ASIA PACIFIC SCREEN AWARDS
2008 NOMINEES ANNOUNCED
17 ASIA-PACIFIC COUNTRIES REPRESENTED IN NINE AWARD CATEGORIES
Men Jeuk (Sparrow, Hong Kong), Om Shanti Om (India), Tulpan (Kazakhstan, Russia, Switzerland/Poland/Germany), Uc maymun (Three Monkeys, Turkey/France/Italy) and Hong Se Kang Bai Yin (The Red Awn, The People’s Republic of China) will vie for Best Feature Film in the Asia Pacific Screen Awards to be announced on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, on November 11.
The Asia Pacific Screen Awards (the APSAs) – the region’s highest accolade in film in 2008 - has announced nominees in nine Award categories representing 33 films from 17 countries and areas of the Asia-Pacific region. They are Australia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Russian Federation, Lebanon, Qatar, New Zealand, People’s Republic of China, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka and Turkey.
Johnnie To’s Men Jeuk (Sparrow) has received four nominations - Best Feature Film, Achievement in Directing, Achievement in Cinematography and Best Performance by an Actor. Uc maymun (Three Monkeys), directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan, has received three nominations.
“The nominees were determined from more than 180 films from 43 countries and areas entered in these, the second APSAs. We are greatly encouraged by the response from filmmakers from Asia-Pacific in our mission to acclaim their work and promote it to an international audience. Once again, the nominees showcase the tremendous talent and creativity that exists in the burgeoning film industries of the region,” said APSA Chairman Des Power.
The Asia Pacific Screen Awards – the APSAs – is a collaboration with CNN International, UNESCO and FIAPF – International Federation of Film Producers Associations and is an international cultural initiative to acclaim films that best reflect their cultural origins and demonstrate cinematic excellence.
In the run-up to the 2008 Asia Pacific Screen Awards, CNN International is to feature the power and reach of Asia-Pacific cinema in four half-hour ‘SCENE BY SCENE’ documentaries airing the weekends of October 4th ,11th, 18th and Nov 1st. The programs, hosted by Anjali Rao, feature the region’s directors, producers and stars talking about the political, religious and cultural challenges they face. A fifth program airs the weekend of November 15th and focuses on the Awards ceremony, including interviews with some of the winners.
The nominees in the 2008 Asia Pacific Screen Awards are:
- BEST FEATURE FILM
- BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
- BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM
- BEST CHILDREN’S FEATURE FILM
- ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING
- BEST SCREENPLAY
- ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
- BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS
- BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR
In addition, three major awards will be presented for outstanding achievement.
1. FIAPF Award The FIAPF - International Federation of Film Producers Associations will determine the winner of the award for outstanding achievement in film in the Asia-Pacific region.
2. UNESCO Award* The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Award for outstanding contribution to the promotion and preservation of cultural diversity through film.
3. Jury Grand Prize*
The Jury can, at its discretion, present a further award - the Jury Grand Prize.
*Nominees and nominated films from all award categories are eligible for these prizes to be decided by the APSA Jury.