Asian filmmakers winning over the world as confidence grows

Streaming platforms are widening access to regional content

Park Hae-il, left, and Tang Wei in a still from "Decision to Leave," which won South Korea's Park Chan-wook the prize for best director at the recent Cannes Film Festival. (Courtesy of Festival de Cannes)

KONG RITHDEE, Contributing writer

June 28, 2022 15:09 JST

CANNES, France -- The strong performance of East Asian cinema at the Cannes Film Festival in May has highlighted growing momentum in the region's film industry, while the international popularity of made-for-platform content from South Korea and Japan is inspiring other Asian filmmakers looking for breakthroughs.

Southeast Asia, too, is seeking to build on new attention following the success of films from Indonesia to Cambodia in the past year, as regional filmmakers find ways to shape the narrative of their own countries while connecting with the rest of the world.