Nominees Announced in the 2009 Asia Pacific Screen Awards: 37 Films from 16 Countries and Areas
Samson & Delilah (Australia), Nanjing! Nanjing! (City of Life and Death, People's Republic of China), Darbareye Elly
(About Elly, Islamic Republic of Iran) Mei Lanfang (Forever Enthralled, People's Republic of China) and The Time That
Remains (Palestinian Territories/France/Italy/Belgium/UK) will vie for Best Feature Film in the 2009 Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA).
Winners of the region's highest accolade in film will be announced on November 26 at the third annual APSA Ceremony on Australia's Gold Coast.
The Asia Pacific Screen Awards has announced nominees in nine award categories with 37 films representing 16 countries
and areas. They are: Australia, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Palestinian
Territories, People's Republic of China (Mainland China/Hong Kong), Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Sri Lanka,
Thailand and Turkey!.
APSA Chairman Des Power said, “I congratulate the 2009 nominees who represent the extraordinary breadth of talent that
exists in our region in a year when the quality of Asia-Pacific films is exceptional. Nominees were determined from a record
number of 212 entries from 43 countries. The response indicates that the filmmakers of Asia-Pacific value our mission to
acclaim their work and take it to a global audience.”
APSA is a unique collaboration between CNN International, UNESCO and FIAPF-International Federation of Film Producers
Associations. Films are judged on cinematic excellence and the way in which they attest to their cultural origins.
Japan is strongly represented in 2009 with a total of seven nominations followed by the People's Republic of China with six.
India, Iran, Russian Federation and Republic of Korea all received five nominations. Three Australian films are nominated (Mary
and Max, Gandhi's Children, Samson & Delilah) and this marks the first time an Australian film has been recognised in the
Best Feature category. Countries and areas nominated in the APSAs for the first time this year are Thailand, Cambodia and
Palestinian Territories.
Asghar Farhadi's ensemble drama, Darbareye Elly (About Elly, Islamic Republic of Iran), has received the most nominations
of any film (Best Feature Film, Achievement in Directing, Best Screenplay and Best Performance by an Actress), followed
closely by Lu Chuan's arresting war epic, Nanjing! Nanjing! (City of Life and Death, People's Republic of China), which earned
three nominations for Directing, Cinematography and Best Feature Film.
Asia-Pacific's finest have been recognised in the performance categories. The nominated actresses are: Zhou Xun as a chain-
smoking cabbie in Li Mi de Caixiang (The Equation of Love and Death), Kim Hye-ja as a fiercely devoted mother in Bong
Joon-ho's Madeo (Mother), Golshifteh Farahani's standout performance as Sepideh in Darbareye Elly (About Elly), Yana
Troyanova's complex portrayal of a sociopathic mother in Volchok (Wolfy) and the ‘Queen of Sri Lankan cinema’, Malini
Fonseka, as the overbearing matriarch in Akasa Kusum (Flowers of the Sky).
The nominated actors are: Masahiro Motoki for his tender performance as a cellist/mortician in Okuribito (Departures), Yang
Ik-june for his portrayal of a low-life gangster in his directorial debut, Ddongpari (Breathless), Mohamed Bakri as a judge
earning a living as a taxi driver in Eid Milad Laila (Laila's Birthday), Ge You as a lonely bachelor looking for love in Fei Cheng
Wu Rao (If You Are the One) and legendary Indian actor Naseeruddin Shah (Monsoon Wedding) as ‘the common man’ in A
Wednesday.
Several nominees in 2009 have previously been nominated in the APSAs and are therefore Members of the Academy of the
Asia Pacific Screen Awards. They are: Tulpan producer Karl Baumgartner nominated this year for Strength of Water, Mongol
producer Sergey Selyanov nominated this year for Pro Fedota-Streltsa, Udalogo Molodtsa (The Tale of Soldier Fedot, the
Daring Fellow) and 2007 Best Feature Film Winner, Lee Chang-dong, nominated this year for Ye Haeng Ja (A Brand New
Life).
Winners are decided by the International Jury headed by Huang Jianxin who will assemble on Australia's Gold Coast ahead of
the APSA ceremony on November 26. The 2009 Nominees join past Jury members and nominees as members of the
Academy of the Asia Pacific Screen Awards.
The nominees in the 2009 Asia Pacific Screen Awards are:
BEST FEATURE FILM
Darbareye Elly (About Elly), Islamic Republic of Iran
Produced by Asghar Farhadi and Mahmoud Razavi
Nanjing! Nanjing! (City Of Life And Death), People's Republic of China
Produced by Han Sanping, Qin Hong, Zhou Li, John Chong, and Andy Zhang
Mei Lanfang (Forever Enthralled), People's Republic of China
Produced by Han Sanping, Du Jiayi
Samson & Delilah, Australia
Produced by Kath Shelper
The Time That Remains, Palestinian Territories/France/Italy/Belgium/UK
Produced by Hani Farsi and Elia Suleiman. Co-Produced by Avi Kleinberger.
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Perviy Otryad (First Squad - The Moment Of Truth), Russian Federation / Japan / Canada
Produced by Eiko Tanaka, Misha Sprits and Aljosha Klimov
Mary and Max, Australia
Produced by Melanie Coombs
Sukai Kurora (The Sky Crawlers), Japan
Produced by Tomohiko Ishii
Samâ Wôzu (Summer Wars), Japan
Produced by Nozomu Takahashi, Takuya Itō and Takashi Watanabe. Co-Produced by Yuichiro Saito.
Pro Fedota-Streltsa, Udalogo Molodtsa (The Tale Of Soldier Fedot, The Daring Fellow), Russian Federation, Produced by Alexander Boyarsky and Sergey Selyanov
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM
Polamuang Juling (Citizen Juling), Thailand
Produced by Ing K, Manit Sriwanichpoom and Kraisak Choonhavan
Hashmatsa (Defamation), Israel / Austria / Denmark / USA
Produced by Knut Ogris, Karoline Leth, Sandra Itkoff and Philippa Kowarsky
Gandhi's Children, Australia
Produced by David MacDougall
L'important, C'est De Rester Vivant (The Main Thing Is To Stay Alive), Cambodia / France Produced by Gerard Lacroix, Leslie F. Grunberg, Gerard Pont
Co-Produced by Rosane Chan, Antoine Martin
Seishin (Mental), Japan / USA
Produced by Kazuhiro Soda
BEST CHILDREN'S FEATURE FILM
Mommo – Kizkardesim (The Bogeyman), Turkey!
Produced by Atalay Taşdiken
Ye Haeng Ja (A Brand New Life), South Korea / France
Produced by Lee Chang-dong, Laurent Lavole and Lee Joon-dong
3 Doa 3 Cinta (Pesantren: 3 Wishes 3 Loves), Indonesia
Produced by Nan Achnas, Nurman Hakim and Adiyanto Sumarjono
The Strength Of Water, New Zealand / Germany
Produced by Fiona Copland, Co-produced by Karl Baumgartner and Raimond Goebel
Tahaan (Tahaan: A Boy With A Grenade), India
Produced by Shripal Morakhia and Mubina Rattonsey
ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING
Asghar Farhadi for Darbareye Elly (About Elly), Islamic Republic of Iran
Vimukthi Jayasundara for Ahasin Wetei (Between Two Worlds), Sri Lanka / France
Lu Chuan for Nanjing! Nanjing! (City of Life and Death), People's Republic of China
Anurag Kashyap for Dev.D (India)
Sion Sono for Ai No Mukidashi (Love Exposure), Japan
BEST SCREENPLAY
Asghar Farhadi for Darbareye Elly (About Elly), Islamic Republic of Iran
Kundō Koyama for Okuribito (Departures), Japan
Baek Seung-bin for Jang-rye-sik-ui Member (Members of the Funeral), Republic of Korea
Bong Joon-ho and Park Eun-kyo for Madeo (Mother), Republic of Korea
Yogesh Vinayak Joshi and Upendra Sidhaye for Mumbai Meri Jaan (Mumbai My Life), India
ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
Uruphong Raksasad for Sawan Baan Na (Agrarian Utopia), Thailand
Cao Yu for Nanjing! Nanjing! (City of Life and Death), People's Republic of China
Ali Mohammad Ghasemi for Cheraghi Dar Meh (A Light in the Fog), Islamic Republic of Iran
Alisher Khamidhodjaev and Maxim Drozdov for Bumazhyj Soldat (Paper Soldier), Russian Federation
Alexei Arsentiev for Volchok (Wolfy), Russian Federation
BEST PERFORMANCE BY ACTRESS
Golshifteh Farahani for Darbareye Elly (About Elly), Islamic Republic of Iran
Zhou Xun for Li Mi De Caixiang (The Equation of Love and Death), People's Republic of China (Mainland China / Hong Kong)
Malini Fonseka for Akasa Kusum (Flowers of the Sky), Sri Lanka / India
Kim Hye-ja for Madeo (Mother), Republic of Korea
Yana Troyanova for Volchok (Wolfy), Russian Federation
BEST PERFORMANCE BY ACTOR
Masahiro Motoki for Okuribito (Departures), Japan
Naseeruddin Shah for A Wednesday, India
Mohamed Bakri for Eid Mila Laila (Laila's Birthday), Palestinian Territories / Tunisia / Netherlands
Yang Ik-june for Ddongpari (Breathless), Republic of Korea
Ge You for Fei Cheng Wu Rao (If You Are the One), People's Republic of China (Mainland China / Hong Kong)
Three additional major awards will be presented for outstanding achievement:
1. FIAPF Award* FIAPF - International Federation of Film Producers Associations will determine the winner of the award for
outstanding achievement in film in the Asia-Pacific region.
2. UNESCO Award* The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Award for outstanding
contribution to the promotion and preservation of cultural diversity through film.
3. Jury Grand Prize* The Jury can, at its discretion, present a further award: the Jury Grand Prize.
*Nominees and nominated films from all award categories are eligible for these prizes to be decided by the APSA Jury.
MEDIA ENQUIRIES:
High Resolution Images, Press Kits and Audio Files for selected films are available in the APSA media room: http://www.asiapacificscreenawards.com/news_room/apsa_media_centre
Or through www.image.net
Detailed information on past winners, the International Jury and 2007 / 2008 photo galleries can be viewed at: www.asiapacificscreenawards.com
For further enquiries, contact:
Jill Robson
Asia Pacific Screen Awards
M +61 (0) 458 404 527
[email protected]
Or visit: http://www.asiapacificscreenawards.com/news_room/apsa_media_centre
The outstanding works of filmmakers across the Asia-Pacific region will feature in television programs titled
Scene by Scene to be broadcast globally on CNN International during 2009.
The Director General of UNESCO has given his formal endorsement for the Asia Pacific Screen Awards to be
conducted under the auspices of UNESCO.
FIAPF-International Federation of Film Producers Associations has endorsed the 2009 Asia Pacific Screen
Awards Charter Rules and Regulations.
The Asia Pacific Screen Awards is an international cultural initiative of the Queensland Government, Australia.
(About Elly, Islamic Republic of Iran) Mei Lanfang (Forever Enthralled, People's Republic of China) and The Time That
Remains (Palestinian Territories/France/Italy/Belgium/UK) will vie for Best Feature Film in the 2009 Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA).
Winners of the region's highest accolade in film will be announced on November 26 at the third annual APSA Ceremony on Australia's Gold Coast.
The Asia Pacific Screen Awards has announced nominees in nine award categories with 37 films representing 16 countries
and areas. They are: Australia, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Palestinian
Territories, People's Republic of China (Mainland China/Hong Kong), Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Sri Lanka,
Thailand and Turkey!.
APSA Chairman Des Power said, “I congratulate the 2009 nominees who represent the extraordinary breadth of talent that
exists in our region in a year when the quality of Asia-Pacific films is exceptional. Nominees were determined from a record
number of 212 entries from 43 countries. The response indicates that the filmmakers of Asia-Pacific value our mission to
acclaim their work and take it to a global audience.”
APSA is a unique collaboration between CNN International, UNESCO and FIAPF-International Federation of Film Producers
Associations. Films are judged on cinematic excellence and the way in which they attest to their cultural origins.
Japan is strongly represented in 2009 with a total of seven nominations followed by the People's Republic of China with six.
India, Iran, Russian Federation and Republic of Korea all received five nominations. Three Australian films are nominated (Mary
and Max, Gandhi's Children, Samson & Delilah) and this marks the first time an Australian film has been recognised in the
Best Feature category. Countries and areas nominated in the APSAs for the first time this year are Thailand, Cambodia and
Palestinian Territories.
Asghar Farhadi's ensemble drama, Darbareye Elly (About Elly, Islamic Republic of Iran), has received the most nominations
of any film (Best Feature Film, Achievement in Directing, Best Screenplay and Best Performance by an Actress), followed
closely by Lu Chuan's arresting war epic, Nanjing! Nanjing! (City of Life and Death, People's Republic of China), which earned
three nominations for Directing, Cinematography and Best Feature Film.
Asia-Pacific's finest have been recognised in the performance categories. The nominated actresses are: Zhou Xun as a chain-
smoking cabbie in Li Mi de Caixiang (The Equation of Love and Death), Kim Hye-ja as a fiercely devoted mother in Bong
Joon-ho's Madeo (Mother), Golshifteh Farahani's standout performance as Sepideh in Darbareye Elly (About Elly), Yana
Troyanova's complex portrayal of a sociopathic mother in Volchok (Wolfy) and the ‘Queen of Sri Lankan cinema’, Malini
Fonseka, as the overbearing matriarch in Akasa Kusum (Flowers of the Sky).
The nominated actors are: Masahiro Motoki for his tender performance as a cellist/mortician in Okuribito (Departures), Yang
Ik-june for his portrayal of a low-life gangster in his directorial debut, Ddongpari (Breathless), Mohamed Bakri as a judge
earning a living as a taxi driver in Eid Milad Laila (Laila's Birthday), Ge You as a lonely bachelor looking for love in Fei Cheng
Wu Rao (If You Are the One) and legendary Indian actor Naseeruddin Shah (Monsoon Wedding) as ‘the common man’ in A
Wednesday.
Several nominees in 2009 have previously been nominated in the APSAs and are therefore Members of the Academy of the
Asia Pacific Screen Awards. They are: Tulpan producer Karl Baumgartner nominated this year for Strength of Water, Mongol
producer Sergey Selyanov nominated this year for Pro Fedota-Streltsa, Udalogo Molodtsa (The Tale of Soldier Fedot, the
Daring Fellow) and 2007 Best Feature Film Winner, Lee Chang-dong, nominated this year for Ye Haeng Ja (A Brand New
Life).
Winners are decided by the International Jury headed by Huang Jianxin who will assemble on Australia's Gold Coast ahead of
the APSA ceremony on November 26. The 2009 Nominees join past Jury members and nominees as members of the
Academy of the Asia Pacific Screen Awards.
The nominees in the 2009 Asia Pacific Screen Awards are:
BEST FEATURE FILM
Darbareye Elly (About Elly), Islamic Republic of Iran
Produced by Asghar Farhadi and Mahmoud Razavi
Nanjing! Nanjing! (City Of Life And Death), People's Republic of China
Produced by Han Sanping, Qin Hong, Zhou Li, John Chong, and Andy Zhang
Mei Lanfang (Forever Enthralled), People's Republic of China
Produced by Han Sanping, Du Jiayi
Samson & Delilah, Australia
Produced by Kath Shelper
The Time That Remains, Palestinian Territories/France/Italy/Belgium/UK
Produced by Hani Farsi and Elia Suleiman. Co-Produced by Avi Kleinberger.
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Perviy Otryad (First Squad - The Moment Of Truth), Russian Federation / Japan / Canada
Produced by Eiko Tanaka, Misha Sprits and Aljosha Klimov
Mary and Max, Australia
Produced by Melanie Coombs
Sukai Kurora (The Sky Crawlers), Japan
Produced by Tomohiko Ishii
Samâ Wôzu (Summer Wars), Japan
Produced by Nozomu Takahashi, Takuya Itō and Takashi Watanabe. Co-Produced by Yuichiro Saito.
Pro Fedota-Streltsa, Udalogo Molodtsa (The Tale Of Soldier Fedot, The Daring Fellow), Russian Federation, Produced by Alexander Boyarsky and Sergey Selyanov
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM
Polamuang Juling (Citizen Juling), Thailand
Produced by Ing K, Manit Sriwanichpoom and Kraisak Choonhavan
Hashmatsa (Defamation), Israel / Austria / Denmark / USA
Produced by Knut Ogris, Karoline Leth, Sandra Itkoff and Philippa Kowarsky
Gandhi's Children, Australia
Produced by David MacDougall
L'important, C'est De Rester Vivant (The Main Thing Is To Stay Alive), Cambodia / France Produced by Gerard Lacroix, Leslie F. Grunberg, Gerard Pont
Co-Produced by Rosane Chan, Antoine Martin
Seishin (Mental), Japan / USA
Produced by Kazuhiro Soda
BEST CHILDREN'S FEATURE FILM
Mommo – Kizkardesim (The Bogeyman), Turkey!
Produced by Atalay Taşdiken
Ye Haeng Ja (A Brand New Life), South Korea / France
Produced by Lee Chang-dong, Laurent Lavole and Lee Joon-dong
3 Doa 3 Cinta (Pesantren: 3 Wishes 3 Loves), Indonesia
Produced by Nan Achnas, Nurman Hakim and Adiyanto Sumarjono
The Strength Of Water, New Zealand / Germany
Produced by Fiona Copland, Co-produced by Karl Baumgartner and Raimond Goebel
Tahaan (Tahaan: A Boy With A Grenade), India
Produced by Shripal Morakhia and Mubina Rattonsey
ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING
Asghar Farhadi for Darbareye Elly (About Elly), Islamic Republic of Iran
Vimukthi Jayasundara for Ahasin Wetei (Between Two Worlds), Sri Lanka / France
Lu Chuan for Nanjing! Nanjing! (City of Life and Death), People's Republic of China
Anurag Kashyap for Dev.D (India)
Sion Sono for Ai No Mukidashi (Love Exposure), Japan
BEST SCREENPLAY
Asghar Farhadi for Darbareye Elly (About Elly), Islamic Republic of Iran
Kundō Koyama for Okuribito (Departures), Japan
Baek Seung-bin for Jang-rye-sik-ui Member (Members of the Funeral), Republic of Korea
Bong Joon-ho and Park Eun-kyo for Madeo (Mother), Republic of Korea
Yogesh Vinayak Joshi and Upendra Sidhaye for Mumbai Meri Jaan (Mumbai My Life), India
ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
Uruphong Raksasad for Sawan Baan Na (Agrarian Utopia), Thailand
Cao Yu for Nanjing! Nanjing! (City of Life and Death), People's Republic of China
Ali Mohammad Ghasemi for Cheraghi Dar Meh (A Light in the Fog), Islamic Republic of Iran
Alisher Khamidhodjaev and Maxim Drozdov for Bumazhyj Soldat (Paper Soldier), Russian Federation
Alexei Arsentiev for Volchok (Wolfy), Russian Federation
BEST PERFORMANCE BY ACTRESS
Golshifteh Farahani for Darbareye Elly (About Elly), Islamic Republic of Iran
Zhou Xun for Li Mi De Caixiang (The Equation of Love and Death), People's Republic of China (Mainland China / Hong Kong)
Malini Fonseka for Akasa Kusum (Flowers of the Sky), Sri Lanka / India
Kim Hye-ja for Madeo (Mother), Republic of Korea
Yana Troyanova for Volchok (Wolfy), Russian Federation
BEST PERFORMANCE BY ACTOR
Masahiro Motoki for Okuribito (Departures), Japan
Naseeruddin Shah for A Wednesday, India
Mohamed Bakri for Eid Mila Laila (Laila's Birthday), Palestinian Territories / Tunisia / Netherlands
Yang Ik-june for Ddongpari (Breathless), Republic of Korea
Ge You for Fei Cheng Wu Rao (If You Are the One), People's Republic of China (Mainland China / Hong Kong)
Three additional major awards will be presented for outstanding achievement:
1. FIAPF Award* FIAPF - International Federation of Film Producers Associations will determine the winner of the award for
outstanding achievement in film in the Asia-Pacific region.
2. UNESCO Award* The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Award for outstanding
contribution to the promotion and preservation of cultural diversity through film.
3. Jury Grand Prize* The Jury can, at its discretion, present a further award: the Jury Grand Prize.
*Nominees and nominated films from all award categories are eligible for these prizes to be decided by the APSA Jury.
MEDIA ENQUIRIES:
High Resolution Images, Press Kits and Audio Files for selected films are available in the APSA media room: http://www.asiapacificscreenawards.com/news_room/apsa_media_centre
Or through www.image.net
Detailed information on past winners, the International Jury and 2007 / 2008 photo galleries can be viewed at: www.asiapacificscreenawards.com
For further enquiries, contact:
Jill Robson
Asia Pacific Screen Awards
M +61 (0) 458 404 527
[email protected]
Or visit: http://www.asiapacificscreenawards.com/news_room/apsa_media_centre
The outstanding works of filmmakers across the Asia-Pacific region will feature in television programs titled
Scene by Scene to be broadcast globally on CNN International during 2009.
The Director General of UNESCO has given his formal endorsement for the Asia Pacific Screen Awards to be
conducted under the auspices of UNESCO.
FIAPF-International Federation of Film Producers Associations has endorsed the 2009 Asia Pacific Screen
Awards Charter Rules and Regulations.
The Asia Pacific Screen Awards is an international cultural initiative of the Queensland Government, Australia.
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