Motion Picture Association - Asia Pacific

09/10/2025

From The Dark Knight’s Hong Kong skyline to Busan’s Gwangan Bridge in Black Panther, Asia’s iconic locations have helped shape some of the world’s most memorable stories.

At the Enhancing Global Production Services in Asia seminar, co-hosted by the Motion Picture Association (MPA) during the Busan International Film Festival, industry leaders discussed how cities are attracting filmmakers through production incentives, efficient services, and stronger regional collaboration.

The session also explored how real locations are inspiring animation and hybrid titles like K-Pop Demon Hunters, reflecting the creative and economic potential of Asia’s diverse film landscapes.

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From Hong Kong's skyline in "The Dark Knight" to Jordan's Wadi Rum, film commissions across the region are proving they have the locations.

06/10/2025

Filmmakers at Busan are taking a hard look at how AI is reshaping the creative world. Speakers at MPA's “AI in Filmmaking” seminar highlighted both opportunities and challenges AI brings to the filmmaking process.

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At the 30th Busan International Film Festival, the MPA hosted a conversation about how AI could reshape animation and filmmaking.

03/10/2025

The Heart of the Story: How Carlos Saldanha Went from Film Student to Animation Legend
From his early days as a film student to directing global hits like Ice Age, Rio, and Ferdinand, Carlos Saldanha’s journey is a testament to passion and perseverance.
Today, his work spans animation, live action, and television, yet his creative compass remains the same: lead with purpose, tell authentic stories, and let heart guide the craft.
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"If the story doesn't have that little pulsing beat there, I'm not interested," says renowned animation wizard Carlos Saldanha.

03/10/2025

‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Breaks Another Netflix Record
After becoming Netflix’s most popular movie of all time in late August, KPop Demon Hunters has now achieved an extraordinary milestone, 15 consecutive weeks on the Netflix Top 10 (Sept. 22–28), making it the longest-running title ever on the English-language films chart.
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'KPop Demon Hunters' has charted on the Netflix Top 10 for 15 weeks in a row, beating a record previously held by 'Red Notice.'

02/10/2025

Confiscating Creator’s Rights: Australia’s Slippery Slope
A recent Federal Court decision in Australia has highlighted a rare intersection of copyright, property rights, and investigative reporting. In this case, copyright in covertly filmed footage was transferred from the filmmakers to the subject of the filming.
This outcome raises important questions about how copyright should balance the rights of creators with broader legal considerations such as trespass and privacy.

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Explore the landmark copyright ruling in Australia affecting investigative journalism and animal rights. Discover its implications for press freedom.

01/10/2025

The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has approved the merger of Star Television Productions with Jio Star India, a joint venture between Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL) and Disney.

Jio Star was established in November 2024 through the merger of Star India and Viacom18. In its September 26 order, the tribunal described the merger as “fair, reasonable and not in violation of any provisions of law” under Sections 230–232 of the Companies Act.

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Jio Star India, a joint venture between Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) and Disney, was created in November 2024 through the merger of Star India and Viacom18. The combined company was valued at $8.5 billion. In its September 26 order, the tribunal approved the merger under sections 230–232 of the C...

30/09/2025

Hollywood films have taken the lead at the Indian box office in 2025, outperforming mainstream Bollywood releases. Recent successes such as F1, Mission Impossible—The Final Reckoning, Jurassic World Rebirth, and The Conjuring: The Last Rites have driven significant growth in market share.

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https://m.economictimes.com/industry/media/entertainment/hollywood-movies-deliver-a-hit-for-warner-bros-in-india/amp_articleshow/123989750.cms

29/09/2025

At the 30th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), we were pleased to support initiatives that foster emerging talent in the Asia-Pacific region.

Through the MPA Chanel X BIFF Asian Film Academy, we ran the Bridge to Hollywood workshop, with acclaimed director Carlos Saldanha (Rio) serving as a judge, reflecting continued international interest in developing Asian creative talent.
We also celebrated the winners of the “Your Story Begins Here” Location Promotion Short Film Competition:

⦁ 1st Prize: The Streets We Call Home by Tyler Park
⦁ 2nd Prize: The Landscape Painted by the Sky by 최서영 (Choi Seoyoung)
⦁ 3rd Prize: Ahdarongdiri by 금수정 (Geum Su-Jeong)

View the full selection of entries here: https://ow.ly/4rl250X3pa8
Read Variety article here: https://ow.ly/rU9R50X3pa7

Busan International Film Festival's 30th edition marked by Korean cinema crisis, Netflix presence, first competition launch, and record attendance.

29/09/2025

Excited to hear from the filmmakers about the making of Alien: Earth at our “Thailand Success Stories” event in Bangkok on October 21.”
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"Alien: Earth" cinematographer/director Dana Gonzalez reveals the painstaking work of updating and improving the Xenomorph for TV.

26/09/2025

At the Busan International Film Festival’s Creative Asia Forum, Netflix announced Lumina — a first-of-its-kind initiative in Australia designed to support neurodiverse talent entering the visual effects industry. In partnership with Bus Stop Films and Spectrum Films, the program will provide training and on-set placements on the upcoming Netflix production My Brilliant Career. The announcement reflects Netflix’s broader investment in skills development across APAC, where it has launched initiatives in Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia to nurture emerging creators and build inclusive pathways into the screen industry.

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The streamer also revealed it would expand its forum to Indonesia.

26/09/2025

Pleased to see Yeon Sang-ho’s “The Ugly” rise to the top of the Korean box office, making a total to date of $5.4m. The film is produced by Yoomin Hailey Yang, an alumni of the Motion Picture Association. Go Hailey! Following its Toronto premiere, The Ugly has been acquired by Well Go USA for North American theatrical release.

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'The Ugly,' the anticipated Korean thriller directed by 'Train to Busan' helmer, has landed North American distribution with Well Go USA ahead of TIFF.

25/09/2025

On September 20, the Motion Picture Association joined Chanel and the Asian Film Academy to host the MPA–CHANEL x BAFA Film Workshop.

The day began with a masterclass and Q&A led by Carlos Saldanha for AFA students. In the afternoon, Saldanha was joined by Stephen Jenner, MPA APAC Vice President of Communications, and Korean filmmaker Thomas Kim to judge the feature film pitch competition.