Generative artificial intelligence and microdramas are set to take centre stage at the 2026 Asian Contents & Film Market, the official industry market of the Busan International Film Festival, as the global screen business increasingly explores new approaches to filmmaking, distribution and audience engagement, Variety reports. Running from October 10 to 13 at BEXCO in Busan, the market will feature 64 programmes across seven categories, with InnoAsia serving as a major hub for emerging technology and new media. According to the Busan International Film Festival, the programme brings together 44 organisations and companies across 11 initiatives, including AWS, Google DeepMind, Alibaba Group, Kling AI and Netflix’s VFX studio Eyeline Studios.
The programme reflects the rapid convergence between technology and entertainment, with dedicated sessions examining generative AI, cinematic AI and AI driven production workflows. Kling AI will co-host “New Cinematic Possibilities: Reimagining Filmmaking with Kling AI”, while Eyeline Studios will lead a session on generative AI and the future of filmmaking. An AI Creators Camp will also offer practical workshops, alongside showcases of AI based films, animation, series and interactive content. At the same time, microdramas will receive dedicated attention through sessions examining the evolution of the format in China and beyond, as well as its potential to develop into larger film and transmedia properties. The market puts the size of the shortdrama sector at approximately $18 billion.
For the wider global entertainment industry, Busan’s programming signals how investment, intellectual property, technology and audience behaviour are converging around new content formats. The 2025 edition of ACFM attracted 1,222 companies and 3,024 industry professionals from 55 countries, generating 8,438 business meetings and an estimated $71.16 million in transaction value. With its 2026 programme connecting AI companies, filmmakers, investors, distributors and microdrama platforms including Mango TV, FlickReels and Vigloo, the Busan market is positioning itself as a meeting point for the next generation of screen businesses, where emerging technologies and rapidly evolving formats could influence how stories are created, financed and consumed across Asia and global markets.
