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The Asian Film Alliance Network (AFAN), a strategic alliance of eight national film agencies across Asia, has officially opened applications for a feasibility study on its transition into an independent legal entity. In a call published in April, AFAN announced it is inviting qualified Lead Researchers and Legal Firms to conduct the comprehensive study. The application deadline is May 3, 2026, with selected candidates to be announced in June. The initiative marks the first formal step for AFAN — launched at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival — to evolve from a collaborative programme into a permanent institution with legal standing.

AFAN is a strategic alliance of Asian national film agencies initiated at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC). Its current membership spans eight countries: South Korea (KOFIC), the Philippines (FDCP), Malaysia (FINAS), Singapore (IMDA/SFC), Taiwan (TAICCA), Indonesia (Ministry of Culture), Mongolia (MNFC), and Thailand (Ministry of Culture). Japan, Qatar, Vietnam, and Cambodia participate as observer members. AFAN has also established a landmark partnership with the European Film Agency Directors (EFAD).

The feasibility study aims to provide a roadmap for AFAN's evolution from a programme into a sustainable, independent legal entity. The scope of work covers four areas: Strategic Positioning (analyzing AFAN's long-term role and value-add at national, regional, and international levels); Membership & Expansion (identifying engagement pathways for new national agencies across Asia); Governance & Operations (proposing an operational structure and funding model, including membership contributions); and Legal Framework (comparing legal set-up scenarios such as associations or foundations, with analysis of taxation, compliance, and host jurisdictions). The study's findings will be submitted to AFAN members and the French Team, composed of representatives from the Centre National du Cinéma et de l'Image Animée (CNC) and the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.

The research will unfold over a full year, traveling through key platforms in the international film calendar. The outline will be launched at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2026, followed by first-phase findings at the Busan International Film Festival in October 2026. Outcomes will then be presented at the Co-production Summit in Paris in December 2026, with the final Conclusion Report delivered at the AFAN General Assembly in Cannes in May 2027.

Two distinct profiles are being sought. For the researcher track, AFAN is looking for experts in cultural policy, international audiovisual cooperation, or international arts governance. For the legal track, the alliance seeks firms with expertise in pan-Asian law, international non-profit structures, and comparative legal frameworks for foundations or associations. Joint applications between research specialists and legal experts are highly encouraged by the secretariat.

Significance and Outlook

AFAN's move toward legal incorporation signals that Asian film policy cooperation is entering a new phase. The fact that a programme launched in Cannes only three years ago is now pursuing transformation into a permanent institution with legal standing suggests that collaboration among member agencies has reached a level of maturity warranting formalization.

One notable dimension of this process is the structural involvement of France. The study's findings will be delivered to the French Team at the CNC and the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, and three of the four milestone presentations during the year-long timeline will take place at France-linked platforms — the Cannes Film Festival and the Co-production Summit in Paris. Combined with AFAN's existing partnership with EFAD, this indicates that the institutionalization discussion is unfolding within a broader context of Asia-Europe policy dialogue.

Clear challenges remain. As the scope of work explicitly acknowledges, fundamental questions — whether to adopt an association or foundation structure, where to base the host jurisdiction, and how to design the membership contribution model — are yet to be resolved. How the feasibility study addresses these questions will shape the concrete form AFAN ultimately takes.

Project Timeline at a Glance