All We Imagine As Light, a thought-provoking film by Payal Kapadia, emerged victorious at the 18th Asian Film Awards (AFA), taking home the prestigious Best Film award. The ceremony took place at the Grand Theatre of the Xiqu Centre in Hong Kong, where this year’s selection was overseen by the esteemed Hong Kong actor and AFA jury president, Sammo Hung.
Director Payal Kapadia expressed her gratitude for the honor, saying, “It is a special thing to win this award in Hong Kong, which is also a special place for cinema. Filmmaking is incredibly challenging—every film that gets made is a prize. From securing financing and finding the right collaborators to maintaining the integrity of the vision and distributing the film, each step is a challenge. But with a wonderful crew, everything becomes easier.”
In other major accolades, Japanese filmmaker Daihachi Yoshida earned the Best Director award for his absurdist comedy Teki Cometh, a black-and-white film that captivated audiences with its unique storytelling.
Papa, directed by Philip Yung, saw Sean Lau take home the Best Actor trophy for his compelling performance. Meanwhile, India’s Shahana Goswami was named Best Actress for her role in Santosh, a film helmed by Sandhya Suri, who also triumphed in the Best New Director category. Santosh, a co-production between India, the UK, France, and Germany, garnered significant attention at the awards.
Veteran Taiwanese actor Lee Kang-sheng received the Best Supporting Actor award for his role in Stranger Eyes, directed by Yeo Siew Hua. Lee, a long-time collaborator with renowned director Tsai Ming-liang, used his acceptance speech to promote his three films featured at the upcoming Hong Kong International Film Festival, encouraging audiences to support them.
In the Best Supporting Actress category, Yang Kuei-mei took home the honor for her performance in the Taiwanese film Yen, directed by Tom Lin Shu-yu. Happyend star Kurihara Hayato won the Best Newcomer award for his portrayal in the film, directed by Neo Sora.
The Best Screenplay award was claimed by Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof for his thought-provoking script in The Seed of the Sacred Fig. The Korean horror film Exhuma made an impact, winning both Best Visual Effects and Best Costume Design.
Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, a Hong Kong box office success, earned the Best Production Design award, while long-time Taiwanese sound designer Tu Duu-Chih received the Best Sound award.
The evening also celebrated contributions to cinema with the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award to Japanese screen legend Koji Yakusho, and the Excellence in Asian Cinema Award, which went to Korean actor Jang Dong-gun and Chinese actress Tang Wei.
Looking to the future of cinema, Wu Kang-ren was honored with the AFA Next Generation Award, while Japanese actress, songwriter, and model Koki received the Rising Star Award.
The 18th AFA celebrated the diverse and dynamic landscape of Asian cinema, highlighting the talents that continue to shape the film industry.
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