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The Asian Contents & Film Market has announced expanded programming for its upcoming 2026 edition, including the return of Doc Square, a specialized initiative designed to foster connections between Asian documentary filmmakers and industry stakeholders. Running from October 10-13 during the Busan International Film Festival, Doc Square will bring together partner organizations representing five nations to support documentary projects in various stages of production. The program, which debuted last year, aims to guide creators through production and distribution strategies.
This year’s Doc Square features several new components, including the inaugural Impact Asia Award, which will distribute $5,000 prizes to three selected projects. An additional prize from the Newstapa Foundation will award one project KRW10 million along with streaming opportunities. Sixteen documentary works-in-progress will present their projects to programmers, sales representatives and distributors during pitching sessions scheduled for October 10-11. Participating organizations hail from Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia and the Philippines, with two new partners joining the initiative.
Beyond the documentary showcase, the market will introduce Asia’s first Impact Day, a dedicated program examining the societal effects of documentary screenings. Organizers will release an 80-page research report featuring case studies from Korea, Taiwan and Japan. Additional programming addresses co-production strategies, festival approaches and funding opportunities for aspiring documentary creators.
In related festival news, actor Yim Siwan has been selected as host for the 31st Busan International Film Festival’s closing ceremony. Siwan, whose career spans television and film, brings recognition from numerous awards and recent appearances in productions including the latest “Squid Game” seasons.
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Originally reported by Variety →
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