Asian cinema ready to unite

Digital technology

With digital technology transforming the world, including the film and TV industry, Kamil of the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia said that technologies such as artificial intelligence are merely tools.

"At the end of the day, it is no different from the word processor."

What is more important in scriptwriting is to find things that touch the heart, he said.

"If you had to rely on AI to interpret your story, it is not close to your heart."

AI helps in certain areas of film production, but a human brain is also needed, he said.

Wang of Salon Films said it is natural that people of different regions communicate with each other and create new cultures, and he pointed to the Belt and Road Initiative, born of the concept of cross-border exchange thousands of years ago.

"In the content industry, hopefully, everybody has a good culture and can exchange with each other to create a better culture."

Apart from challenges in language and cultural differences, Barker of the Australian National University said, few resources are available for individuals or companies wanting to undertake coproduction, and information posted on the websites of film agencies in different countries is often incomplete.