Foreword
It is with great pleasure that we present the second issue of The A Report to our readers.
In the H1 edition unveiled at last year's ACFM, we set out to map the structures and currents of Asia's film and content industries, and to share the founding vision of 'The A'—a vision rooted in information sharing and collaboration. This H2 edition stands as a continuation of that promise. Rather than merely chronicling the developments of the past six months, it seeks to revisit the broader trajectory traced by Asia's film and content industries throughout 2025. Our contributors from across the region have not only updated the latest movements within their respective markets, but have also taken a longer view—tracing the currents that have run through this year as a whole.
The preparation of this issue, however, came to us with a weight unlike that of our first. Amid the extraordinary situation surrounding Saudi Arabia and Iran, communication with some of our contributors became difficult for a time, and there were periods when we found ourselves less concerned with editorial deadlines than with their safety. Long past our intended schedule, the contribution from our author in Iran at last reached us—accompanied by a brief word that he himself was safe, though his office had already been destroyed. The weight of that moment is one we will carry with us for a long time to come.
War stands in direct opposition to the spirit of Asian cooperation and solidarity that The A Report has sought to embody. It is our most sincere hope that this conflict will come to an end as swiftly as possible, and that peace will take root in its place. In closing this issue, we have been reminded—more keenly than ever before—that cooperation across Asia is only truly possible upon the foundation of peace.
To every contributor who, under such difficult conditions, nonetheless entrusted us with writing of such insight and care, we extend our deepest gratitude. It is precisely in moments like these that the small steps we are taking together—of mutual understanding and collaboration through film and content—feel all the more precious. ACFM remains steadfast in its commitment to nurturing and elevating this spirit, so that the four pillars of 'The A'—Alliance, Analysis, Agent, and Art—may take ever deeper root beneath the encompassing canopy of Asia.
Thank you for your continued interest and support.