Independent film producers from across Asia have formed a new coalition dedicated to advancing co-production across the region and protecting creators’ intellectual property.
The Asian Producers Alliance (APA) brings together production organisations from South Korea, Indonesia, the Philippines, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
The announcement was made at the Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM) in Busan today (October 11), at the end of a seminar hosted by the Producers Guild of Korea (PGK) on Asian solidarity.
Co-founded by the PGK and the Indonesian Film Producers Association (APROFI), they are joined by the Philippine Independent Producers Group (PIPG), Hong Kong Movie Production Executives Association (HKMPEA) and Taiwan Producers Association (TPA).
The coalition stated that it is formed of independent producers — not major studios, conglomerates or government agencies.
It begins as a consultative body built around two goals: advancing co-production across Asia and protecting creators’ IP, and aims to evolve into a consensus body with a formal decision-making structure.
In its first year, membership is open to producer organisations across Asia – not limited to one per territory – and the founding members will hold online meetings every quarter, with a General Assembly convening each year during ACFM.
The inaugural co-representatives are PGK president Lee Dong-ha and APROFI chairman Edwin Nazir. Co-secretary generals are PGK’s Han Jin and APROFI’s Yulia Evina Bhara (APROFI).
Lee, whose producing credits include Train To Busan, said: “Asian producers have faced the same challenges separately, market by market. Starting today, we face them together. APA is not a declaration — it is a practice of solidarity that begins now.”
APA will hold its second seminar in December at the JAFF Market in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, hosted by APROFI, under the theme of creators’ IP.
Earlier the same day, the PGK and Italy’s Cinema e Audiovisivo (CNA) signed a memorandum of understanding at the ACFM. Together, they will establish exchange programmes and share information on public funding, building on the two countries’ government-level co-production accord.
Under the terms, each body will act as a contact point for joint productions between the two and share information on public funding open to producers in each country. They will also host exchange programmes including annual meetings, showcases and business-to-business sessions in Korea and Italy.
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