Making films travel: Asia/Europe perspectives on the role of public funding in film circulation
During the Berlinale 2026, the European Film Agencies Directors Association (EFAD) and the Asian Film Alliance Network (AFAN) hosted a workshop “Making films travel: Asia / Europe perspectives on the role of public funding in film circulation.”
The event brought together film agencies, professionals from across audiovisual sectors, and academic experts from Europe and Asia to reflect on how public funding can support the international circulation, visibility and audience reach of films supported by screen agencies.
Participants exchanged perspectives on the realities of European and Asian markets, shared common challenges and explored how public policy instruments can strengthen the development of the audiovisual sectors in both regions. The discussion also focused on audiences, distribution strategies and the role public institutions can play in helping films travel across borders.
Ellen Y. D. Kim (The A Report) presented a cross-border intelligence platform covering 17 Asian markets, highlighting key trends in production, the growth of OTT services, the importance of intellectual property, and the role of standardised data in supporting partnerships and investment across the region.
Jakob Isak Nielsen (Aarhus University) examined the structural health of several smaller European film markets, as presented through the latest CresCine report on the state of the European film, outlining differences in cinema infrastructure, export capacity and audience engagement.
Anamaria Antoci (Tangaj Production, Romania) shared insights into evolving audience design strategies, from segmentation and early engagement with audiences to distribution approaches and the use of emerging tools such as AI. Her intervention underlined how public policy frameworks and industry practices across the audiovisual ecosystem shape the relationship between films and audiences.
Industry professionals also contributed perspectives on the practical realities of film circulation and international distribution. Jean-Christophe Simon (Films Boutique) and Jonas Weydemann (Weydemann Bros) shared industry reflections, discussing the challenges faced by producers and sales agents in bringing films to international audiences and the need to continuously adapt distribution strategies in a rapidly evolving market environment.
The discussion also highlighted existing initiatives supporting international circulation. Sonja Heinen (European Film Promotion) disucssed the Film Sales Support (FSS) programme, which provides grants to European world sales companies to promote and sell European films outside Europe, particularly through international festivals and markets.
Through this joint initiative, AFAN and EFAD continue to strengthen cooperation between Asian and European partners, promoting the exchange of best practices and policy approaches supporting diverse audiovisual ecosystems. AFAN and EFAD will follow up on the question of distribution and circulation at the Marché du Film during the next Cannes Film Festival.
Lorna Tee, AFAN Secretary General
"The workshop is continued efforts of AFAN together with EFAD to connect between the film agencies in Asia and Europe, to find common grounds and challenges, and to confront the role of public funding in the current cinematic landscape in both regions. The support of the German Federal Film Board (FFA) in hosting this event during the Berlinale/ European Film Market is a vital step in bridging the market and policy makers and experts on coproduction and distribution. AFAN is also grateful for the Film Development Council of the Philippines, represented by Chairperson Joey Javier Reyes, who has extended an invitation for the EFAD members to participate in a similar exchange in Manila in the summer as part of the ASEAN Film and TV Summit. AFAN remains committed fostering more information exchanges that will lead to a more vibrant connection amongst Asian and with European national film agencies."
Sevara Irgacheva, EFAD Secretary General
"EFAD and AFAN members share an essential common objective: ensuring that films supported by our public agencies travel across borders and reach audiences beyond their countries of origin. We are very grateful to the FFA, EFAD’s German member, for hosting this important exchange during the Berlinale and the European Film Market, as well as to our speakers and experts for nourishing the reflections of our members. Successful distribution and international circulation remain essential objectives for our sectors, strengthening cultural exchange and mutual understanding between our regions. Public film agencies are actively reflecting on enhancing their policies and funding instruments to better support the international visibility of films and strengthen their connection with audiences. We look forward to continuing this dialogue with our AFAN partners in the coming months, including potential opportunity to gather at the Cannes Film Festival and the Marché du Film, and we warmly thank the Film Development Council of the Philippines and its Chairperson Joey Javier Reyes for the invitation to pursue this cooperation further in Manila during the ASEAN summit."