Greater Asia-Europe collaboration: Asian Film Alliance Network (AFAN) partners with European Film Agency Directors association (EFAD)

The European Film Agency Directors Association (EFAD) and the Asian Film Alliance Network (AFAN) met during the Cannes Film Festival to form a partnership to enhance the understanding and collaboration amongst the European and Asian national film agencies. 

The partnership enables the 37 EFAD members and 7 AFAN members to discuss common grounds, exchange information and plans for further program for dialogue on subjects such as policy and regulations, the development of the film industry in both regions and addressing new media and challenges ahead. 

"We warmly welcome the deepening cooperation with our friends at AFAN and look forward to learning from each as we deal with common challenges" said Chris Marcich EFAD President

“AFAN - EFAD partnership will bring better cooperation and communication between film agencies in Asia and Europe to be able to jointly develop a better world film ecosystem. With the film industries, where change is constant, there is further urgency for more information exchange and joint efforts across the major film regions” explained Alex Sihar (AFAN Chairperson)

Chris Marcich, EFAD President and CEO of the Croatian Audiovisual Centre, and Julie-Jeanne Régnault, EFAD Secretary General, presented the history, operations and programs of EFAD to AFAN during a closed door AFAN Roundtable discussion on Thursday 16 May, to give an overview from the European experience and perspective. In addition, EFAD and AFAN were hosted by the CNC on 18 May on the topic of Asia-Europe: Common Stakes for the film industry with the participation of:

• Alex Sihar (AFAN Chairperson/ Special Staff Director General of Film, Ministry of Education, Culture, Research & Technology, Indonesia) 
• Chris Marcich (EFAD President/ CEO Croatian Audiovisual Centre)
• Dong Hyun Kim (Acting Chairperson/ Korean Film Council/ KOFIC)
• Bérénice Honold (Advisor to CEO – International Affairs German Film Board/ FFA)
• Jérémie Kessler (Director of International Affairs/ French National Centre for Cinema & Moving Image/CNC)

AFAN Background

AFAN was formed during Cannes Film Festival 2023, initiated by the Korean Film Council, to bring like-minded national film agencies together to enhance current partnerships and build more solid exchanges in Asia and beyond. AFAN again convened during the Busan International Film Festival 2023, where producer/ curator Lorna Tee was elected as the Secretary General for AFAN for a three year term. 

About EFAD

EFAD (European Film Agency Directors association) is the voice of national European Film Agencies, bringing together national film and audiovisual centres from European countries. EFAD membership covers the European Union countries as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Norway, the Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Switzerland, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.