Thai Film Goes Global: FILMART 2025

The 29th Hong Kong International Film & Television Festival, “FILMART 2025” and Entertainment Pulse, a Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) event was launched from 17 to 20 March 2025 at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wanchai district, Hong Kong.

FILMART is part of Entertainment Expo Hong Kong, which started from 16 March to 27 April 2025. This year, there were more 760 exhibitors from 34 countries and regions with more 30 country booths, including 7 new booths: Australia, Cambodia, France, India, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam, as well as first-time participants from Armenia, the Czech Republic and Kazakhstan.

Dr. Peter K N Lam, Chairman of the HKTDC, announced the theme “Dare to Change, Dare to Excel” for this year, aimed to promote cultural exchange and cooperation, and launched the “Hong Kong Film Music Fiesta” to connect the film and music industries. “FILMART is more international than ever this year as Asia’s leading entertainment market.” he said.

More 100 exhibitors from 7 ASEAN countries, including Thailand which returned to the event with a larger size of the pavilion after success on last year. This year, there are many Hong Kong Participants such as Emperor Motion Pictures, Media Asia, Golden Scene and Mei Ah Entertainment, presented the latest films and business development plans, as well as RTHK, Television Broadcasts Limited and educational institutions such as Hong Kong Baptist University.

All the lead participants from China also joined such as Tencent Video, Bilibili, iQiyi and Alibaba Group, along with many big pavilions from major provinces in China such as Guangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Hubei, Beijing and Shanghai, jointly exported Chinese films to the global market. The new AI technology for creating the film also captivated many visitors to know and get updates from many lead makers.

Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Tourism and Sports, and Ministry of Culture, brought Thai entrepreneurs to join the event at the Thailand Pavilion under the theme “Thailand Where Films Come Alive”  with 37 companies, divided into 4 groups.

1) Film producers and film distributors 15 companies
2) TV program and drama producers 6 companies
3) Film and video related services 6 companies
4) BL content 10 companies

Thai Night event on March 18, 2025 is held at JW Marriott Hotel, presided by Her Royal Highness Princess Ubolratana Raja-Kanya Sirivadhana Barnavadi, aimed to connect the cooperation between business people in the entertainment industry, film directors and actors from Thailand and abroad and to promote Thailand's excellence in many dimensions, including Talents / Filming Location / Production / Post-Production / Government Support.

More 400 participants attended and Thai cuisine is also introduced to international guests from Thai SELECT restaurant in Hong Kong. The “FILMART” is an important platform for disseminating Thailand’s soft power, creating opportunities and promoting the potential of Thai entrepreneurs to compete in the international market.

Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), Ministry of Commerce, has joined hands with 3 agencies to announce the success of bringing 37 Thai entertainment entrepreneurs to participate in the Hong Kong International Film & TV Market 2025 (FILMART) in Hong Kong securing over 2,292 million baht in sales of film, drama, and series content, moving forward to promote Thai entertainment industry in global stage.

Ms. Sunantha Kangwalkulkij, Director-General of the Department of International Trade Promotion revealed about participating in FILMART 2025 this time, DITP, the Ministry of Commerce, has integrated cooperation with 3 partner agencies: the Ministry of Culture, the Department of Tourism, and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, together with the Subcommittee on Driving the Film, Documentary, and Animation Industry. 

Participating in FILMART, the largest global content marketplace in Asia, has achieved its target with total trade value of 2,292 million baht, while providing opportunities for Thai entrepreneurs to expand their international business networks.

“Thai entertainment industry, including movies, dramas and series, one of the country’s important soft powers, has received a huge attention from oversea buyers, resulting in content trading and further cooperation in joint investment, production and market expansion in the future,” said Ms. Sunantha.

She continuely said "In our Thai Pavilion, FRT Entertainment received huge attention from South Korea and Malaysia, as well as China. They interested in co-organizing the Fan Meeting for Thai BL series actors. Lockman 2011 negotiated with an US company. They wanted to shooting in Thailand with a film project worth 2 million US dollars (68 million baht) and M Distribution company negotiated with an Indian company to purchase the rights to release a movie "The Stone", marking the first time the company had purchased the rights from the Indian market.

Ms. "Nong" Arunocha Panupan, the producer of Broadcast Thai Television, one of the lead drama production in Thailand said that she was very happy to have an opportunity to participate in Hong Kong FILMART, which was supported by the Ministry of Commerce and many other agencies. This time, she brought two BL series and many other series also received good feedback from both the Asian market and Japan, India also came to watch.

Ms. "Nong" Arunocha Panupan, the producer of Broadcast Thai Television

We received a lot of interest both dramas and series from Asia's entrepreneurs. We produce BL series well and new works are coming all the time. Our BL or Yuri market is currently receiving positive feedback from Thailand. We have received trust in our work and its quality. I think the market is still growing and we should continuely support from audience to make more good quality series and also support from government sector, to promote them and make  everyone know widely. So, it still growing well in the future", "Nong" Arunosha said.

Images: inStyle Asia

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