Thailand Named Country of Honor at Busan Film Festival 2026
Thailand has been named the inaugural 'Country of Honor' at the Busan International Film Festival 2026, granting it a prominent platform to promote its film industry. Twenty Thai companies will attend the Asian Contents & Film Market, and four Thai productions—9 TEMPLES TO HEAVEN, THE BURNING GIANTS, BUA and INHERIT—are set to screen at the festival. The initiative includes a Thai remake pitching session, a seminar, and a business booth to foster international partnerships.
Thailand has participated in both BIFF and ACFM regularly, and in 2026 it was named the first 'Country of Honor' for ACFM, presenting an important opportunity to showcase Thai creators, entrepreneurs, and works while expanding trade, investment, co‑production, distribution and intellectual‑property prospects internationally. Chotika Akrakitsophakul, Director‑General of the Department of Cultural Promotion, delegated Prathana Sinthunawa, Deputy Director‑General, to attend the press briefing at KANTANA Virtual Production Studio, where executives, entrepreneurs and industry personnel gathered.
Key activities for this participation include the BSM Pitch & Match – Thai Remake IP, which presents five Thai works to explore licensing and foreign remakes; hosting the ACFM 2026 Opening Reception; organizing the seminar “Thailand: The Next Chapter”; and setting up a Thailand booth for business negotiations, with a delegation of twenty companies. In addition, the projects RHIZOME (selected for the Asian Cinema Fund) and FATIMAH (selected for the Asian Project Market) have been chosen. The Department of Cultural Promotion also supports four Thai films that have been selected for screening at BIFF 2026:
1. 9 TEMPLES TO HEAVEN – directed by Sompot Chidgasornpo, part of the A Window on Asian Cinema program, co‑produced by Thailand, Singapore, France, Norway, China, Hong Kong, China, Indonesia and Qatar. 2. THE BURNING GIANTS – directed by Phuttiphong Aroonpheng, also in the A Window on Asian Cinema program, co‑produced by Thailand, Singapore, France and the Netherlands. 3. BUA – co‑directed by Inthira Charoenpura and Phensiri Klangsurin, featured in the VISION: Asia program, a wholly Thai production. 4. INHERIT – directed by Banjong Pisanthanakun, included in the Open Cinema program, a wholly Thai production.
