The film industry is developing rapidly in Asean but some countries have yet to tap into the trend. In Laos, only one or two movies are produced each year and the general public is largely unaware of them. Screening venues are limited, making it even harder for local filmmakers to show their work and earn a living.
Nagyong Choi, executive director of Asean Film Festival 2014, says educating audiences is important.
"I personally feel that the film industry in Laos is quite behind. We lack trained professional personnel, crews and also up-to-date equipment for filming," said Matty Do, the director/producer at Sleepy Whippet Films based in Vientiane, in Seoul to attend the Asean Film Festival.
Local people are gradually becoming aware that there are a handful of Lao filmmakers attempting to expand the industry. The government, meanwhile, is trying to help, although it has limited resources. It established a Department of Cinema few years ago.
"Unfortunately, being so new and perhaps being an art sector of a developing country, there is still no financial support for films from the government yet," said Ms Matty.
Dustin Nguyen, a Vietnamese film director and actor, said the film industry in his country had a long way to go despite the fast development seen over the past years in terms of movies produced.
"The industry in Vietnam is pretty small compared to the rest of Southeast Asia but it is growing very fast, probably the fastest growing in the region right now," he said.
Mr Nguyen recalled that when he first came back to Vietnam from abroad six years ago, private companies produced only six of seven movies a year. In 2014 alone, the number increased to 21 but was still quite small compared to about 50 made by Thailand and even more in Malaysia.
"Twenty-one is not very many but high growth is continuing year after year," said Mr Nguyen. "More cinemas being built and that gives producers more confidence to put more money into the industry."
Both directors had movies screened at the Asean Film Festival held for the first time in Korea in late November and early December last year. The event featured one film from each of the 10 Asean countries as part of the Asean-Korea Commemorative Summit to mark the 25th anniversary of dialogue partnership between the two regions.
Jiseok Kim, executive programmer of the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), said Asean cinema has successfully developed its own unique diverse styles over the years based on the wealth of cultural and religious characteristics in the region.
However, global awareness of Asean films remains limited to those from a few countries such as Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. Works from Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia have only recently begun to enjoy attention while Cambodia, Myanmar, Brunei and Laos are still at the starting line, he said.
Matty Do, director/producer with Sleepy Whippet Films in Vientiane, says the industry in Laos needs help on many fronts, and co-productions with foreign filmmakers could be one answer.
BIFF, the largest event of its kind in Asia, was among the sponsors of the Asean Film Festival 2014 together with the ministries of Foreign Affairs and Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Nagyong Choi, executive director of the Asean Film Festival 2014, said creating a suitable environment is vital for Asean countries to develop the film industry further, and funding is one of the key elements.
"It is my personal view that a key factor for the success of film industry in the future is the people," said Mr Choi.
It is important for countries to establish production infrastructure, including facilities related to the planning, distribution and marketing of films. Also, a film school or academy is important to train personnel such as directors and technical personnel.
"Not only do you need educational facilities, but creating the environment to cultivate those personnel is also very important. You should create the environment and provide funding for developing short or even feature films," he added.
Developing an audience to appreciate films is also critical, especially in the age of ubiquitous online video.
"On a daily basis, we can see videos and films easily but it is important how we approach and understand those films. It is important to educate viewers how to approach those films," said Mr Choi.
"If you can create the environment such as schools and colleges to develop curriculums or formats such as special programmes to teach students how to understand films, in the future they could become a stimulus to develop the film industry, or they could participate in the film production in your domestic market."
Events such as the Asean Film Festival create the opportunity for film-related people including the directors to meet, exchange views and meet others keen to develop the industry further including those who provide funding.
The film industry in Korea, Mr Choi said, has grown very rapidly with 80 films released in theatres per year and 20 million viewers annually.
"Although we have large audiences, most films are produced either domestically in Korea, the US and few European countries. In the case of films produced by Asean and Eastern European producers or in the Middle East, it is not easy for them to reach audiences at theatres," he said.
"Honestly, when we look at the nature of the film industry in Korea now, in the case of those films produced in Asean countries, it still very rare to see those films in theatres except for the Busan International Film Festival."
The Asean Film Festival is seen as a stepping stone to introduce Asean films to Korean audiences and to increase awareness of Asean films and cultures in general, noted Mr Choi.
Ms Matty agreed, saying that film festivals are important because they bring together people who share the same goal.
"It shows other countries apart from South Korea the arts from Asean that we are developing," she said. "This event itself can say, 'Please come to Laos and do co-production', so we will have more than one movie produced a year."