Payal Kapadia’s Indian co-production All We Imagine as Light won the top prize for Best Film at the 18th Asian Film Awards in Hong Kong, following its Grand Prix win at Cannes last year.
Yoshida Daihachi was awarded Best Director for Teki Cometh, while Sean Lau received Best Actor for his role in Papa and Shahana Goswami took home Best Actress for her performance in Santosh. Sandhya Suri won Best New Director for Santosh, marking a successful year for Indian co-productions, which have historically been less recognized at the awards.
Other winners included Exhuma, Stranger Eyes, and Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, each of which collected multiple awards.
The event began with a performance by Chu Wan Pin, the composer of the popular film Ne Zha 2, joined by Jonathan Wong.
During the ceremony, Dr. Wilfred Wong, chair of the Asian Film Awards Academy (AFAA), acknowledged the challenges facing the global cinema industry, such as changing audience viewing habits, the rise of streaming platforms, and a more cautious approach from investors. However, he reaffirmed the AFAA’s commitment to nurturing young talent and promoting Asian cinema worldwide.
The AFA Next Generation Award was given to Abang Adik actor Wu Kangren, while the Rising Star Award went to Touch actor Koki. The Excellence in Asian Cinema Award was presented to Tang Wei for Decision to Leave and Jang Dong-gun for Dangerous Liaisons. The award for the highest-grossing Asian film of 2024 was given to Yolo. Yakusho Koji, star of Perfect Days, received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Held on Sunday at Hong Kong’s Xiqu Centre, the ceremony featured 30 films from 25 countries competing across 16 categories. The Asian Film Awards mark the start of an exciting month of film events in Hong Kong, leading into the Hong Kong FilMart and the HAF film project market, followed by the Hong Kong International Film Festival in April.
The Asian Film Awards Academy was founded by the Busan, Hong Kong, and Tokyo International Film Festivals to promote Asian cinema and strengthen industry connections across the region.
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