including conferences, showcases, and networking sessions — have doubled from last year(39), with 87 events across ACFM’s seven core programs (The A, APM, Busan Story Market, InnoAsia, Producer Hub, Doc Square, Platform Busan) and partner sessions.

The Entertainment Finance Forum, co-hosted with Winston Baker, will feature major global investors, strengthening connections with global capital.

From Completed Films to IP & Innovative Content: A Market Paradigm Shift

Since launching Book to Film in 2012 and restructuring it into the Story Market in 2022, ACFM has closely tracked the industry’s paradigm shift from completed film sales to IP acquisition and production investment. With buyers increasingly joining as co-producers or investors from the earliest stages, competition to secure IP has intensified.

In response, ACFM continues to evolve — addressing the growing demand for diverse business models in a rapidly changing market environment shaped by new distribution channels. Moving beyond project markets, co-production platforms, sales markets, and story markets, ACFM now presents a new stage where innovation and content converge, spearheading the paradigm shift toward a next-generation content ecosystem.

The 20th Asian Contents &Film Market (ACFM 2025), celebrating two decades of growth and innovation, will be held from September 20 (Sat) to 23 (Tue) at BEXCO Exhibition Center 2 in Busan.