FILMART 2025 expanded its global reach, drawing top filmmakers, financiers, producers, musicians, and animation artists from emerging territories beyond Asia. The event showcased new projects and explored AI’s transformative role in filmmaking, paving the way for future entertainment innovations.
The 29th edition of FILMART, held in Hong Kong from March 17-20, reinforced its position as Asia’s leading content marketplace, featuring greater geographic diversity and expanded global participation.
“This year’s FILMART is more international than ever, with over 760 exhibitors from 34 countries and regions. Together with our concurrent conference EntertainmentPulse, this dynamic platform helps industry players capture collaboration opportunities in the fast-changing world of film and entertainment,” says Dr. Peter K.N. Lam, Chairman of Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), in a press statement.
The annual initiative, led by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, Hong Kong Film Development Council, and HKTDC, included networking events, fireside chats, workshops, and business matching sessions that fostered cultural exchange, collaboration, idea sharing, and showcased technology use cases.
This year’s event embraced the theme “Dare to Change, Dare to Excel,” featuring nine dynamic events across film, television, music, and digital entertainment.
FILMART 2025 showcased a diverse international presence, with strong participation from Hong Kong, mainland China, South Korea, Southeast Asia, and producers from France, Australia, and emerging European markets like Armenia, Kazakhstan and the Czech Republic.
New exhibitors from markets such as New South Wales (Australia), Cambodia, India, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam joined the event, while Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, and Taiwan expanded their pavilions.
The ASEAN region saw a significant rise in participation, with over 100 exhibitors from seven countries, reflecting the region’s growing influence in the global entertainment market.
FILMART 2025 introduced several fresh initiatives, including the Hong Kong Film Music Fiesta, which aimed to connect the film and music industries, opening up new business opportunities while showcasing Hong Kong’s unique film music culture. Additionally, the inaugural Producers Connect programme, a collaboration between the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency, the Hong Kong Film Development Council, and HKTDC.
“The program provides producers with a valuable platform for networking, financing, learning and career advancement within the film industry,” Candas Yeung, associate director of service promotion department at the HKTDC shared with Variety.
Among some of the regional collaborations that stood out was Malaysia’s National Film Development Corporation (FINAS) led the charge, signing significant agreements including a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Korean Fim Council (KOFIC) and beginning discussions for co-production funding with Hong Kong’s Cultural & Creative Development Agency.
Meanwhile, Thailand and Indonesia presented curated pavilions that underscored their ambitions to shape global storytelling.
The ASEAN Film Production Development & Market Outlook session further highlighted the potential of the region, with industry leaders from Cambodia, Indonesia, and Malaysia sharing insights into the market.
FILMART 2025 also turned the spotlight on Asia’s rapidly growing animation industry. With the Digital Entertainment Summit focusing on the theme, “Unlock Opportunities of the Dynamic Animation Market and Productions in Asia,” the event attracted significant attention.
The session was particularly valuable for content producers interested in tapping into Asia’s animation boom, offering insights into market dynamics and strategies to unlock new opportunities.
This year’s event follows the launch of Hong Kong’s revamped Film Production Financing Scheme 2.0 by the HKDFC. The scheme increases funding, allocates more money upfront, and introduces measures to reduce investor risk.
Technology also played a key role at FILMART 2025, with AI becoming a central theme of the event. The launch of the AI Hub pilot project demonstrated how artificial intelligence is poised to revolutionize the film and TV industry.
Co-organized by AMP4, the MPDA, and HKTDC, the AI Hub showcased three themed zones: the Pre-production Zone, the Visual and Voiceprint Recognition Zone, and the Virtual Production Zone.
The integration of AI into filmmaking is transforming how scripts are analysed, special effects are created, and virtual production techniques are employed.
Leaders in the segment came forth sharing their experience. Sony highlighted its AI camera capabilities, while Lenovo introduced its “Digital Twins” solution, merging AI, 3D scanning, and advanced generation technologies for digital restoration projects.
These innovations are reshaping how films are made, from pre-production to post-production, and they offer immense potential for content creators looking to harness AI to enhance their storytelling and production processes.
While the potential of AI is vast, the discussions at FILMART 2025 also addressed the ethical concerns surrounding its use. Issues like job displacement and the rise of deepfake technology were key topics of debate, with experts agreeing that AI should be seen as a complement to human creativity rather than a replacement .
FILMART 2025 also focused on nurturing young talent, providing a platform for emerging creatives to showcase their work and explore new storytelling methods.
