China/Hong Kong win at Asia Pacific Screen Awards
China/Hong Kong film Aftershock has won the Best Feature Film category at the 4th Asia Pacific Screen Awards on the Gold Coast.
Australia received two high commendation awards, for Best Performance (Tony Barry in New Zealand’s Home for Christmas) and Outstanding Technology and Special Effects (Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole).
“Ultimately Aftershock won best film because, in my own view, it has everything. It is as good a ‘big’ movie as any I’ve seen from Hollywood in years. It doesn’t disappoint at any level. It has already attracted a huge audience and it has every chance of going on to capture a bigger international audience. It is incredibly moving and, at the same time, it is really an extraordinarily restrained film…and it ends beautifully,” said Jury president, Lord David Puttnam.
The ceremony also included the announcement of the first grants offered by the MPA APSA Academy Film Fund, for writer/directors Lee Chang-dong, Sergey Dvortsevoy, Ashar Farhadi and Peng Tao. They will receive U$25,000 each, to be allocated to the script development of new feature film projects.
BEST FEATURE FILM
Tangshan Dadizheng (Aftershock)
People’s Republic of China (Mainland China / Hong Kong)
Produced by Guo Yanhong, Han Sanping, Wang Zhonjun, Peter Lam Kin Ngok, Wang Tonguan and Albert Yeung.
SCREEN INTERNATIONAL JURY GRAND PRIZE
Actress Shinobu Terajima for Caterpillar
Japan
Writer/Director Samuel Maoz for Levanon (Lebanon)
Israel / France / Germany
ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING
Lee Chang-dong for Shi (Poetry)
Republic of Korea
BEST PERFORMANCE BY ACTRESS
Yun Jung-hee for Shi (Poetry)
Republic of Korea
BEST PERFORMANCE BY ACTOR
Chen Daoming for Tangshan dadizheng (Aftershock)
People’s Republic of China (Mainland China / Hong Kong)
BEST SCREENPLAY
Samuel Maoz for Levanon (Lebanon)
Israel / France / Germany
ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
Sudhir Palsane for Vihir (The Well)
India
BEST CHILDREN’S FEATURE FILM
Digari (The Other)
Islamic Republic of Iran
Produced by Mohammad Ali Najafi
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Piercing I
People’s Republic of China
Produced by Lynne Wang
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM
Last Train Home
People’s Republic of China / Canada
Produced by Mila Aung-Thwin and Daniel Cross.
Co-Produced by Bob Moore
FIAPF AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILM
Christine Hakim
UNESCO AWARD
Bal (Honey)
Turkey / Germany
Written and directed by Semih Kaplanoğlu
HIGH COMMENDATION
High Commendation for Performance by an Actor
Tony Barry for Home by Christmas
High Commendation for Outstanding Technology and Special Effects
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole