PROMOTING FILMS AND FILMMAKERS OF ASIA-PACIFIC TO A GLOBAL AUDIENCE
A COLLABORATION WITH CNN INTERNATIONAL, UNESCO and FIAPF. An international cultural initiative of Queensland, Australia.
NOVEMBER 11, 2008 Gold Coast Australia Official Program The Second Annual The Asia Pacific Screen Awards is an international cultural initiative of the Queensland Government, Australia through Queensland Events Corporation.
CONTENTS Jodhaa Akbar (India).
Introduction.................................................................................................. 4 The Asia Pacific Screen Awards Initiative...................................................... 6 Official Messages Premier of Queensland................................................................................ 8 Chairman, Asia Pacific Screen Awards........................................................ 9 Director-General, UNESCO........................................................................ 10 President, FIAPF....................................................................................... 11 Vice President, Coverage and Feature Programming, CNN International...... 12 Patron of the Academy of The Asia Pacific Screen Awards........................ 13 Vice Patron of The Academy of The Asia Pacific Screen Awards............... 14 The Academy of The Asia Pacific Screen Awards....................................... 15 Scene By Scene: Feature Television Programs............................................ 16 The Asia Pacific Screen Awards Ceremony Presenters............................... 20 International Jury........................................................................................ 22 Nominations Council................................................................................... 24
The Award Commission.............................................................................. 26 Nominees Best Children’s Feature Film..................................................................... 28 Best Animated Feature Film..................................................................... 29 Best Documentary Feature Film............................................................... 30 Best Screenplay....................................................................................... 31 Achievement in Cinematography.............................................................. 32 Best Performance by an Actress.............................................................. 34 Best Performance by an Actor................................................................. 35 Achievement in Directing.......................................................................... 36 Best Feature Film..................................................................................... 37 Special Awards: FIAPF, UNESCO and Jury Grand Prize........................... 38 Australia’s Gold Coast................................................................................ 40 Acknowledgements.................................................................................... 42 THE second annual ASIA PACIFIC Screen AWARDS 2008 | 3
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THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION STRETCHES FROM TURKEY IN THE WEST TO THE COOK ISLANDS IN THE EAST AND FROM RUSSIA IN THE NORTH TO NEW ZEALAND IN THE SOUTH.
RUSSIAN FEDERATION
KAZAKHSTAN
MONGOLIA
GEORGIA UZBEKISTAN KYRGYZSTAN AZERBAIJAN TURKMENISTAN TAJIKISTAN
DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF KOREA
ARMENIA TURKEY
SYRIAN ARAB ISLAMIC REPUBLIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN LEBANON IRAQ ISRAEL Palestine JORDAN KUWAIT EGYPT
SAUDI ARABIA
BAHRAIN QATAR
JAMMU & KASHMIR AFGHANISTAN
People’s Republic of China
PAKISTAN UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
NEPAL
INDIA
OMAN YEMEN
REPUBLIC OF KOREA
JAPAN
BHUTAN
LAO PEOPLE’S TAIWAN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC HONG KONG MYANMAR MACAU BANGLADESH THAILAND
VIETNAM CAMBODIA
PHILIPPINES
PALAU SRI LANKA MALDIVES
MALAYSIA
BRUNEI DARUSSALAM
FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA
SINGAPORE
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
INDONESIA TIMOR-LESTE
AUSTRALIA
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4 BILLION PEOPLE 70 COUNTRIES ONE THIRD OF THE EARTH HALF THE WORLD’S FILM
THE ASIA PACIFIC SCREEN AWARDS 2008
Our films clearly demonstrate a rich slate of diversity—each telling its own story, in its own way, from its country of origin. That is what the Asia Pacific Screen Awards respect and acclaim. We enjoin with UNESCO to promote a greater understanding of the significance of all cultures in our world. We further the common interests of Asia-Pacific film producers on behalf of FIAPF— International Federation of Film Producers Associations. And we link with CNN International to report on the films and filmmakers of our region to a global audience. Welcome to the Asia Pacific Screen Awards.
MARSHALL ISLANDS
NAURU KIRIBATI SOLOMON ISLANDS TUVALU
TOKELAU SAMOA
VANUATU
FIJI NIUE
COOK ISLANDS
TONGA
NEW ZEALAND
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THE ASIA PACIFIC SCREEN AWARDS INITIATIVE
Vals Im Bashir (Israel/France/Germany).
To acclaim filmmaking in the Asia-Pacific region that best reflects its culture, origins and cinematic excellence. To acclaim the people behind this excellence. To promote this outstanding work in film to a global audience in order to broaden the market appeal of such works. To encourage the collaboration of filmmakers in the region.
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To develop, through film, greater understanding of the region’s various cultures. To recognise the creativity of our neighbouring cultures in the vast Asia-Pacific region and, in doing so, take it to the world.
The Black Balloon (Australia).
“In a world in need of greater solidarity, it has become increasingly important to redefine the relationship between culture and development, and the Asia Pacific Screen Awards clearly serve as a step in the right direction; recognising, both off-screen and on-screen, the dynamic role that individuals can play in building a continuously flowing and unifying peaceful dialogue through audio-visual media, towards the vital ‘three D’ paradigm of Diversity, Dialogue and Development. “UNESCO re-affirms its commitment to support this important initiative, which we view as a trailblazer in providing an inclusive opportunity for dialogue among cultures and peoples in the Asia-Pacific and beyond.” Wijayananda Jayaweera Director Communication Development Unit, UNESCO Cannes International Film Festival, May 16, 2008
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MESSAGE FROM THE PREMIER OF QUEENSLAND
My Government is committed to fostering understanding and cooperation between the people of Asia-Pacific, our neighbours. Understanding involves respect for and encouragement of our region’s cultural diversity and film is a highly informative and compelling way of achieving this objective. Cultural diversity is what makes the Asia-Pacific region so rich in ideas and what infuses it with enthusiasm for the future that our children will inherit. It is important that we share our stories and our experiences and learn more about one another. There is no better way of achieving this than through the languages and images of our filmmakers. This year, more than 40 countries across Asia-Pacific submitted films to the Asia Pacific Screen Awards. This is a remarkable achievement and deserving of a big ‘Thank you’ to the many filmmakers who support this cultural initiative. It is gratifying as Premier knowing that CNN International, FIAPF— International Federation of Film Producers Associations and UNESCO share the important objectives of the awards. Our intention is to provide the region’s filmmakers with a global platform to promote their films and to have their work acclaimed. It is rewarding that Queensland has brought together the countries of the Asia-Pacific in an initiative of such positive and important consequence, not just to our film industries, but to our respective cultures.
Anna Bligh MP Premier of Queensland
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MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ASIA PACIFIC SCREEN AWARDS
In only their second year, the APSAs and the Scene By Scene programs produced for CNN International have exceeded our expectations. There is no better measure than the fact that over 40 of the 70 eligible countries and areas submitted films for consideration. I thank the many filmmakers and film organisations who have so generously and enthusiastically supported this important initiative. APSA exists to open the door for filmmakers of the region, and grow audiences around the world for their work. We are grateful to FIAPF–International Federation of Film Producer Associations for engaging with us in this important endeavour. But the heart and soul of the APSA initiative, which we also share with UNESCO, are the stories about the people of our region. This year’s nominated films eloquently demonstrate diversity, cinematic artistry and remarkable narrative depth and relevance to current times. The Queensland Government’s commitment to APSA has enabled film and cultural expression on an unprecedented scale. I join with you all in thanking Premier Anna Bligh for her government’s continued support.
Des Power am Chairman, Asia Pacific Screen Awards Co-Executive Producer, Scene By Scene
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MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF UNESCO
On behalf of UNESCO, I would like to extend my warmest greetings to you on the occasion of the second edition of the Asia Pacific Screen Awards. I congratulate the State Government of Queensland for its support to this event, which also enjoys the collaboration of CNN, the International Federation of Film Producers Associations and UNESCO. The Asia Pacific Screen Awards is a celebration of the extraordinarily rich cultural diversity of the region. It provides an opportunity to showcase some of the best creative works on screen from this part of the world, which also accounts for half of the world’s film production. This is why UNESCO is proud to support this still young but already prestigious event, which this year drew more than 180 entries from 43 countries. This is also why we are presenting one particular award—for an outstanding contribution to the promotion and preservation of cultural diversity through film. Article 1 of UNESCO’s Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity, adopted by UNESCO’s General Conference in 2001, is of much relevance to the Asia Pacific Screen Awards. I quote, “As a source of exchange, innovation and creativity, cultural diversity is as necessary for humankind as biodiversity is for nature. In this sense, it is the common heritage of humanity and should be recognized and affirmed for the benefit of present and future generations.” Today, media and new information and communication technologies play a vital role in promoting cultural diversity and mutual understanding among cultures and civilizations. Through its extraordinary power to reach, captivate and fire the imaginations of millions of people, the seventh art can also help us to understand and appreciate each other better, and in this way contribute to respect for difference, one of the most secure foundations for peace, and one of the great tasks of our Organization. I congratulate all the winners, competitors, jury members and organisers of these second awards and wish long life to this very promising event.
Koïchiro Matsuura Director-General UNESCO
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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF FIAPF
In their inaugural year in 2007, the Asia Pacific Screen Awards kept all their promises: celebrating and promoting the diversity and the talent of the films produced in the region. As the only existing international organisation representing film producers across the world, FIAPF has been supportive of the APSAs since they were first conceived, seeing the Awards as a tremendous opportunity to highlight the vivid creativity of the Asia-Pacific. Our partnership with APSA symbolises—and stimulates—the already impressive interest in the awards from film industries of the region: compared to the inaugural year 2007, the second APSAs have doubled the number of film entries, and more than 40 countries were represented this year. FIAPF congratulates all the producers of films nominated this year. I also personally thank APSA for giving us the opportunity to celebrate one of our peers. The FIAPF Award for outstanding achievement in film in the Asia-Pacific region will be announced during the ceremony. Presented for the first time last year to Dr. George Miller, it will again honour a film producer from the region whose career and actions strongly contribute to the development of our industry.
Andrés Vicente Gomez President FIAPF
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MESSAGE FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT COVERAGE AND FEATURE PROGRAMMING OF CNN INTERNATIONAL
CNN International is once again proud to promote and showcase the films of the Asia-Pacific and to work alongside APSA, FIAPF and UNESCO in doing so. Cinema in the region has never been more prominent and our Scene By Scene programs celebrate its diversity from New Zealand to Iraq, Pakistan to Japan and Iran to China. The documentaries travel across the Asia-Pacific to hear from the directors, producers and stars about the challenges they face making films, providing a unique window on the people and cultures of a vast and remarkable region. On behalf of everyone involved at CNN let me congratulate the nominees, eventual winners and all those who have worked to make these awards the region’s definitive recognition of cinematic excellence.
Mike McCarthy Vice President, Coverage and Feature Programming CNN International
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MESSAGE FROM THE PATRON OF THE ACADEMY OF THE ASIA PACIFIC SCREEN AWARDS
It is a great honour to be the Patron of The Academy of the Asia Pacific Screen Awards. The establishment of The Academy is the important next step in encouraging dialogue, collaboration and business opportunities for the region’s filmmakers. The Academy is designed to provide a platform for relationships to continue and to encourage opportunities for co-productions and other initiatives to develop between the more than 70 countries and territories that form the APSA network. All APSA nominees are inducted into The Academy, as are Jury and Nominations Council members. In time to come, all Academy members will have a voting influence on the Awards. I remember when I was inducted in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences in the US. I recognised for the first time that the Academy was not just a night of nights on television; it was not something simply to be reported in the newspaper. But that filmmakers of the English speaking world bring their work there, and feel that they are part of something much larger than a studio or an individual filmmaker’s endeavour. They are part of a community of people who are involved in the lingua franca of our age.
An Australian film legend, Jack Thompson am has been in the forefront of the Australian cinema scene since 1969. His career has seen him travel across the cinema globe—featuring in more than 50 films and receiving every major Australian film award including his nomination as a Living Legend (2005 IF Awards). For his service to the Australian film industry, Jack Thompson was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 1986. He has recently been filming the epic Baz Luhrmann film, Australia, due for release in late 2008, and Bruce Beresford’s Mao’s Last Dancer, based on the international best-selling book of the same name. It is this extraordinary career that has elevated Jack Thompson to be regarded as an international ambassador of Australian cinema. In 2008, APSA proudly welcomed Jack Thompson as Patron of the newly-formed Academy of the Asia Pacific Screen Awards.
That The Academy of APSA now provides filmmakers from the Asia-Pacific region with the same opportunity for community and collaboration is a tremendous achievement. I know that the Asia Pacific Screen Awards will become the measure of excellence in filmmaking in the Asia-Pacific, and indeed in the world, and I am thrilled to continue my association with the Awards through The Academy.
Jack Thompson am Patron of The Academy of the Asia Pacific Screen Awards
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MESSAGE FROM THE VICE PATRON OF THE ACADEMY OF THE ASIA PACIFIC SCREEN AWARDS
I am honoured to be announced Vice Patron of The Academy of the Asia Pacific Screen Awards. I look forward to assisting Patron, Jack Thompson and APSA Chairman, Des Power, to further the exciting mission of this Academy. The Mayer family has a long and remarkable heritage in the film industry. Members of my family, most notably my uncle, Louis B. Mayer, have deeply influenced filmmaking around the world. This influence reaches back to the very early days of film and includes Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and the Academy Awards, which my uncle founded. As I have lived in Australia for 20 years, it is fitting that as Vice Patron of this young Academy that I bridge a rich tradition in film to the newest and intensely vibrant centres of filmmaking here in the Asia-Pacific region. I look forward to being an ambassador for this exciting and innovative organisation.
Alicia Mayer Beverley Vice Patron of the Academy of the Asia Pacific Screen Awards
Alicia Mayer Beverley’s family is often described as Hollywood’s royal family. Her uncle was Louis B Mayer who founded Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and the Academy Awards. Most of Alicia’s family have been members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences with three receiving Academy Awards. Her early memories include talking about films with her grandfather and great-uncles, and ‘helping’ them to vote on their favourites as a part of the Academy Awards process. As a child she met many screen legends during visits with her grandparents and uncles. Her family’s influence also spanned to other studios such as 20th Century Fox and Universal Studios, and yet another family member, David O Selznick, produced Gone with the Wind, considered to be one of the world’s most loved films. Lesser known is that Alicia’s family was also pivotal in iconic theatre productions such as A Street Car Named Desire, produced by cousin Irene Mayer. Alicia Mayer Beverley is also a high achiever of note in Australia where she has lived for 20 years. She is co-founder of IP Wealth Pty Ltd, a boutique intellectual property service firm, listed in BRW Magazine in April 2008 as one of Australia’s fastest growing companies under five years old. On March 8, 2007, Alicia was named winner of the International Women’s Day Leadership Award. She is also the recipient of the prestigious Mick Robertson Memorial Award, and is the only woman and the only Queenslander to be so recognised by the prestigious CEO organisation, The Executive Connection.
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THE WINNERS, THE NOMINEES THE TALENTS OF ASIA-PACIFIC THE BEST OF 70 COUNTRIES SHARING ONE THING IN COMMON: THE ACADEMY OF THE ASIA PACIFIC SCREEN AWARDS ACADEMY PATRON Jack Thompson am ACADEMY VICE PATRON Alicia Mayer Beverley ACADEMY MEMBERS to date include: Adrienne Mc Kibbins Akie Namiki Alireza Aghakhani Amir Muhammad Andrew Pike Anne Démy-Geroe Anne-Dominique Toussaint Antonio Gloria Aparna Sen Ari Folman Ari Sihasale Aruna Vasudev Auraeus Solito Aziza Semaan Azize Tan Baran Kosari Behnam Behzadi Bruce Beresford Bulat Galimgereyev Catherine Fitzgerald Cemal Noyan Chen Weidong Cheng Siu-keung The Children’s Film Society, India Daria Moroz Dervish Zaim Ehud Bleiberg Eilon Ratzkovsky Elena Yatsura Elissa Down Eran Kolirin Eran Riklis Erkan Can Erros Djarot Evgeniy Antropov Fabienne Vonier Fatih Akin Fei Zhao Feroz Abbas Khan Gao Feng Garin Nugroho Gauri Khan George Miller Gerhard Meixner
Gisele Aouad Gökhan Tiryaki Gotot Prakosa Gulnara Sarsenova Habib Ahmadzadeh Hadeel Kamel Hanan Turk Hanna Lee Hansen Liang Hassan Agha-Karimi Helen Barnes Henryk Romanowski Hiam Abbass Hong Sangsoo Hong-Joon Kim Hooman Behmanesh Jafar Panahi Jean Chamoun Jeannette Paulson Hereniko Jeon Do-yeon Jimmy The Exploder Joan Chen Joanna Moukarzel Johnnie To Karl Baumgartner Keith Griffiths Kero Nancy Tait Kiiran Deohans Kim Dong-ho Kim Dong-won Kim In-soo Kim Jee-woon Kim Yoon-suk Kioumars Pourahmad Kiyoshi Kurosawa Klaus Maeck Konrad Ng Lee Chang-dong Lee Mogae Lee SeungGu Li Xudong Lin Nianxiu Mahdi Moniri Mai Masri
Marg Slater Mark Ping-bin Lee Mark Turnbull Masahiko Minami Max Mannix Mehdi Homayounfar Mehrdad Seddiqian Menardo Jimenez Miao Pu Michael James Rowland Mohammad Atebbai Mohammad Belhaj Mohsen Abdolvahab Nadine Labaki Nam Kyu-sun Nesipkul Omarbekova Nik Powell Noritaka Kawaguchi Nuri Bilge Ceylan Oleg Kirichenko Önder Çakar Palitha Perera Peng Tao Peter Moyes Peter Thompson Philip Cheah Philippine Science High School Foundation PSHS Batch 86 Puad Onah Raimond Goebel Rajat Kapoor Rakhshan Bani etemad Raphaël Berdugo Renuka Balasooriya Reza Naji Richard Rothschild Roman Paul Rosnah Mohd Kassim Russell Edwards Ryu Deok-hwan Sachiko Tanaka Sally Ayre-Smith Sasson Gabai
Serge Lalou Sergey Dvortsevoy Sergey Melkumov Sergey Selyanov Sergey Trofimov RGC Setiawan Djody Sevil Demirci Shabana Azmi Shawkat Amin Korki Siham Haddad Simon Field Simon Yam Socorro Fernandez Soheir Abdel Kader Solito Arts Productions Somaratne Dissanayake Suha Arraf Sun Xiaoxi Tainui Stephens Tan Chui Mui Tao Yang Thanassis Karathanos Tian Zhuangzhuang Tristram Miall Vahid Mousaine Simani Valerie Fischer Valerio De Paolis Vardan Hovhannisyan Vincent Ward Wang Shunsheng Wang Yu Xie Fei Yael Nahlieli Yasmine Al Masri Yutaka Sugiyama Zeynep Özbatur Zhanna Issabayeva Zheng Dongtian Zhou Meiling
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SCENE BY SCENE: FEATURE TELEVISION PROGRAMS OF THE ASIA PACIFIC SCREEN AWARDS
Jordan: HRH Princess Rym Ali of Jordan
Thailand: On location with Royal Filmmaker, HRH Prince Chatri of Thailand, directing his latest epic The Legend of King Naresuan
The Asia Pacific Screen Awards in association with CNN International, as joint producers, presented the power and reach of Asia-Pacific cinema through a series of documentaries which aired across CNN International’s network in 2008. The Scene By Scene series provided Asia-Pacific filmmakers and actors with global television coverage; CNN International broadcasts reach more than 230 million households and hotel rooms around the world in more than 200 countries and territories. The four programs journeyed to vastly different countries and continents, exposing to the world the unique and challenging circumstances under which the talented filmmakers of the vast Asia-Pacific region operate. A fifth globally-broadcast program, featuring highlights of the 2008 APSA ceremony, will air on CNN’s monthly movie program, The Screening Room in November and December.
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New Zealand: Richard Taylor at the Weta Workshop
Jordan: Film students learning camera techniques
Episode One: New Zealand / Pakistan / Thailand October 4–6, 2008
Episode Two: Russia / Jordan / Palestinian Territories October 11–13, 2008
NEW ZEALAND Scene By Scene gets a rare tour of what’s become known as ‘Wellywood’—the state-of-the-art filmmaking empire established in the New Zealand capital, Wellington, by Academy Award winner, Peter Jackson, and business partner, Richard Taylor. The best example of Weta Workshop may be Gollum from Lord of the Rings, but Taylor says the movie world is about to be stunned by James Cameron’s Avatar and Steven Spielberg and Jackson’s Tintin which are both in production in Weta.
RUSSIA From just $65 million ticket sales in 2001 to $500 million in 2007, Scene By Scene takes an inside look at the world’s fastest growing film industry, interviewing the renowned producer, Alexander Rodnyansky. He talks candidly about his fears of a return to authoritarianism and has been told personally by Russian Presidents, Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev, that there are limits to what filmmakers can do.
PAKISTAN The Australian film Son of a Lion, filmed in Pakistan, tells the story of a young boy born into a family of gun manufacturers in remote Pakistan who prefers school. It’s a significant achievement for director, Benjamin Gilmour, an Australian paramedic who ventured into the remote and dangerous Pashtun area of North West Pakistan to make the film. THAILAND Scene By Scene goes on location with Thailand’s royal filmmaker, Prince Chatrichalerm Yukol, as he shoots an epic period story involving thousands of extras and over 200 elephants. One of the best known and most successful Thai film directors, Chatri’s film Suriyothai became the country’s highest grossing film earning more than $18 million at the box office.
PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES Scene By Scene travels to Palestine and interviews two wellknown filmmakers. Having produced a number of award-winning documentaries including ljtiyah (Invasion), Live from Palestine and Tahadi (Challenge), director/producer, Raed Andoni is currently producing Fix Me, a personal journey into the political and cultural environment of Palestine. Scene By Scene also talks to filmmaker/ poet, Annemarie Jacir, who was named one of Filmmaker magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Cinema, but has been denied entry to the Palestinian Territories. JORDAN Scene By Scene examines how Jordan’s new film industry is by royal command. Her Royal Highness, Princess Rym Ali, a board member of the Royal Film Commission, lays out the Royal Family’s vision to make Jordan a powerhouse of Middle Eastern cinema by attracting filmmakers from all over the region. Jordanian director, Amin Matalqa, also talks on his decision to return from Los Angeles to direct an award winning film, Captain Abu Raed.
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New Zealand: Gollum from Lord of the Rings
India: On location in ‘Tollywood’, the Telegu film industry centred around Hydrabad.
Episode Three: Israel / India October 18–20, 2008
AUSTRALIA Director Baz Luhrmann, whose highly original cinematic eye has taken him to the heights of his profession with smash hits such as Strictly Ballroom, Romeo & Juliet and Moulin Rouge, has now overseen one of the most expensive and ambitious films ever shot in Australia, an epic period drama to compare with Gone With The Wind, starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. Scene By Scene goes behind the scenes of Australia and chats with the director about his latest production.
INDIA Even bigger and more popular than Bollywood, Scene By Scene focuses on the Telugu cinema in southern India, known as Tollywood and interviews one of Bollywood’s biggest stars, actor and director, Ashutosh Gowarikar, whose film Lagaan was nominated for an Oscar in 2001. He shares with Scene By Scene his latest directorial work, Jodhaa Akbar, a period movie starring Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai. ISRAEL Scene By Scene talks to Eran Riklis, one of Israel’s leading filmmakers. Growing up in Israel, and having lived in the USA and Brazil, Riklis directed numerous TV dramas and documentaries for Israeli television. His best known film Syrian Bride won the top award at Montreal Film Festival and the most recent film Lemon Tree entered in this year’s Asia Pacific Screen Awards.
Episode Four: China / Australia November 1–3, 2008
CHINA Scene By Scene visits the set of Mao’s Last Dancer, the newest film of Academy Award nominated director and Asia Pacific Screen Awards Jury President, Bruce Beresford, which tells the true story of Li Cunxin, a boy from a poverty stricken home in rural China who becomes one of the world’s most celebrated ballet dancers. Scene By Scene also hears from the movie’s leading actor, Chi Cao.
Episode Five: ‘The Screening Room’ Asia Pacific Screen Awards Special November 26–30, December 1, 2008 AUSTRALIA’S GOLD COAST CNN’s monthly movie program, The Screening Room, features highlights of the star-studded 2008 Asia Pacific Screen Awards ceremony on Australia’s Gold Coast. Hosted by acclaimed English star, Myleene Klass, the 30 minute documentary goes behind-thescenes of the region’s highest accolade in film.
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Australia: Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman on the set of Baz Luhrmann’s Australia
SCENE BY SCENE—FILMS OF ASIA-PACIFIC AN ASIA PACIFIC SCREEN AWARDS PRODUCTION IN ASSOCIATION WITH CNN INTERNATIONAL.
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THE ASIA PACIFIC SCREEN AWARDS CEREMONY Presenters
SPECIAL GUESTS
Indira Naidoo Peter Thompson
Myleene Klass Li Cunxin Jack Thompson am
Indira Naidoo is one of Australia’s most popular news broadcasters and has, for the past 16 years, presented and reported for the country’s most distinguished news and current affair programs. She achieved national prominence in 1995 as the host of the ABC’s Late Edition nightly news, and then in 1997 as the inaugural anchor of SBS TV’s award-winning late night news service, World News Tonight. Indira has also presented the ABC’s Sydney news bulletins and reported for and presented the 7.30 Report, The Midday Report and ABC TV’s viewer comment show Feedback. In 2006, Indira joined Australia’s pre-eminent consumer advocacy group, Choice, as its media spokesperson and last year joined Planet Ark Founder, Jon Dee, at his environment/consumer consultancy, Issues Solutions, where she advises on consumer strategy.
Myleene Klass, the glamorous presenter of CNN’s The Screening Room, has moved from the pop world to classical music, from radio announcing to TV presenting. She began playing the piano and her grandfather’s violin at the age of four, studied Voice at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and then won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music. Myleene first shot to fame as one of the winning contestants on the 2001 British music series and Pop Idol precursor, Popstars. In 2003, she signed a solo deal with Universal and released a hit classical album, Moving On. September 2005 saw Myleene take up the role of presenter on British popular music show cd:uk. A flood of presenting offers followed, with Myleene taking up roles on the BBC’s Heaven and Earth Show, The Proms and X-Factor amongst others. Myleene has also proved to be a popular radio DJ, hosting the breakfast show every Sunday on British radio station Classic FM. The Screening Room, launched in 2007, has so far seen Myleene interview A-List movie stars across the globe including Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Robert De Niro and Johnny Depp to name just a few.
PERFORMERS The Tawadros Joseph and James Tawadros are not afraid to try new things, experiment and push musical boundaries, challenging traditional forms and bringing an exciting performing dynamic to the stage using both the ancient oud and traditional percussion instruments. The Tawadros brothers are recognised worldwide as amazing virtuosos of their respective instruments and have performed in some of the world’s most prestigious venues with celebrated artists such as Zakir Hussain, Sultan Khan, Camerata Salzburg, Richard Tognetti, the Australian Chamber Orchestra and many more. They have also been nominated four times, consecutively, for Best World Music Album at the ARIA awards.
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GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA NOVEMBER 11, 2008
Peter Thompson is an accomplished journalist with more than 20 years experience in the broadcast media. A long-term host with the Australian Broadcast Corporation’s TV and Radio organisation, he currently hosts the weekly ABC TV interview program Talking Heads, which is now in its fourth year. Previously, he has presented Radio National’s Breakfast and the flagship current affairs program AM. Peter is a Professor and Fellow of the Australia and New Zealand School of Government and an adjunct Professor at Macquarie University’s Department of International Communication. He also holds a Master of Public Administration from Harvard, an MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management and a BA from the Australian National University.
Li Cunxin is the author of the internationall best-seller, Mao’s Last Dancer, which tells the rich story of his own inspirational life. Li was born into utter poverty in Mao’s communist China. At age 11, he was selected to train in Madame Mao’s Beijing Dance Academy. At 18, he was awarded one of the first cultural scholarships to America, later defecting to the West in a dramatic media storm, which involved then Vice President, Mr George Bush Snr. He went on to be recognised one of the best dancers in the world. In 1995, Li and his family moved to Australia where Li danced with the Australian Ballet. Mao’s Last Dancer won the Book of the Year Award in Australia. Now in its 32nd reprint, Li’s book has been translated into several foreign languages and is sold in over 20 countries worldwide. Academy Award nominated director Bruce Beresford, Academy Award winning producer and screenplay writer of the film Shine, Jane Scott, and Jan Sardi, respectively, have made a major feature film based on Li’s extraordinary life—filmed in China, Australia and the USA—for international cinema release in 2009.
PERFORMERS Motoyuki Niwa Motoyuki Niwa was born in Yokohama, Japan, where he was deeply involved in the creative fields of both graphic arts and music. In 1970, he expanded his creative and artistic reference to include the traditional drumming and improvised music of Taiko. His Taiko expertise has taken him across Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Ireland and Japan performing over 500 ritual ceremonies, while his passion for drumming has led him to establish groups and workshops internationally. A resident of Queensland’s hinterland, Motoyuki continues to expand his journey of self-realisation through his exploration of this cross-art, cross-cultural experience.
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INTERNATIONAL JURY OF THE ASIA PACIFIC SCREEN AWARDS 2008 A highly credentialed international jury, under the presidency of Academy Award nominated director, Bruce Beresford, assembled on Australia’s Gold Coast in November in the lead up to the awards to determine APSA winners in up to 11 award achievements*. APSA is deeply grateful to these eminent and acclaimed representatives of the international film community and proudly welcomes them into The Academy of the Asia Pacific Screen Awards.
Bruce Beresford on location in China directing his new film Mao’s Last Dancer. Photograph: Simon Cardwell.
PRESIDENT Bruce Beresford Australia
Bruce Beresford is one of Australia’s most celebrated film directors. He was nominated for an Academy Award in 1980 for the script of Breaker Morant and in 1982 for direction of Tender Mercies. His film Driving Miss Daisy won four Academy Awards including the award for Best Picture in 1989. Bruce Beresford’s early Australian films include Don’s Party, The Getting of Wisdom, The Club and Puberty Blues as well as the internationally acclaimed Breaker Morant. Bruce’s many other film credits include Crimes of the Heart, Black Robe, Mister Johnson, Double Jeopardy and Paradise Road and he has won three Australian Film Institute Awards and been nominated for several others.
Bruce has also directed several operas and recently published a memoir Josh Hartnett Definitely Wants To Do This...True Stories From a Life in the Screen Trade. Bruce is currently in post-production on his latest film Mao’s Last Dancer, based on the international best-selling book of the same name and filmed earlier this year in China, Australia and the USA.
*FIAPF-International Federation of Film Producers Associations will determine the winner of the award for outstanding achievement in the Asia-Pacific region.
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JURY Aparna Sen India
Hanna Lee Republic of Korea
Richard Rothschild United States of America
Zheng Dongtian People’s Republic of China
Aparna Sen made her debut as an actress in 1961 in Satyajit Ray’s Two Daughters. She has since acted in the films of several noted film directors including Mrinal Sen, James Ivory, Tapan Sinha and Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Aparna’s directorial debut, 36 Chowringhee Lane, won the Grand
Hanna Lee studied Mass Communication at Sogang University (Seoul, Republic of Korea) and received an MA in Cinema Studies at New York University. On her return to Korea, she worked as Festival Coordinator at the 1st Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival and then as a correspondent for Variety
Richard Luke Rothschild has worked in several production capacities with such directors as Bruce Beresford (Tender Mercies, Crimes of the Heart), Christopher Guest (The Big Picture), Peter Weir (The Truman Show), Joe Johnston (Hidalgo), and Robert Zemeckis (Used Cars) among others. Born in New
Zheng Dongtian is a Film Director, Professor of the Beijing Film Academy and a Member of the China Film Directors Association. His nine films, made between 1977 and 2004, have been selected for international film festivals and received awards both in China and overseas. They include Tai Wan Wang Shi (Bittersweet in
Prix (The Golden Eagle) at the Manila International Film Festival and Aparna received India’s National Award for Best Direction for the same film. Mr and Mrs Iyer written and directed by Aparna had its world premiere at the Locarno International Film Festival and has won several major international awards including the Grand Prix for Best Feature Film at the Hawaii and Las Palmas Film Festivals. It has also won the National Awards in India for Best Direction, Best Screenplay and Best Actress in the year 2003. Aparna has just finished her latest film production, The Japanese Wife which she wrote the screenplay for and directed. Retrospectives of Aparna’s films have been held in London, Munich and at Nandan in Kolkata. Aparna has served on several international film juries including the International Film Festival of India, Moscow and Hawaii. The President of India honoured Aparna with the prestigious Padmashree Award in 1986 in recognition of her contribution to cinema; she was awarded the Satyajit Ray Memorial Millennium for ‘Profound Contribution to Indian Cinema’ and the Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award by the Cine Central Film Society. Aparna is now the Chief Creative Officer at Saregama India Ltd, responsible for commissioning Bengali films for the company.
and The Hollywood Reporter. She also worked at the Korean Film Commission and was coordinator for the Far East Film Festival in Udine, Italy. Hanna moved into film production and worked with critically acclaimed filmmaker Hong Sangsoo as Producer for Turning Gate (2002) and Woman Is The Future Of Man. Her most recent feature film as Producer was Lee Chang-dong’s Secret Sunshine which received the award for Best Actress at the 2007 Cannes International Film Festival and Best Feature Film and Best Performance by an Actress at the 2007 inaugural Asia Pacific Screen Awards. Hanna was inducted as an inaugural member of The Academy of the Asia Pacific Screen Awards in 2008. Hanna has also produced Korean-Canadian filmmaker Helen Lee’s short film, Hers At Last, as part of an omnibus project showcased as the opening film, Ten Ten, at the 2008 Women’s Film Festival in Seoul.
York City, he was educated in Florida, at the Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia, and graduated from Vassar College before taking a job in commercial production at N. Lee Lacy & Associates in New York City. From there he moved into film and television in Los Angeles. His television credits include producing Hawaiian Honeymoon, Hitler’s Daughter, Fire and Rain, and co-producing the pilot for Brothers and Sisters, as well as the controversial miniseries Path to 9/11. His film work includes co-producing Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion and The Truman Show, as well as producing Urban Legends: Final Cut, Double Jeopardy, The Scorpion King and The Game Plan.
Taiwan), winner of the Best Picture and Best Director Awards at the 10th China Film Huabiao Awards and nominated in 2004 for five China Film Golden Rooster Awards. Zheng Dongtian was named Best Director at the 11th Beijing Student Film Festival and the film won First Prize at Shanghai Critic of Film Awards 2004. Zheng Peimin (A Public Servant) was named Best Picture at the 11th China Film Huabiao Awards. Zheng Dongtian’s other films are Huo Wa (Fire Child), Xiang Dao (The Guide), Lin Ju (Neighbours), Yuanyang Lou (Young Couple), Ren Zhi Chu (The Beginning of Life), Gu Yuan Qiu Se (Autumn in the Nativeland) and Liu Tianhua. Zheng Dongtian has taught at the Beijing Film Academy since 1976, has been engaged in film theory and critique since 1980, and has served on several international film juries including the International Electronic Cinema Festival at Tokyo, Shanghai International Film Festival and Fajr International Film Festival.
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NOMINATIONS COUNCIL OF THE ASIA PACIFIC SCREEN AWARDS 2008
(L–R): Hong-Joon Kim, Azize Tan, Soheir Abdel Kader, Xie Fei, Anne Démy-Geroe, Mohammad Atebbai, Aruna Vasudev, Russell Edwards, Jeannette Paulson Hereniko, Philip Cheah
Distinguished members of the APSA Nominations Council 2008, comprising international film industry experts from nine countries, gathered in Brisbane in September to deliberate on a field of some 180 films—almost double the number in competition in the inaugural year, 2007. APSA thanks the Nominations Council for their professionalism, dedication and passion throughout 2008.
CHAIRMAN
APSA ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE NOMINATIONS COUNCIL
Hong-Joon Kim was Festival Director of the Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival and Commissioner of the Korean Film Council from 2000–2005. His published books include I, a Filmmaker: Kim Hong-Joon’s Film Notes, and Two or Three Things You Want to Know About Movies. Hong-Joon Kim is an awardwinning director, and screenwriter of films including Jungle Story and La Vie En Rose. He hosted and co-wrote the television series Korean Classical Cinema Special.
APSA and the Nominations Council gratefully acknowledge the invaluable preparatory work performed by members of the APSA Advisory Committee to the Nominations Council in the lead up to deliberations week. Asian film scholar, Konrad Ng, from the University of Hawaii, heads the 2008 APSA Advisory Committee to the Nominations Council. Konrad and fellow committee members, Australian film critic and commentator, Peter Thompson, and film critic and historian, Adrienne Mc Kibbins, assisted the Nominations Council in reviewing eligible films. Advisory Committee and Nominations Council members are warmly welcomed into The Academy of the Asia Pacific Screen Awards.
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Hong-Joon Kim (Republic of Korea) Programming Director, Chungmuro International Film Festival; Associate Professor, Department of Film, School of Film, TV and Multimedia, Korean National University of Arts
NOMINATIONS COUNCIL Soheir Abdel Kader (Egypt) Vice-President of the Cairo International Film Festival; Director of the Cairo International Film Festival for Children Soheir Abdel Kader is a member of the Union of Arab Artists and a member of the Centre International du Film pour l’Enfance et la Jeunesse, CIJEF. She has been a Jury member of the San Francisco Isfahan and Sousse Film Festivals, the Lucas International Film Festival for Children, and was Jury President for the Moscow International Film Festival for Children. She was a consultant to the Egyptian National Day of the Children, 1994; established the Charity Market for Handicapped Children in conjunction with The Cairo International Film Festival for Children; and had a key role in establishing the Cairo International Film Festival as a FIAPF accredited festival.
Mohammad Atebbai (Iran) Managing Director, Iranian Independents Mohammad Atebbai is a film producer and distributor and Head of Iranian Independents, which markets and promotes Iranian films internationally. He was in charge of screening Iranian films at international festivals and events at Farabi Cinema Foundation for eight years before forming Iranian Independents in 1997. He acted as Director of International Affairs for Khaneh Cinema for two years; was Senior Editor of Film International from 1997–2001; and is a journalist and member of the Iranian Society of Film Critics and Writers. He is author of the book International Presentation of Iranian Cinema: 1979–2004; was producer and associate producer involved in the coproduction and fundraising for Iranian films including The Circle (Jafar Panahi, 1999); is the Iranian member of the European Documentary Network (EDN); and a representative of NETPAC (Network for Promotion of Asian Cinema) in Iran.
Philip Cheah (Singapore) Festival Director, Singapore International Film Festival Philip Cheah is a film critic and is the editor of BigO, Singapore’s only independent pop culture publication. He is board director of the Singapore International Film Festival; Honorary Secretary of NETPAC; and is currently program consultant for the Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival, Seoul Asian Digital Film Festival, Osian’s Cinefan
Asian-Arab Film Festival and the Dubai International Film Festival. He is co-editor of the books, Garin Nugroho: And the Moon Dances, Noel Vera: Critic After Dark and Ngo Phuong Lan: Modernity and Nationality in Vietnamese Cinema.
Jeannette Paulson Hereniko (Hawaii, USA)
Anne Démy-Geroe (Australia)
Anne Démy-Geroe is the Executive Director of the Brisbane International Film Festival, where she began as the inaugural Artistic Director in 1991. Her interest in Asian cinema has led to the establishment of the sole Australian NETPAC jury at BIFF and a FIPRESCI jury for Asia-Pacific cinema. BIFF also boasts the only Australian Film Festival for Young people and a focus on indigenous film. Anne was an organiser for the Queensland Images Film Festival in 1989, has worked on the annual Queensland New Filmmakers Awards for many years, silent film festivals, and Queensland regional film festivals. She is a judge on the prestigious Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards and a past Council Member of the National Film and Sound Archive. She has served on international juries from Hawaii to Tehran for NETPAC and others. In 2003, Anne was awarded an Australian Centenary Medal for services to the film industry. In her leisure time, Anne also ‘tries to play’ Japanese end-blown flute, the Shakuhachi.
Jeannette Paulson Hereniko launched the Hawaii International Film Festival in 1981 to promote cultural understanding about Asia, Pacific and the United States through film, and remained the festival director until 1996. In 1990, she was the first director of the Palm Springs International Film Festival. As a founding board member of NETPAC, she established NETPAC/USA in 1994. She has served on film festival juries in Berlin, Rotterdam, Pusan, Singapore, Mumbai, Brisbane and Osian’s-Cinefan in New Delhi. As the Director of the Asia Pacific Media Center at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg Center for Communication from 1996 to 2005, she started the website: www.asianfilms.org. This evolved into a subscription website that streams movies and provides information about contemporary Asian and Pacific Island film cultures for universities and organisations interested in Asia and the Pacific. In 2007 and 2008, she served as an international consultant for the American Film Institute’s Project 20/20. Ms Hereniko produced an award-winning 2004 feature film from Fiji, The Land has Eyes. Currently she is President of Te Maka Productions, Inc., NETPAC/USA and iFilm Connections Asia & Pacific.
Russell Edwards (Australia)
Azize Tan (Turkey)
Film Critic for Variety; former President of the Film Critics Circle of Australia
Director, International Istanbul Film Festival; Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts
Executive Director, Brisbane International Film Festival (BIFF)
Russell Edwards is a Sydney-based film critic reviewing Asian and Australian films for leading international trade publication Variety. He was president of The Film Critics Circle of Australia from 2004 to 2006; is a regular attendee of Asia’s film festival circuit; and has been a FIPRESCI juror at the Pusan International Film Festival twice, including Jury Chairman in 2003. Russell Edwards’ main area of expertise is Korean and Japanese cinema; and he is well-versed in Australian and American film history. A board member of the Sydney Film Festival from 1996 to 1999, Russell also advised the now defunct Sydney Asia Pacific Film Festival from 1999 to 2004. Russell has also directed short films. His most recent film The Agreement (2006) played at numerous major festivals around the world and was screened on SBS Television.
President, iFilm Connections: Asia & Pacific; Founding Director, Hawaii International Film Festival
Azize Tan began her career as Subtitling Co-ordinator at the International Istanbul Film Festival in 1996. She went on to become the Co-ordinator of the Festival from 2000 to 2002 and then Assistant Director. Azize was also Coordinator of the 5th, 6th and 7th International Istanbul Biennials.
Aruna Vasudev (India) Founder-President, Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema; Founder-Director Osian’s Cinefan Aruna Vasudev is the Founder-President of NETPAC; Founder-Director of Cinefan, Festival of Asian Cinema, (now Osian’sCinefan Festival of Asian and Arab Cinema); Founder-Editor of Cinemaya, The Asian
Film Quarterly (now Osian’s-Cinemaya); and is a Trustee of the Public Service Broadcasting Trust, India and of the newly constituted Forum for Art Beyond Borders, India. She was conferred France’s top cultural award, the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres; and the Star of Italian Solidarity. Aruna is the author of two books on Indian Cinema; editor and co-editor of several books on cinema and television, including Being & Becoming: The Cinemas of Asia and co-editor (with fellow Nominations Council member, Philip Cheah) of Modernity and Nationality in Vietnamese Cinema by Ngo Phuong Lan (2007); and has been a jury member in Cannes (Camera d’Or), Locarno, Thessaloniki, Singapore, Fajr (Tehran), Karlovy Vary, Istanbul, Antalya, Hawaii, Jeonju (Korea), Tallinn (Estonia) and many more.
Xie Fei (People’s Republic of China) Professor, Beijing Film Academy; Film Director Xie Fei is internationally known as one of the most prominent directors from China. His feature film A Girl from Hunan (Xian Nu Xiao Xiao) was invited to screen in the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes International Film Festival in 1987 and won the Don Quixote Award at the San Sebastian Film Festival and the Golden Panda Award at the Montpelier Film Festival in 1988. Black Snow won the Silver Bear Award at the Berlin Film Festival in 1990 and screened at the Hong Kong, London, Washington, Sydney and Montreal Film Festivals. Woman from the Lake of Scented Souls won the Golden Bear Award at the Berlin Film Festival in 1993, the Chinese Government Outstanding Film Award in 1993, and the Best Actress Award at the Chicago Film Festival. A Mongolian Tale’s many awards include the Best Director Award at the World Film Festival in Montreal in 1995, and Best Director at the Shanghai Film Critic’s Ten Best Film Awards in 1995. Song of Tibet (2000) won Best Feature Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actress and Best Music awards at the Chinese Golden Rooster Awards. Xie Fei has been a Professor of Beijing Film Academy for 40 years. His students include Directors of Chinese fifth and sixth generations including Chen Kaige, Zhang Yimou and Jia Zhangke.
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THE AWARD Photograph: Craig Voevodin
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RECIPIENTS OF AN ASIA PACIFIC SCREEN AWARD WILL RECEIVE A UNIQUE WORK OF ART TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR ACHIEVEMENT—A SYMBOL COMMON TO ALL CULTURES AND CIVILISATION—THE URN, THE VASE OR, THE VESSEL. Awarding Cinematic Excellence ‘Community’, ‘creative energy’, ‘passion’, ‘diverse’, and ‘rich’ are all words that I had written in my notebook after listening to the speeches at the launch of APSA 2008. The design this year focuses on what I feel the awards embody—a celebration of the passion and diversity of the talent in the Asia-Pacific region. APSA is a community of diverse cultures bound together by friendship and mutual respect. I wanted the work to ‘sing’ through the use of very warm and vibrant colours and to have an almost fabric or woven quality to the surface of the glass; tying the many coloured canes that run through the pieces into coherent forms, symbolising the idea of ‘community’. Joanna Bone RCA Brisbane, Australia
Brisbane artist Joanna Bone is a graduate of the Royal College of Art in London and one of Australia’s leading glass artists. She is the only Queenslander to have won Australia’s annual Ranamok National Glass Prize and has exhibited widely. Her work can be found in prominent national and international collections. Joanna Bone’s exquisite glass vessels are presented to winners in each award category.
APSA winners, nominees and esteemed international judging panels are inducted into The Academy of the Asia Pacific Screen Awards. Academy members are honoured with a bespoke emblem created in 9CT gold and sterling silver. Handcrafted in Queensland, Australia, the adornment depicts the APSA mark and features a golden sapphire from the gem fields of Central Queensland.
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BEST CHILDREN’S FEATURE FILM NOMINEES The Black Balloon Australia
Mahek India
Produced by Tristram Miall. Co-Produced by Sally Ayre-Smith, Elissa Down, Jimmy the Exploder and Mark Turnbull.
Produced by The Children’s Film Society, India.
When Thomas and his family move to a new home and he has to start at a new school, all he wants is to fit in. When his pregnant mother has to take things easy, his father Simon puts him in charge of his autistic older brother Charlie. Thomas, with the help of his new girlfriend Jackie, faces his biggest challenge yet. Charlie’s unusual antics take Thomas on an emotional journey that causes his pentup frustrations about his brother to pour out—in a story that is funny, confronting and ultimately heart-warming.
Pisay (Philippine Science) Philippines Produced by Auraeus Solito. Co-Produced by Solito Arts Production, Philippine Science High School Foundation and PSHS Batch 86. Structured in four acts to follow freshman, sophomore, junior and senior years, Philippine Science begins in playful and familiar school conflicts, as teenagers compete for top marks and fret over status at the high school dance. As the students get older, the film takes on richer tones and more complex dilemmas. In their sophomore year, ‘Ninoy’ Aquino, a leading political opponent of Marcos, is assassinated on his return from the United States. The kids take up the event as a mathematics problem, calculating the timing of the shots and trajectory of the bullets. But by their junior and senior years, they become more actively involved in politics, standing up for justice in their own school and responding with teenage righteousness to the gathering storm on the streets of Manila.
11-year-old Mahek dreams of becoming the very best in everything, but is unsure of what she is best at. To complicate things further, an old, magicless modern fairy walks into her life. Will Mahek ever realise her true strength? Mahek looks at the world through the imaginative eyes of children and examines their rights by following a little girl’s journey towards self-realisation. The film reflects the changes India is going through, from gradual economic freedom towards a renewed intellectual identity.
Siri Raja Siri (King Siri) Sri Lanka Produced by Somaratne Dissanayake and Renuka Balasooriya. Sirimal, an 11-year-old boy from a very poor family in a remote village, obtains the highest marks of the year five scholarship exams, and enters a college in the city. As he tries to fit in with his peers from rich and high-class families, Sirimal encounters social and financial challenges. When he is selected to play the lead role as the king in a school stage drama, his biggest challenge is finding the money to make the royal costume.
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The Black Balloon
Mahek
Pisay (Philippine Science)
Siri Raja Siri (King Siri)
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM NOMINEES
Stranger Mukoh Hadan (Sword of the Stranger)
Byul-Byul Yi-Ya-Gi 2: Yeo-Seot-Bit-Ggal Mu-Ji-Gae (If You Were Me: Anima Vision 2)
Stranger Mukoh Hadan (Sword of the Stranger) Japan Produced by Masahiko Minami
Vals Im Bashir (Waltz with Bashir)
Set in Japan 500 years ago, this is an historical action animation around the story of an elixir of eternal life. It is also a story of the friendship between two people with tragic pasts—a fiercely powerful warrior, No Name, who has vowed to give up his sword, and a boy who has lost his parents.
Vals Im Bashir (Waltz with Bashir) Israel/France/Germany Produced by Ari Folman, Serge Lalou, Yael Nahlieli, Gerhard Meixner and Roman Paul One night at a bar, an old friend tells director, Ari about a recurring nightmare in which he is chased by 26 vicious dogs. Every night, the same number of beasts. The two men conclude that there is a connection to their Israeli Army mission in the first Lebanon war of the early 80’s. Ari is surprised that he can’t remember anything about that period of his life. Intrigued by this riddle, he decides to meet and interview old friends and comrades around the world. He needs to discover the truth about that time and about himself. As Ari delves deeper and deeper into the mystery, his memory begins to creep up in surreal images.
Byul-Byul Yi-Ya-Gi 2: Yeo-Seot-Bit-Ggal Mu-Ji-Gae (If You Were Me: Anima Vision 2) Republic of Korea Produced by Nam Kyu-sun This is an omnibus of animation films coordinated and produced by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea as a cultural approach to highlighting that discrimination is widespread in today’s society. Six animation film directors participated to produce shorts covering a variety of topics. The Third Wish (dir. Ann Donghee, Ryu Jung-oo) is about disabled people’s wishes. Peeling (dir. Hong Deok-pyo) deals with men’s complexes about becoming great in society. Baby (dir. Lee Hong-soo, Lee Hong-min) talks about a working mother’s difficulty with bringing up a child. Merry Golasmas (dir. Jung Min-young) brings out different types of widespread discrimination. Shine Shine Shining (dir. Gwon Mijeong) is about issues related to migrant women in international marriages. Lies (dir. Park Yong-jae) deals with a homosexual who is pushed, by his parents, to marry a woman.
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BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM NOMINEES Kantata Takwa Indonesia Produced by Setiawan Djody, Erros Djarot and Gotot Prakosa
33 Yaoum (33 Days) Lebanon/Qatar
Filmed during the massive Israeli war on Lebanon in the summer of 2006, 33 Days follows the real-life stories of four people: a theatre director working with children who take shelter in a theatre after their homes are destroyed, a frontline journalist struggling to cover the war from a television station under fire, an aid worker coordinating emergency relief efforts for thousands of displaced people, and a news-desk director trying to cope not only with the war but with her new-born baby.
Originally filmed in 1991 but completed only in 2008, this is a poetic film in which a number of Indonesian artists bear witness to events in the repressive Suharto New Order period. The film gives voice to the testimonies of the various performers who joined together in the group Kantata Takwa. Their big concert, initially held in the Senayan Stadium in Jakarta in April 1991 and banned after its second performance (in Surabaya), was a symbol of opposition to the government in that period, openly expressed at these concerts, through poetry and song. After being held up for 18 years due to varying difficulties, including the economic crisis in Indonesia and its aftermath, the film was at last completed.
33 Yaoum (33 Days)
Kantata Takwa
Produced by Mai Masri, Mohammad Belhaj and Jean Chamoun
Ggeutnaji Anhmeun Jeon Jaeng (63 Years On) Republic of Korea
Rain of the Children New Zealand Produced by Vincent Ward, Marg Slater and Tainui Stephens. Co-Produced by Kero Nancy Tait and Catherine Fitzgerald. Vincent Ward weaves drama with documentary to unravel the extraordinary story of Puhi, the Tuhoe (Iwi tribal group, North Island, New Zealand) woman he filmed in 1978 for his early film In Spring One Plants Alone. In this new cinema feature he sets out to unravel the mystery that has haunted him for 30 years: who was Puhi?
Tinar Islamic Republic of Iran Produced by Mahdi Moniri A child in the southern forests of Babol has to protect his flock without any help. Desperately lonely, he endures harsh winters and physical hardships, while dreaming of a different future.
Rain of the Children
Tinar
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Produced by Kim Dong-won and Lee SeungGu 63 Years On focuses on Korean women forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military during World War II. During the war, an estimated 200,000 women from Korea, China, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan, the Dutch East Indies and Indonesia were abducted from their homes against their will or were recruited with offers of work in military factories and subsequently forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military. The majority of these women came from Korea, and this film chronicles the survivors’ persistent efforts to be recognised as WWII victims by Japan and international forums. 63 Years On tells the stories of five women— a Korean, a Chinese, two Filipinas and one Dutch—who reveal their experiences as survivors, including one elderly Korean woman, Kim Haksun, who by speaking of her ordeal on television, created an international groundswell to lobby the Japanese government for an official apology.
Ggeutnaji Anhmeun Jeon Jaeng (63 Years On)
BEST SCREENPLAY NOMINEES Dervish Zaim for Nokta (Dot) Turkey Born in Cyprus in 1964, Dervish Zaim majored in economics and administrative sciences at Bosphorus University, Istanbul (1983–1988) and has an MA in British cultural studies from Warwick University, UK (1993–1994). Dervish Zaim has written and directed four feature films, Somersault in a Coffin, Elephants and Grass, Mud and Waiting for Heaven. He also co-directed the documentary, Parallel Trips. His feature films have won numerous awards at international and national festivals including: for Somersault in a Coffin, Best Film at the San Francisco Film Festival and Best Film at the Oeuvres Film Festival, and for Mud, the 2003 UNESCO Award at the Venice Film Festival. He is also the winner of the Yunus Nadi Novel Prize, for his novel, Alice in Wonderland.
Max Mannix, Kiyoshi Kurosawa and Sachiko Tanaka for Tokyo Sonata Japan/The Netherlands, Hong Kong Behnam Behzadi for Tanha Do Bar Zendegui Mikonim (Before the Burial) Islamic Republic of Iran Behnam Behzadi was born in 1976 in Boroujen, Iran, and obtained a diploma in cinema from the faculty of Ceda & Cima in Tehran in 1995. He began his artistic activities in theatre and photography whilst directing shorts in 8mm and 16mm formats as well as video. Over the past few years, he has written scripts, worked in editing and collaborated with various scriptwriters including Bahman Ghobadi with whom he was co-scriptwriter for the film Nive Mang (Half Moon). Behnam Behzadi has also worked in marketing and advertising and was, for some time, artistic director of the campaign against cruelty to children.
Max Mannix is an acclaimed screenwriter and former professional Australian rugby player who co-wrote and co-directed Dance of the Dragon and more recently was the writer/director on Rain Fall starring Gary Oldman and Kippei Shiina. Kiyoshi Kurosawa was born on July 19, 1955 in Japan and started directing 8mm independent films while studying Sociology at Rikkyo University. In 1980, his first work Shigarami Gakuen screened at PIA Film Festival. Kurosawa then spent the next few years studying with directors Kazuhiko Hasegawa and Shinji Somai. In 1983, he made his commercial debut with the feature film Kandagawa Wars. Also nominated is Sachiko Tanaka, born in Tokyo in 1972 and a graduate of the Department of Aesthetics and Art History at Tokyo University of the Arts. Sachiko studied under Kiyoshi Kurosawa at Tokyo University and this is her first feature film.
Eran Riklis and Suha Arraf for Etz Halimon (Lemon Tree) Israel/France/Germany Eran Riklis, one of Israel’s leading filmmakers, was born in Jerusalem, raised in the USA, Canada and Brazil, and graduated from The National Film School, England in 1982. Married to Dina (a filmmaker), father of Tammy (a committed journalist) and Jonathan (a jazz pianist), Eran lives in Tel Aviv and works with the world. His film credits include: The Syrian Bride, 2004, winner of 18 international awards, and Zohar, Israel’s biggest box office success in the 90s. He has also directed and produced many TV films, series and documentaries. Lemon Tree is Riklis’ second collaboration with co-nominee, Suha Arraf. A Palestinian-Israeli, Suha is a graduate of the Tel Aviv Screenwriting Academy and has degrees from the Jerusalem and Haifa Universities. Besides The Syrian Bride and Lemon Tree collaborations with Riklis, Suha has written and directed several documentaries and worked as a journalist and researcher for many years.
Hong Sangsoo for Bamgua Nat (Night and Day) Republic of Korea Born in Seoul, 1960, Hong Sangsoo entered Chung-Ang University as a theatre major but changed his major to film while in his sophomore year. In his third year, he went to the USA and received his BFA in filmmaking at the California College of Arts and Crafts, Oakland, and his MFA in filmmaking from The School of Art Institute of Chicago. He has sat as a juror at various major film festivals including Jeonju International Film Festival, Pusan International Film Festival, Karlovy Vary International Film Festival and Vancouver International Film Festival.
Tanha Do Bar Zendegui Mikonim (Before the Burial)
Tokyo Sonata
(L–R): Dervish Zaim, Behnam Behzadi, Max Mannix, Kiyoshi Kurosawa.
(L–R): Sachiko Tanaka, Eran Riklis, Suha Arraf, Hong Sangsoo
Nokta (Dot)
Bamguan At (Night and Day)
Etz Halimon (Lemon Tree)
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ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY NOMINEES
Lee Mogae for Joheunnom Nabbeunnom Isanghannom (The Good, the Bad, the Weird) Republic of Korea Lee Mogae first worked with director Kim Jee-woon on his 2003 feature Janghura Hongryeon (A Tale of Two Sisters). He has shot films for several high-profile Korean filmmakers including Ryu Jangha on 2004 feature Ggotpineum bomi omyeon (When Spring Comes), Hur Jin-ho on the 2005 feature Oechul (April Snow) and Kim Dae-seung on 2006 feature Gaeulro (Traces of Love).
Cheng Siu-keung for Man Jeuk (Sparrow) Hong Kong Cheng Siu-keung is a Hong Kong-based cinematographer, writer and director. He is best known for his cinematic collaborations with directors Johnnie To and Wai Ka-Fai for independent film production company, Milkyway Image. Cheng Siu-keung’s prolific career dates from 1989 and includes nominations in the cinematography category at either the Golden Horse Awards or the Hong Kong Film Awards almost every year since 2001. His credits include Running Out of Time, Election 1&2, Breaking News, Running on Karma, PTU and Fong Juk.
Man Jeuk (Sparrow)
Oleg Kirichenko for Rusalka (Mermaid) Russian Federation
Kiiran Deohans for Jodhaa Akbar India
Born in 1976, Oleg was the recipient of the TEFI award for the documentary The Great Secret of Water, 2006. Mermaid is his first feature film.
Kiiran Deohans graduated as a cinematographer from the Film and Television Institute of India in 1981. He began his career as an assistant cameraman in feature films and won the Filmfare Award for his first film, Qayamat Sey Qayamat Tak. In spite of many subsequent offers from big productions, Kiiran chose to concentrate on shooting and directing commercials. He shot more than 800 commercials and won many awards for his cinematography. Rakesh Mehra then asked Kiiran to work on Aks the Reflection for which he received nominations from both Filmfare and Screen. Kiiran continued to shoot features including Kabhi Kushi Kabhi Gham which won him the Sansui Award for Best Cinematography. His latest nomination, film Jodhaa Akbar attracted Kiiran because of the opportunity to work with Ashutosh Gowariker, director of the Academy Award-nominated film Lagaan.
Gökhan Tiryaki for Uc Maymun (Three Monkeys) Turkey/France/Italy Gökhan Tiryaki was born in Istanbul, Turkey in 1972 and studied economics at Anadolu University. After graduating, Gökhan initially worked in the TV and documentary areas as a cameraman in Turkish radio and television and, since 1996, has been a Director of Photography and Steadycam operator for IMAJ. He has received several awards for his cinematography including Best Cinematography for Climates at the Thailand World Film Festival 2006 and a Special Award of Mosfilm for Three Monkeys.
Joheunnom Nabbeunnom Isanghannom (The Good, the Bad, the Weird)
(L–R): Cheng Siu-keung, Lee Mogae, Oleg Kirichenko, Gökhan Tiryaki, Kiiran Deohans
Rusalka (Mermaid)
Uc Maymun (Three Monkeys)
Jodhaa Akbar
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Man Jeuk (Sparrow) (Hong Kong)
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BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS NOMINEES Akie Namiki for Jitsuroku Rengo Sekigun: Asama Sanso E No Michi (United Red Army) Japan
Akie Namiki, Jitsuroku Rengo Sekigun: Asama Sanso Eno Michi (United Red Army)
Daria Moroz, Zhivi I Pomni (Live And Remember)
Hiam Abbass, Etz Halimon (Lemon Tree)
Akie Namiki was born in 1978 at Saitama prefecture and has been acting since she was a teenager. She had a leading role in Aruasa Soup Wa, which won the grand prix at the Pia Film Festival 2004 in Tokyo and in 2006 she featured in Hanauta Dorobo. In 2007, Akie played a young teacher suffering with mental illness in the film 14 Years Old.
Daria Moroz for Zhivi I Pomni (Live And Remember) Russian Federation Born in 1983, Daria is the daughter of leading Russian producer/director, Yuri Moroz and distinguished actress, Marina Levtova. After graduating from Moscow Arts Theatre (MKHAT) acting school, she was immediately hired by the Moscow Arts Theatre company. Her cinematic career began in 1983 and Daria has since appeared in 25 feature and TV films, including Gibel Imperii 2005 and Zhenschiny v igrr bez pravil 2004.
Hiam Abbass for Etz Halimon (Lemon Tree) Israel/France/Germany
Miao Pu, Yingtao (Cherries)
Following their successful collaboration in The Syrian Bride, Eran Riklis chose Hiam for the leading role of Salma Zidane in Lemon Tree. Born in Nazareth, Hiam started out in various theatre roles in Israel until she moved to London in 1988 and then to Paris where her film career began. Her credits include: The Syrian Bride, Satin Rouge, La Porte du Soleil, Munich, Disengagement, Free Zone, Paradise Now, The Nativity Story, Dialogue avec mon Jardinier, Un Roman Policier, La fabrique des Sentiments and The Visitor. Hiam lives in Paris with her husband and two daughters.
Nesipkul Omarbekova, Baksy (Native Dancer)
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Miao Pu for Yingtao (Cherries) People’s Republic of China Miao Pu studied at the Beijing Film Academy and is also a pilot. She starred in Phoenix in 2006 and Cherries is Miao Pu’s second feature film.
Nesipkul Omarbekova for Baksy (Native Dancer) Kazakhstan/Russian Federation/ France/Germany Nesipkul Omarbekova is a real-life witch doctor from Kazakhstan who plays the central role of Aidai, an old Kazakh Baksy who can heal people, find their souls and even tell them where their stolen cattle have been hidden. ‘Shamans’, ‘healers’, or ‘witch doctors’ are a feature of life in Kazakhstan and writer/director Guka Omarova was inspired to make Native Dancer by her regular visits to a healer each time she returns home.
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR NOMINEES Alireza Aghakhani for Tanha Do Dar Zendegui Mikonim (Before the Burial) Islamic Republic of Iran Alireza was born in 1966 in Tehran. He has degrees in metalurgy and Russian language and works as an interpreter. Being an actor in movies was Alireza’s dream from childhood and he adored cinema. In 2006, finally his dream came true when Behnam Behzadi saw him in a street in Tehran and asked him to do a screen test. Alireza trained for a year for this role and it is his first feature film.
Kim Yoon-suk for Chugyeogja (The Chaser) Republic of Korea Born in 1968, Kim Yoon-suk started his acting career in theatre in 1990. Soon after, Kim started acting for TV and film where he showed his strong acting ability and became recognised for roles in movies such as Thank You, Life and Be Good While We’re Together. His portrayal of the father in Like a Virgin and his role in A Happy Life were said to be unlike anything else seen on Korean screens, however, it is in The Chaser that Kim has shown the raw and sincere strength of his acting abilities via the strong, charismatic character Jung-ho.
Reza Naji for Avaze Gonjeshk-Ha (The Song Of Sparrows) Islamic Republic of Iran Born in Iran in 1942, Reza Naji is an award-winning Iranian actor and an iconic figure of Iranian cinema. Reza started his career as a teenager in theatre with his first film role in Children of Heaven in 1997. Directed by Majid Majidi, the role required an Azeri accent and Reza was chosen by Majidi from 2500 actors who tested for the role. Since then, Reza has played numerous roles in Iranian films, including Sargije (2007) and The Willow Tree (2005). The Song of Sparrows is his latest collaboration with director Majid Majidi and has garnered Reza with the 2008 Silver Berlin Bear for Best Actor from the Berlin International Film Festival.
Simon Yam for Man Jeuk (Sparrow) Hong Kong Simon Yam began his film career in 1988 and rapidly became a household name after starring in Hong Kong Gigolo (1990). Since then Yam has accumulated over 100 films to his credit, working with some of the best filmmakers in Hong Kong, including John Woo in Bullet in the Head (1990). In recent years he has also starred in a number of international productions, such as Tomb Raider 2 (2003). His performance in director Johnnie To’s PTU (2003) earned him the Best Actor Award at Hong Kong’s Golden Bauhinia Award, 2003. Yam continued to collaborate with To in Election (2005), Exiled (2006) and in Official Selection at the 60th Cannes Film Festival, Triangle (2007).
Alireza Aghakhani, Tanha Do Bar Zendegui Mikonim (Before the Burial)
Simon Yam, Man Jeuk (Sparrow)
Kim Yoon-suk, Chugyeogja (The Chaser)
Rajat Kapoor for The Prisoner India Rajat was born in 1961 in Delhi where he did his early schooling. He studied at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) graduating in 1985 and worked with Kumar Shahani and Mani Kaul before making his first feature film, Private Detective: Two Plus Two Plus One. His other credits include: Raghu Romeo (2003), Mixed Doubles and Mithya. Today Rajat is recognised more for his achievements as an actor than as a director. He made his acting debut in 2001 with character roles in the films Dil Chahta Hai and Monsoon Wedding. He was recently awarded Best Actor (Indian Competition) at the 10th Asian International Film Festival 2008 for his performance in The Prisoner.
Reza Naji, Avaze Gonjeshk-Ha (The Song Of Sparrows)
Rajat Kapoor, The Prisoner
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ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING NOMINEES Johnnie To for Man Jeuk (Sparrow) Hong Kong
Johnnie To
Man Jeuk (Sparrow)
Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Tokyo Sonata
Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Uc Maymun (Three Monkeys)
Kim Jee-woon
Joheunnom Nabbeunnom Isanghannom (The Good, the Bad, the Weird)
Sergey Dvortsevoy
Tulpan
Hong Kong-based filmmaker Johnnie To has over 40 directing and producing credits to his name, stretching from the height of the Hong Kong New Wave right up to today. In 1996 he formed the Milky Way independent film production company, in partnership with frequent collaborator Wai Ka-fai in 1996, which became the de facto hallmark of quality, efficient filmmaking in Hong Kong. To’s credits include: The Mission, PTU, Election 1&2 and Exiled. He has won numerous awards, including the Time Machine Career Achievement at the Festival de Cine de Sitges 2005 and his films have been screened on the international circuit; most notably Exiled in competition at the Venice Film Festival 2006, Election in competition at the Cannes International Film Festival 2006 and Triangle in Official Selection at the 60th Cannes International Film Festival 2007.
Kiyoshi Kurosawa for Tokyo Sonata Japan/The Netherlands/ Hong Kong Born in July 1955 in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, Kurosawa started directing 8mm independent films while studying Sociology at Rikkyo University. In 1980, his first work Shigarami Gakuen screened at PIA Film Festival. Kurosawa then spent the next few years studying with directors Kazuhiko Hasegawa and Shinji Somai. In 1983, he made his commercial debut with the feature film, Kandagawa Wars. Kurosawa’s credits include: Cure—Best Director, Yokohama Film Festival, Charisma— highly acclaimed at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight in 1999, Pulse—Critics’ Prize at the Cannes International Film Festival in Un Certain Regard 2001, Bright Future, Doppelganger and Retribution.
Nuri Bilge Ceylan for Uc Maymun (Three Monkeys) Turkey/France/Italy Nuri Bilge Ceylan was born in Istanbul, Turkey in 1959. After graduating as an engineer from Bosphorus University, Istanbul, he studied filmmaking for two years at Mimar Sinan University, Istanbul. His credits include: Les Climats (2006) Uzak (2003) and Mayis Sikintisi (Clouds of May) (1999).
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Kim Jee-woon for Joheunnom Nabbeunnom Isanghannom (The Good, the Bad, the Weird) Republic of Korea Director Kim Jee-woon was a theatre actor and director before debuting with his self-written and directed film, The Quiet Family in 1998. He is currently one of the most talented and recognised writers/directors in the Korean film industry. Following his self-proclaimed genre, comic theatre of cruelty, in The Quiet Family, Kim trekked on to explore new genres such as comedy (The Foul King), horror (The Tale of Two Sisters), and film noir (A Bittersweet Life) and showed his unique twists on storytelling, style and other well-established forms. The result—his works have set ground as the representative Korean films in each of the genres in both critique and box-office success. With mounted bandits, steam engine trains and opium-filled brothels, his new film, The Good, the Bad, the Weird, is a western that focuses on the anarchic and multinational culture-ridden Manchuria in the 1930s. Now, with his ‘Oriental Western’, Kim promises to take moviegoers into yet another unfamiliar, unprecedented, genre of film.
Sergey Dvortsevoy for Tulpan Kazakhstan/Russian Federation/ Switzerland-Poland-Germany Born in 1962 in Chimkent, Kazakhstan, Sergey Dvortsevoy graduated from the Radio Technical Institute for Aviation in Novosibirsk. As an Aeroflot manager he travelled the country, until he discovered an announcement for Superior Courses for Directors and Screenplay writers in Moscow. His first short film Scasti demonstrated his ability to show the world in its simplicity, its warmth and its strength. This wonderful mixture of naturalism and poetry was later called ‘new sincerity’ by the critics. Dvortsevoy describes his films not as documentaries but as life cinema: “I am as watchful as an eagle, my head rotates in a circle of 360 degrees”. Sergey has directed numerous award-winning documentaries, including Paradise, Bread Day, High Way and In the Dark. Tulpan is Sergey Dvortsevoy’s first feature film.
BEST FEATURE FILM NOMINEES
Hongse Kangbaiyin (The Red Awn)
Man Jeuk (Sparrow)
Hongse Kangbaiyin (The Red Awn) People’s Republic of China
Tulpan Kazakhstan/Russian Federation/ Switzerland-Poland-Germany
Produced by Li Xudong. Co-Produced by Lin Nianxiu, Sun Xiaoxi, Wang Shunsheng and Chen Weidong.
Produced by Karl Baumgartner, Valerie Fischer, Gulnara Sarsenova, Sergey Melkumov, Sergey Selyanov, Bulat Galimgereyev, Elena Yatsura, Henryk Romanowski, Thanassis Karathanos and Raimond Goebel
Whenever the wheat becomes golden, thousands of floaters will leave their homes and migrate from one place to another to make a living by working in the wheat fields. A 50-year-old father leaves his wife and son in their hometown and, in order to make money, goes to the city for five years. The 17-year-old son grows up in the countryside alone. At summer’s end, the father returns and decides to drive the red combine during the harvest with his son. On their way, an irresponsible father and a resentful son try to rebuild their bond, to face their destiny.
Man Jeuk (Sparrow) Hong Kong
Asa’s dream is to become a sheepherder and have a flock of his own. We are introduced to Asa, handsomely turned out in his naval uniform and trying to impress the parents of the woman he wants to marry, Tulpan. Tulpan thinks his ears are too big and rejects him but Asa refuses to be discouraged. He desperately wants to achieve his goal of independence; away from the over-crowded yurt in southern Kazakhstan that he shares with his sister and her cynical husband who doesn’t believe Asa has what it takes.
Uc Maymun (Three Monkeys) Turkey/France/Italy Produced by Zeynep Özbatur. Co-Produced by Fabienne Vonier, Valerio De Paolis, Cemal Noyan, Nuri Bilge Ceylan. A family dislocated when small failings blow up into extravagant lies, battles against the odds to stay together by covering up the truth. In order to avoid hardship and responsibilities that would otherwise be impossible to endure, the family chooses to ignore the truth—not to see, hear or talk about it. But does playing ‘three monkeys’ invalidate the existence of truth?
Produced by Johnnie To
Om Shanti Om
Tulpan
Kei is an experienced pickpocket, a ‘sparrow’ in Hong Kong street slang, and he and his three partners make a good living picking the pockets of unsuspecting pedestrians. Kei also enjoys a carefree lifestyle, riding his bicycle through the city to take photos with his vintage Rolleiflex. One day Kei is fascinated as the gorgeous Chun Lei comes into his sights. But Chun Lei is not only a beautiful face, she also has a mysterious past and as Kei and his partners fall for her, one after another, Chun Lei reveals her true intention. The sparrows are to steal a key that is of great importance to her. At first the task seems simple but then another interested party appears on the scene, tycoon Mr Yen.
Om Shanti Om India Uc Maymun (Three Monkeys)
Produced by Gauri Khan Om Shanti Om is the saga of Om Prakash Makhija a junior artiste in the golden days of 70’s Hindi cinema. He is in love with the superstar of the day Shantipriya. Full of hope after saving her on set, his life and love comes to a tragic end when he witnesses her murder by the ambitious and ruthless producer Mukesh Mehra. Om dies trying to save his Shanti. But it is not the end of the story. Om Shanti Om is also the journey of Om Kapoor superstar of contemporary Bollywood, his journey to discover who he really is and in doing so avenge the death of Shanti.
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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.
FIAPF AWARD International Federation of Film Producers Associations will determine the winner of the award for outstanding achievement in film in the Asia-Pacific region.
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.
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AUSTRALIA’S GOLD COAST WORLD CLASS LOCATIONS. AN EXCITING ATMOSPHERE. AN ICONIC AUSTRALIAN DESTINATION.
Above left: Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre Above right: Sufers Paradise Marriott Resort and Spa
Australia’s Gold Coast has long been the focus of filmmaking—locally, nationally, and internationally. Glorious weather, legendary beaches, diverse locations, entertainment parks, world-class filming facilities, and an atmosphere of freedom, excitement and passion, keep tourists and filmmakers returning to this iconic Australian destination. In 2008, the Gold Coast plays host to the annual Screen Producers Association of Australia SPAA Conference; the people’s choice award for Australian films, the national Inside Film Awards; the Australian International Movie Convention; and in its second year, the Asia Pacific Screen Awards.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Asia Pacific Screen Awards is an international cultural initiative of the Queensland Government, Australia through Queensland Events Corporation.
Queensland Government
APSA Advisory Council
The Awards Program
Jane Hickey, Advisor
Supervising Producer: Glyn Patrick
The Honourable Anna Bligh MP, Premier of Queensland.
Ian MacIntosh, Consultant, CNN International Asia Pacific
Production Executive: Prue Miller
Geoffrey Brown, Executive Director, Screen Producers Association of Australia
Consultant: Peter Faiman
Martin Hadlow, Associate Professor, Director, Centre for Communication and Social Change, School of Journalism & Communication, The University of Queensland
Lighting Designer: Rohan Thornton
Queensland Events Corporation Pty Ltd. Board of Directors Michael Denton, Chief Executive QEC Management and Staff.
Asia Pacific Screen Awards Des Power AM, Chairman & Co-Executive Producer, Scene By Scene Richard Watson, General Manager
Jane Smith, Head of Screenwriting, Australian Film Television and Radio School Anupam Sharma, Managing Director, Temple Film and Casting.
Sharyn Sawyer, Head of Marketing
Television Production
Maxine Williamson, Associate Producer
Grubstreet Productions
Melissa Price, Executive Officer Brett McDougall, Marketing Coordinator Patricia Laksmono, Event Assistant
Peter Hiscock, Executive Producer Graham Davis, Creative Director.
Director: Randall Churchill Writer: John Muldrew Set Designer: Michael Scott-Mitchell Editors: Tim Wilson David Sergent Graphics Designer: Michael Murray Music: Bob Davies Production Accountant: Carol Seeley OB Manager: Dennis Dovale
Post Production Cutting Edge President/Founder: John Lee Chief Executive Officer: Ray Smith Business Development Manager: Peter Laird Project Manager: Peter Koury
Lung Ong, Awards Administration Coordinator
Scene By Scene
Senior Editor: Samatha Bowden
CNN Reporter: Anjali Rao
Support Editor: Joe Lancaster
Justin Morrisey, Event Coordinator
Writer/Interviewer: Graham Davis
APSA part-time Staff and Volunteers.
Guilds
Field Producer: Kate Hodges
TM Publicity
Producer: Anne Buchner
Tracey Mair, Director Cathy Gallagher, Publicist Deb McBride, Publicist.
APSA Advisory Committee to the Nominations Council Konrad Ng, Assistant Professor, Academy for Creative Media, University of Hawaii Adrienne Mc Kibbins, Executive Officer and Awards Manager, Film Critics Circle of Australia Peter Thompson, Film Critic and Commentator
APSA Animation Advisor
Production Executive: Prue Miller Production Accountants: Carol Seeley Garry Seeley Camera: Bruce Inglis David Maguire Sound: Andrew Belletty David Lynn Tony Parkinson Andy Postle Josh Talbot Girjashanker Vohra Editor: Rob Buttery Tim Wilson Online Editor: Justin Ngy Tran
Peter Moyes, Lecturer, Art Theory, Griffith University
Music: Bob Davies
APSA Documentary Advisor
Research: Adrienne Mc Kibbins
Andrew Pike, Managing Director, Ronin Films
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Sound Editor: Laki Fotopoulos Graphic Design: Michael Murray
Special thanks to the following guilds for their participation and contribution: The Writers Guild of America Screen Actors Guild American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada
Event Production David Grant Special Events David Grant Annie Rechne Amelia Rogers Johnny Ellis
The Award Commission Joanna Bone RCA, Glass Artist
Creative/Graphic Design Moody Design Chris Moody Management and Staff
GLOBAL PARTNERS The Asia Pacific Screen Awards thanks and acknowledges the many people and organisations who have contributed to this initiative.
CNN
FIAPF
Mike McCarthy, Vice President Coverage and Feature Programming
Executive Committee
Rena Golden, SVP and Executive Producer CNN.com Sheri England, Managing Director Phil O’Sullivan, Executive Producer Eslinda Hamzah, Senior Vice President CNN Asia Pacific Marketing and Affiliate Relations, CNN Broadcast and Commercial Sales
Andrés Vicente Gomez (Spain), Chairman/President Aurelio de Laurentiis (Italy), Honorary President Chris Marcich (USA), First Vice-President
Official Submission Organisations APSA thanks the many Official Submission Organisations from across the Asia-Pacific region.
Event Supporters Bruce Dover, Australia Network
P.V. Gangadharan (India), First Vice-President for Asia-Pacific
Clayton Utz
Han Sanping (China), Vice-President
Coca-Cola Amatil
Luis Scalella (Argentina)
Craig Voevodin, Photographer
Evonne Inn, Manager, Public Relations, Asia Pacific
John Barrack (Canada)
Currumbin Wild Life Sanctuary
Zhu Yongde (China)
Fagaleo
Nicky Robinson, Director of Marketing, Asia Pacific
Sunit Tandon (India)
Frank Short, Australian Customs Service
Gianni Massaro (Italy)
Gold Coast City Council
Anjali Kapoor, Marketing Manager, Brand and Consumer, Asia Pacific
Isao Matsuoka (Japan) Vladimir Dostal (Russia)
Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre
Jennifer Lui, Marketing Executive, Asia Pacific
Fabia Buenaventura (Spain)
Gold Coast Tourism
Börje Hansson (Sweden)
Anjali Rao, Anchor
Jean Prewitt/ Lawrence Safir (USA/ Europe)
Griffith University and Griffith Film School, work placement students
Chris Dwyer, Executive Director, Public Relations, Asia Pacific
William Hsu, Vice President CNN Adsales, Asia Pacific Ian MacIntosh, Consultant
UNESCO UNESCO, Paris Koïchiro Matsuura, Director General Abdul Waheed Khan, Asistant DirectorGeneral for Communication and Information
Geoffrey Brown (Australia)
FIAPF, Paris Benoit Ginisty, Interim Director General Brigitte Chapus, Head of Administration & Economic Affairs.
SPAA (Screen Producers Association of Australia)
Clovely Estate Finely Crafted Wine
John Mobbs, Go Productions KPMG Lattouf™ Hair Spa Lime Photography Loeb & Loeb (Los Angeles) Pacific Film & Television Commission Queensland Art Gallery and The Gallery of Modern Art Richard Palk, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade SquizNet
Francoise Rivière, Assistant DirectorGeneral for Culture
Antony I. Ginnane, President
Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort and Spa
Geoffrey Brown, Executive Director
Wijayananda Jayaweera, Director, Communication Development Division
Tourism Queensland
Julie Marlow, Senior Policy Consultant
Australian Permanent Delegation to UNESCO
Bethwyn Serow, SPAA Policy Manager
Gaylee Butler, Conference Producer Fran Lanigan, SPAA Publicist
Sally Manfield, Minister-Permanent Delegate
Australian National Commission for UNESCO Evan Gallagher, Secretary-General.
The voting process was scrutineered by KPMG. All Nominations Council and Jury members have executed Declarations of both Confidentiality and Conflict of Interest. Nominations Council and Jury members with an interest in any film in the Awards process did not participate in any decision on that film in any Award category. DISCLAIMER: The information contained herein is believed to be accurate at the time of printing, however all liability for errors or omissions arising are expressly disclaimed. WARNING: All right reserved. This publication, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, in any form without the written permission of Asia Pacific Screen Awards Ltd. © Copyright November 2008 Asia Pacific Screen Awards Ltd.
ASIPA1179
Anne Siwicki, Policy Officer
Asia Pacific Screen Awards Ltd. Level 25, Waterfront Place, 1 Eagle Street, Brisbane Qld 4000 Australia PO Box 7990, Waterfront Place, Brisbane Qld 4001 Australia T + 61 7 3222 1010 F + 61 7 3221 1684 E info@apscreenawards.com www.asiapacificscreenawards.com © November 11, 2008. Asia Pacific Screen Awards Ltd. is a subsidiary of Queensland Events Corporation Pty Ltd.
