The Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA) ceremony took place on Friday 30 October at The Star Gold Coast in Queensland, closing three days of industry sessions. This year 36 films from 32 countries across the Asia-Pacific region were in contention.
The best film award went to 'Guria' by Georgian director Levan Koguashvili. A co-production between Georgia, several European countries and Saudi Arabia, the film premiered in Venice and is also Georgia's entry for the international feature Oscar. Accepting the prize, its producer described a story of friendship and love set in the 1990s that still speaks to today.
The jury grand prize went to 'No Good Men' by Afghan filmmaker Shahrbanoo Sadat. Thailand's Sompot Chidgasornpongse won best director for '9 Temples to Heaven', while Nepal's Pushpa Thing Lama earned the performance award for 'Elephants in the Fog'. Best screenplay went to 'Yesterday the Eye Didn't Sleep' and best cinematography to Vietnam's Nguyễn Vinh Phúc for 'Hearing'.
New Zealand's Paloma Schneideman took the youth film prize with 'Big Girls Don't Cry'. 'The Violinist' (Singapore, Spain, Italy) won best animated film and 'One in a Million' best documentary. The MPA APSA Academy Film Fund also backed five projects, including new work by India's Payal Kapadia and French-Cambodian director Davy Chou. For talent across the region, these awards are worth following: they often open doors to major festivals and international buyers.
