Producers Guild of Korea and Italy’s CNA Forge Co-Production Alliance at Busan Market

The Producers Guild of Korea (PGK) and Italy’s CNA Cinema e Audiovisivo (CNA) have signed a memorandum of understanding to establish exchange programs and share intelligence on public funding mechanisms, operationalizing the two nations’ government-level co-production treaty.

The agreement was formalized on Sunday at the Italian Pavilion during the Busan International Film Festival’s Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM). PGK President Lee Dong-ha and CNA National Vice President Francesco Lattarulo, acting on behalf of National President Gianluca Curti, executed the pact.

Under the terms, each organization will serve as the primary liaison for joint ventures between their respective production sectors and disseminate information on public financing opportunities available to producers in both countries. The partnership also mandates regular exchange initiatives—including annual meetings, showcases, and business-to-business sessions—to be held in Korea and Italy, as well as at international markets such as ACFM and Rome’s Mercato Internazionale Audiovisivo (MIA).

“Italy and Korea now have a co-production framework between governments, but films are made by producers, not by frameworks,” Lee said. “This MoU puts the two producer communities in direct contact so that the agreement turns into projects that reach audiences in both countries.”

The producers’ MoU builds upon the bilateral film co-production accord already in force between the Italian and South Korean governments. While that treaty established the institutional ground rules, the new pact targets the practical execution of co-productions, filming in Italy, and direct producer-to-producer exchanges.

Curti described the MoU as a pivotal step in a relationship that began when CNA first attended Busan and recognized the potential for collaboration with South Korea. “We welcomed the bilateral co-production agreement between our governments; today, we are delighted to begin a direct collaboration with the Producers Guild of Korea,” he said. “I am confident that this partnership will give our companies opportunities to work together and turn shared ideas into ambitious projects.”

CNA’s engagement with Busan dates to 2023, when the association facilitated the Italian government’s debut at ACFM, leading to Italy’s establishment of a dedicated market pavilion in 2024.

PGK represents nearly 300 members operating across theatrical features, documentaries, and series, with credits including “Parasite,” “Train to Busan,” and “Squid Game.” The Italian agreement continues a series of international partnerships the guild has secured since the pandemic, adding to existing MoUs with the Canadian Media Producers Association, the Hong Kong Movie Production Executives Association, the Indonesian Film Producers Association (APROFI), and Brazil’s Audiovisual Industry Union (SIAESP).

CNA Cinema e Audiovisivo is Italy’s largest representative body for film and audiovisual enterprises by member count. It operates within CNA, a national confederation of approximately 620,000 entrepreneurs spanning all 20 Italian regions. Its membership encompasses producers, executive producers, distributors, sales agents, technical and post-production facilities, and dubbing studios.

Earlier the same day at ACFM, PGK also finalized a separate co-production MoU with the Sakha Filmmakers Association, which represents producers from the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) in Russia’s Far East.

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