17th Asian Film Awards: List of Nominations, Winners, and Special Awardees

 

The 17th edition of the Asian Film Awards, one of the biggest awarding ceremonies for film excellence in Asia, is currently ongoing. It is held at the Grand Theater, Xiqu Center, West Kowloon Cultural District in Hong Kong.

The Asian Film Award is jointly presented by the Hong Kong International Film Festival, the Busan (South Korea) International Film Festival, and the Tokyo International Film Festival.

Zhang Yimou

Special Awardees:

As of this writing, the ceremony is ongoing in Hong Kong, so we will give you updates later about the list of winners. 

Meanwhile, the special awardees for this year's Asian Film Awards edition were already revealed by the committee last month, February.

List of Special Awardees:

1. Lifetime Achievement Award: 

• Zhang Yimou, Film Director, China

Chinese legendary film director, Zhang Yimou, is this year's Lifetime Achievement Awardee of the Asian Film Awards. He will also receive the 2023 Highest Grossing Asian Film Award for his movie, Full River Red.

The Asian Film Awards listed the achievements of Zhang Yimou:

• The first Chinese to win the Best Actor Award at international film festivals according to the writeup from the Asian Film Awards.
• Directorial debut in 1988 with Red Sorghum, a powerful story set in a sorghum distillery during the Second Sino-Japanese War.
• Red Sorghum won the Golden Bear Award at the 38th Berlin International Film Festival and marked China's first major award at the world's top three film festivals. 
• Directed Ju Dou (1990) - the first film from China to earn a nomination in the Best Foreign Film category at the Oscar Awards.
• Directed Hero (2002) - the second film from China to earn a nomination in the Best Foreign Film category at the Oscar Awards
• Directed Raise the Red Lantern (1991) - won the Silver Lion award at the 44th Venice Film Festival and was nominated for Best Foreign Film at the Oscar Awards representing Hong Kong.
• Directed The Story of Qiu Ju (1992) - won the Golden Lion Award at the 45th Venice Film Festival.
• Directed To Live (1994) - won the Cannes Grand Jury Prize
• Directed Shadow (2018) - won him Best Director Award at the 55th Golden Horse Awards

 2. Excellence in Asian Cinema Award:

• Suzuki Ryohei, Actor, Japan

For this year's edition of the Asian Film Awards, there are two recipients of Excellence in Asian Cinema Awards: Suzuki Ryohei from Japan and Lee Young-ae from South Korea.

According to AFA, these two consistently push the boundaries of their performances, showcasing their unique talents and making significant contributions to their respective fields.

This prestigious award aims to recognize actors for their remarkable achievements including their versatility in a wide range of roles and genres. 

Suzuki Ryohei has left an indelible mark in Asian cinema with nearly two decades on screen and over 30 film credits as an actor.

Upon hearing he is the recipient of this award, SUZUKI said, “I am deeply honored by this recognition bestowed upon me by the Asian Film Awards. It will fuel my motivation to strive for greater heights and contribute more to the industry. I am also eagerly looking forward to attending the 17th Asian Film Awards ceremony in Hong Kong where I can connect with audiences and fellow film professionals from across Asia.”

3. Excellence in Asian Cinema Award:

• LEE Young-ae, Actress, South Korea

South Korean actress, Lee Young-ae

Lee Youg-ae is widely known as the “Oxygen Lady” with an illustrious career spanning over three decades. Upon hearing she is one of the recipients of the award, she said: 

“I am pleasantly surprised to receive this distinguished award. It is beyond words for me to express my gratitude. But I am certainly delighted to come to Hong Kong and take part in this prestigious event for the Asian film industry. I look forward to more collaborations and engagements with Asian filmmakers across the region to raise international awareness of Korean cinema and culture.”

4. Next Generation Award:

• Zhao Liying, Actress, China

Based on the writeup from the Asian Film Awards' website about Zhao Liying: She transitions between roles including an innocent yet quick-witted maiden, a righteous and resolute warrior, a courageous resistance fighter with a will of steel, and an independent career woman. 

Zhao Liying wears Elie Saab gold dress to attend the 17th Asian Film Awards

Her work spans genres such as costume dramas, youth dramas, romance, historical fiction, and suspense. 

Recently, she has just finished shooting for various film productions, including Tiger Wolf Road and The Unseen Sister. 

She served as executive producer for the first time in the upcoming series The Legend of Shen Li which she also starred in. 

Zhao Liying at the 17th Asian Film Awards

Over the years, ZHAO’s performances and professional achievements have been highly recognized, making her one of the most prominent young actresses in China.

Zhao Liying

In ZHANG Yimou’s latest film, Article 20, she delivered a compelling and touching performance as a hearing-impaired domestic violence survivor who fights for her legal rights. 

Zhao Liying expressed her astonishment and gratitude upon hearing she is the recipient of the award, she said: “I would like to thank the AFA. Films have brought us many precious gathering moments and I truly look forward to seeing everyone on March 10 in this vibrant and cosmopolitan city – Hong Kong.”

5. AFA Rising Star Award

• Win Metawin, Actor, Thailand

The AFA Rising Star Award aims to recognize new-generation talents who have demonstrated exceptional breakthroughs and potential in Asian cinema and to show them encouragements for further advancement. 

Win Metawin

Receiving the honor this year is emerging Thai actor Metawin Opas-iamkajorn who rose to fame for his leading role in the television series 2gether: The Series and its associated film 2gether: The Movie.  He is the first Thai awardee of the AFA Rising Star Award. 

At age 24, Win is one of the most popular actors in his generation not just in his home country but in the Asia-Pacific region. 

His acting debut in the TV series 2gether: The Series made him instantly popular, capturing the hearts of fans across Asia. The film version of the series, which is also his film debut, 2gether: The Movie was selected to showcase at Hong Kong Asia Film Festival. 

He recently starred in Under Parallel Skies, a joint production of the Philippines and Thailand. Win starred alongside Filipina actress, Janella Salvador.

Under Parallel Skies is directed by Sigrid Bernardo, a Filipino award-winning director. It tells the story of a Thai bachelor (played by Metawin) who travels to Hong Kong in search of his missing mother.

 

He encounters a Filipino hotelier (played by Janella Salvador) who helps him navigate love, heartbreak, and healing in the foreign city amid their differences in culture and identity. 

Shot in Hong Kong from June 2023 to July 2023, the film features iconic local locations including Kowloon City and Tai O, making Hong Kong a suitable and meaningful locale for the film’s initial exposure. The film is scheduled for release exclusively in cinemas in April 2024.

Nominations and Winners:

The head of the Jury for this year's edition of the Asian Film Awards is Kiyoshi Kurosawa, a Japanese film director, screenwriter, film critic, and a professor at Tokyo University of the Arts.

The nominations were announced on January 12, 2024. We will update this portion once the winners are announced at the ongoing awarding ceremony in Hong Kong. 

Update: Check Full list of winners and highlights.

Meanwhile, here are the nominated works and performers:

Best Film:

1. 12.12: The Day (South Korea)

2. Evil Does Not Exist (Japan)

3. Paradise (Sri Lanka/India)

4. Perfect Days (Japan)

5. Snow Leopard (China)

Best Director:

1. Gu Xiaogang for Dwelling by the West Lake (China)

2. Hirokazu Kore-eda for Monster (Japan)

3. Ryusuke Hamaguchi for  Evil Does Not Exist (Japan)

4. Kim Sung-su for12.12: The Day (South Korea)

5. Prasanna Vithanage for Paradise (Sri Lanka/India)

Best New Director:

1. Nick Cheuk for Time Still Turns the Pages (Hongkong)

2. Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir for City of Wind (Mongolia)

3. Amanda Nell Eu for Tiger Stripes (Malaysia)

4. Phạm Thiên Ân for Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell (Vietnam)

5. Dominic Sangma for Rapture (India)

Best Actor:

1. Hwang Jung-min for 12.12: The Day (South Korea)

2. Tony Leung Chiu-wai for The Goldfinger (Hong Kong)

3. Shen Teng for Full River Red (China)

4. Wu Kang-ren for Abang Adik (Malaysia)

5. Koji Yakusho for Perfect Days (Japan)

Best Actress:

1. Jiang Qingqin - Dwelling by the West Lake (China)

2. Jung Yu-mi - Sleep (South Korea)

3. Rinko Kikuchi - 658km (Japan)

4. Audrey Lin - Trouble Girl (Hong Kong)

5. Zhou Dongyu - The Breaking Ice (China)

Best Supporting Actor

1. Nakamura Shido II - Kubi (Japan)

2. Park Hoon - 12.12: The Day (South Korea)

3. Park Jeong-min - Smugglers (South Korea)

4. Jack Tan - Abang Adik (Malaysia)

5. Sean Wong - Time Still Turns the Pages (Hong Kong)

Best Supporting Actress

1. Go Min-si - Smugglers (South Korea)

2. Minami Hamabe - Godzilla Minus One (Japan)

3. Rachel Leung - In Broad Daylight (Hong Kong)

4. Mariko Tsutsui - Last Shadow at First Light (Japan)

5. Wanfang - Snow in Midsummer (Hong Kong)

Best Newcomer

1. Tergel Bold Erdene - City of Wind (Mongolia)

2. Awat Ratanapintha - Doi Boy (Thailand)

3. Mihaya Shirata - Last Shadow at First Light (Japan)

4. Wang Yibo - Hidden Blade (China)

5. Yoyo Tse - Fly Me to the Moon (Hong Kong)

Best Screenplay:

1. Evil Does Not Exist - Ryusuke Hamaguchi (Japan)

2. Monster - Yuji Sakamoto (Japan)

3. Paradise - Prasanna Vithanage and Anushka Senanayake

4. Sleep - Jason Yu (South Korea)

5. Snow Leopard - Pema Tseden (China)

Best Editing

1. 12.12: The Day - Kim Sang-bum (South Korea)

2. Evil Does Not Exist - Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Azusa Yamazaki (Japan)

3. Only the River Flows - Matthieu Laclau (China)

4. Paradise - A Sreekar Prasad (Sri Lanka/India)

5. Time Still Turns the Pages - Nick Cheuk and keith Hiu Chun Chan (Hong Kong)

Best Cinematography

1. 12.12: The Day - Lee Mo-gae (South Korea)

2. Evil Does Not Exist - Yoshio Kitagawa (Japan)

3. Only the River Flows - Zhiyuan Chengma (China)

4. Qas - Azamat Dulatov (Kazakhstan)

5. Snow Leopard - Matthias Delvaux (China)

Best Original Music

1. Dwelling by the West Lake - Shigeru Umabayashi (China)

2. Evil Doest Not Exist - Eiko Ishibashi (Japan)

3. Qas - Akmaral Zykayleva (Kazakhstan)

4. Rapture - Anon Ch Momin (India)

5. Road to Boston - Lee Dong-june (South Korea)

Best Costume Design

1. Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms – Tim Yip (China)

2. The Goldfinger – Man Lim-chung (Hong Kong/China)

3. Kubi – Kazuko Kurosawa (Japan)

4. Smugglers – Yoon Jung-hee (South Korea)

5. Snow in Midsummer – Elaine Ng (Malaysia/Taiwan/Singapore)

Best Production Design

1. Concrete Utopia – Cho Hwa-sung (South Korea)

2. The Goldfinger – Eric Lam (Hong Kong/China)

3. Monster – Keiko Mitsumatsu (Japan)

4. Only the River Flows – Menglun Zhang (China)

5. Snow Leopard – Daktse Drundrup (China)

Best Visual Effects

1. Concrete Utopia – Eun Jae-hyun (South Korea)

2. Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms – Douglas Hans Smith, Joshua Bryer, and Jeremy Ball (China)

3. Godzilla Minus One – Takashi Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya, Masaki Takahashi, and Tatsuji Nojima (Japan)

4. The Moon – Jin Jong-hyun (South Korea))

5. The Wandering Earth 2 – Allen Wei, Ahdee Chiu, Ding Yanlai, and Eric Xu (China)

Best Sound

1. Concrete Utopia – Kim Suk-won and Kim Eun-jung (South Korea)

2. Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms – Yang Jiang and Zhao Nan (China)

3. Godzilla Minus One – Natsuko Inoue (Japan)

4.Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell – Vuong Gia Bao and Toh Wander (Vietnam/Singapore/France/Spain)

5. Snow in Midsummer – Tu Duu-chih and Wu Shu-yao (Malaysia/Taiwan/Singapore)

Read: Full list of winners and highlights, 17th Asian Film Awards

About the Asian Film Awards:

The Asian Films Awards Academy, a non-profit organization, was founded by Busan, Hong Kong, and Tokyo International Film Festivals with the shared goal of celebrating excellence in Asian cinema. 

Aiming to promote and recognize Asian films and their talents, AFAA highlights, strengthens,  and develops the Asian film industry through the annual Asian Film Awards and several year-round initiatives.