The Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM), the official market of the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), has launched its new Country of Honor program in 2026, with Thailand joining as its inaugural Country of Honor. The program represents the highest tier within ACFM’s country partnership framework and will further strengthen ACFM’s role as a co-production and IP business hub.
Through the Sales Market, Asian Project Market (APM), Busan Story Market (BSM), and Asian Cinema Fund (ACF), ACFM connects every stage and player in the film and content business—from finished-content sales to project development, investment, production, post-production, co-production, and IP business. The Country of Honor program directly connects these market functions with the content ecosystem of a participating country. Through dedicated promotional opportunities designed to enhance market visibility and presence across ACFM, the program helps the country’s content and industry participants reach wider attention while aiming to foster cross-border investments, international co-productions, and IP business.
Thailand is strengthening government support for the creative and cultural industries, nurturing creative talent, reinforcing its industry ecosystem and infrastructure, and expanding the international reach of content rooted in Thai culture. In 2025, Thailand hosted more than 540 foreign productions, while eligible foreign productions can receive cash rebates of up to 30%. With Netflix continuing to invest in local content and Thai titles entering the Netflix Global Top 10, Thailand is drawing attention as a major Asian market with both an international production base and competitive local content.
ACFM and Thailand have built a longstanding relationship spanning project discovery, production support, festival screenings and awards, and private-sector sponsorship. Pen-ek Ratanaruang’s Ploy, selected for the Pusan Promotion Plan (PPP), the predecessor of APM, in 2006, screened at the Busan International Film Festival in 2007. Aditya Assarat’s Wonderful Town received support from the ACF Post-Production Fund in 2007 and won the New Currents Award at BIFF that same year. Several Thai projects presented at APM have also advanced to completion and international recognition. Kongdej Jaturanrasmee’s Where We Belong was completed in 2019 after receiving the CJ Entertainment Award at APM 2018, while Jakrawal Nilthamrong’s Anatomy of Time, selected for APM 2018, was completed in 2021 as a Thailand, France, Singapore, Netherlands co-production and was invited to the Orizzonti section of the Venice International Film Festival. Thapanee Loosuwan’s Lost and Cow was selected for APM 2025, continuing the ties between Thai projects and Busan.
Through the Country of Honor program, ACFM will present Thailand’s content, companies, and creators across its Sales Market, project, IP, and investment networks, while expanding business touchpoints between industry professionals from both countries.
Chookiat Sakveerakul, President of the Thai Film Directors Association (TFDA), said, “Thailand is deeply honored to be named the first Country of Honor at ACFM 2026. For many years, ACFM and the Busan International Film Festival have played an important role in bringing Asian stories to the world and supporting the growth of the region’s film and creative industries.”
He added, “I would like to thank ACFM for this meaningful partnership. We believe this opportunity will open new doors for Thai films and content to reach wider international audiences, while strengthening collaboration between Thailand, South Korea, and partners across the global industry.”
ACFM Director Ellen Y.D. Kim said, “Thailand has developed content as a key pillar of its national soft power strategy, and ACFM is where that strategy meets the global market.”
She added, “Through the inaugural Country of Honor program, which moves beyond program-specific partnerships toward a comprehensive country-level partnership, we aim to connect Thailand’s soft power strategy with concrete business opportunities in sales, investment, and co-production, while serving as a bridge for its expansion beyond Asia and into the global market.”
Registration is also underway for ACFM 2026, where participants can take part in this year’s key ACFM programs. Market Badge holders can access ACFM 2026 Online from October 6, the opening day of BIFF, to browse sales lineups and Online Booths, access Online Market Screenings, and watch selected titles from BIFF’s Official Selection. Details are available on the official ACFM website at www.acfm.kr.
ACFM is the official market of the BIFF and is held in Busan every October. At its 20th edition in 2025, 1,222 companies and 3,024 industry professionals from 55 countries registered, while total on-site attendance reached 30,006, marking the largest edition in ACFM’s history. The Sales Market recorded 8,438 business meetings, with an estimated transaction value of approximately USD 71.16 million.
The 2026 Asian Contents & Film Market will be held from October 10 to 13 at Exhibition Center 2, BEXCO in Busan.
