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The Busan International Film Festival’s Asian Cinema Fund (ACF) has selected three international co-productions for its 2026 Co-Production Support Fund, backing films from directors Fukada Koji, Jakrawal Nilthamrong
and Boo Junfeng with a combined KRW140 million ($100,000) in production funding.
The three projects – “Grateful,” “Rhizome” and “Trinity” – were chosen from 15 submissions following a two-round process of materials review and interviews, the ACF said. The lineup marks a threefold jump from last year’s single recipient, and together the films span 13 countries, including Korea, across majority and minority production roles.
Fukada Koji directs “Grateful,” a Korea-Japan co-production in which Korea holds majority status and Japan participates as the minority partner. Song Dae-chan and Kameda Yuko produce. The project received KRW60 million ($42,900), the largest of the three grants, with the strength of the Korean production team’s track record cited as a deciding factor in its selection.
Jakrawal Nilthamrong directs “Rhizome,” produced with Thailand carrying majority status while Korea, France, Laos and Singapore hold minority roles. Chatchai Chaiyon, Samavee Pummuang, Kim Hyejin, Yohann Cornu, Mattie Do and Panuksmi Hardjowirogo produce. The film centers on the wartime history shared across Asia and received KRW40 million ($28,600).
Boo Junfeng directs “Trinity,” led by Taiwan, France and Singapore as majority partners, joined by eight minority partner countries: Poland, Greece, Germany, Japan, Brazil, Korea, Indonesia and the Philippines. It carries an extensive international producing team and turns on a theme rooted in religion. The film also received KRW40 million ($28,600).
Established in 2025, the Co-Production Support Fund was created to spur cross-border productions involving Korea. It supports long-form narrative features and animated theatrical releases structured as formal co-production pacts with Korea, requiring projects to have financed 60% or more of net production costs. Total funding rose to KRW140 million ($100,000) this year from KRW65 million ($46,400) in 2025, while the minimum guaranteed recipient count grew from one project to at least two.
ACFM director Ellen Y.D. Kim said, “It is encouraging to see support for co-productions expanding since the launch of the Co-Production Support Fund last year, including the resumption of the Korean Film Council’s international co-production support program. The three projects have already made substantial progress in co-production and financing through collaboration with numerous international partners,” adding, “Now that these projects are close to bearing fruit, I hope this support – modest though it may be – will help put the final piece of the puzzle in place and bring each film to successful completion.”
The ACF also runs a Script Development Fund, Post-Production Fund and Asian Network of Documentary (AND) Fund, connecting supported projects to distribution and industry access through BIFF and the Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM) programs.
The 2026 ACFM runs Oct. 10-13 at Exhibition Center 2, BEXCO in Busan, alongside the 31st Busan International Film Festival, running Oct. 6-15.
