First Annual Asian Film Awards Nominations Announced

Hong Kong, January 29, 2007 – Mr. Wilfred Wong, Chairman, Hong Kong International Film Festival Society, announced today the launch of the ASIAN FILM AWARDS (AFA) which will take place on March 20th 2007, on the opening night of the 31st Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF). Organized by the HKIFF and held in conjunction with Entertainment Expo, the ASIAN FILM AWARDS will honor the best of Asian cinema over the past year, including filmmakers with outstanding career achievements and emerging artists who demonstrate extraordinary talent in the field of cinema.

Awards will recognize films and filmmakers from all over Asia – from Iran to China to India – in ten categories including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Screenwriter, Best Cinematographer, Best Production Designer, Best Composer, Best Editor and Best Visual Effects. A jury of 17 film professionals, whose experiences and expertise in cinema are internationally recognized (filmmakers, key personnel from international film festivals, and industry experts from all over the world) have screened over 700 eligible films produced in the region in 2006. Up to six nominees in each category have been selected and the nominations are listed below. AFA winners will be announced at the Awards Gala on March 20th 2007.

“With more than 4 billion people in Asia – 60% of the global population – a celebration of the Asian cinema is long overdue” stated Mr. Wong. “We aim to make the AFA the most prominent and definitive film awards for the region by highlighting excellence in Asian filmmaking and by bringing broader attention to the rich and diverse stories and storytellers from all over Asia today.”

With Asian cinema reaching wider audiences through international film festivals and distribution, the region has increasingly influenced trends in cinema worldwide. Hong Kong’s position as one of Asia’s preeminent filmmaking hubs and a major film industry gateway to Asia makes it the ideal location for this pioneering and visionary event.

The star-studded red-carpet gala and award ceremony will be broadcast throughout Asia. AFA is currently in negotiation with major TV outlets for international broadcast throughout Asia. The gala’s presenters and performing acts as well as the design of the AFA trophy will be forthcoming.

AFA NOMINATIONS – in alphabetical order:
www.asianfilmawards.org

~ BEST FILM ~
1. Curse of the Golden Flower Hong Kong / Chinese mainland
2. Exiled Hong Kong
3. The Host South Korea
4. Love and Honor Japan
5. Opera Jawa Indonesia / Austria
6. Still Life Chinese mainland

~ BEST DIRECTOR ~
1. HONG Sang-soo Woman on the Beach South Korea
2. JIA Zhangke Still Life Chinese mainland
3. Jafar PANAHI Offside Iran
4. Johnnie TO Exiled Hong Kong
5. TSAI Ming-liang I Don't Want to Sleep Alone Taiwan / France / Austria
6. Apichatpong WEERASETHAKUL Syndromes and a Century Thailand / Austria / France

~ BEST ACTOR ~
1. CHANG Chen The Go Master Chinese mainland
2. JUNG Ji-hoon (RAIN) I'm a Cyborg, but That's OK South Korea
3. Shahrukh KHAN DON India
4. Andy LAU A Battle of Wits Japan / Hong Kong / Chinese mainland / South Korea
5. SONG Kang-ho The Host South Korea
6. WATANABE Ken Memories of Tomorrow Japan

~ BEST ACTRESS ~
1. GONG Li Curse of the Golden Flower Hong Kong / Chinese mainland
2. KIM Hye-soo Tazza: The High Rollers South Korea
3. LIM Soo-jung I'm a Cyborg, but That's OK South Korea
4. MIYAZAWA Rie Hana Japan
5. NAKATANI Miki Memories of Matsuko Japan
6. ZHANG Ziyi The Banquet Hong Kong / Chinese mainland

~ BEST SCREENWRITER ~
1. Mani HAGHIGHI Men at Work Iran
2. HONG Sang-soo Woman on the Beach South Korea
3. OISHI Tetsuya, KANEKO Shusuke DEATH NOTE the Last name Japan
4. SOHN Jae-gon My Scary Girl South Korea
5. Prabda YOON Invisible Waves Thailand / The Netherlands / South Korea / Hong Kong
6. ZHANG Cheng, YUE Xiaojun, NING Hao, Crazy Stone Hong Kong / Chinese mainland

~ BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER ~
1. KIM Hyung-goo The Host South Korea
2. Andrew LAU, LAI Yiu-fai Confession of Pain Hong Kong
3. LIAO Pen-jung I Don't Want to Sleep Alone Taiwan / France / Austria
4. Sayombhu MUKDEEPROM Syndromes and a Century Thailand / Austria / France
5. WANG Yu The Go Master Chinese mainland

~ BEST PRODUCTION DESIGNER ~
1. CHO Keun-hyun Forbidden Quest South Korea
2. KUWAJIMA Towako Memories of Matsuko Japan
3. Patrick TAM, Cyrus HO After This Our Exile Hong Kong
4. WADA Emi The Go Master Chinese mainland
5. Tim YIP The Banquet Hong Kong / Chinese mainland

~ BEST COMPOSER ~
1. JEONG Yong-jin Woman on the Beach South Korea
2. Peter KAM Isabella Hong Kong
3. LIM Giong Still Life Chinese mainland
4. Rahayu SUPANGGAH Opera Jawa Indonesia / Austria
5. TERASHIMA Tamiya Tales from Earthsea Japan

~ BEST EDITOR ~
1. Lee CHATAMETIKOOL Syndromes and a Century Thailand / Austria / France
2. KIM Sun-min The Host South Korea
3. Angie LAM Dog Bite Dog Japan / Hong Kong
4. PARK Gok-ji, JEONG Jin-hee A Dirty Carnival South Korea
5. Patrick TAM After This Our Exile Hong Kong

~ BEST VISUAL EFFECTS ~
1. Angela BARSON, CHUNG Chi-hang Curse of the Golden Flower Hong Kong / Chinese mainland
2. Digital Tetra Inc. The Restless South Korea
3. OHYA Tetsuo The Sinking of Japan Japan
4. The Orphanage The Host South Korea
5. YANAGAWASE Masahide Memories of Matsuko Japan