- The Korean film “Exhuma” received 11 nominations
- The Hong Kong action blockbuster “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” got nine nominations
- Among the nominees for best newcomer are Korean actor Lee Do-hyun for “Exhuma” and Thai singer and actor Putthipong Assaratanakul (aka Billkin) for “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies”
Nominees for 18th Asian Film Awards announced
Jan 10, 2025 03:23 PM
At a glance
The Asian Film Awards Academy announced the nominees for the 18th Asian Film Awards (AFA) which will be held on March 16 at Xiqu Centre in Hong Kong.
With the support of the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency and the Film Development Fund, different events will be held prior to the awards ceremony, including film screenings, masterclasses and sharing sessions, allowing audiences and fans to engage closely with Asian filmmakers.
The 18th Asian Film Awards press conference on Jan. 10 (Photos from AFA)
Jury president Sammo Hung (AFA)
This year’s nominees consist of 30 films from 25 countries and regions that will be vying for 16 awards.
The nominees for best film are “All We Imagine as Light” (India, France, Netherlands, Luxembourg), “Black Dog” (Mainland China), “Exhuma” (Korea), “Teki Cometh” (Japan) and “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” (Hong Kong).
The Korean box office hit “Exhuma” earned the most nominations with 11, including best film and best director.
The Hong Kong action blockbuster “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” garnered nine nominations including best film and best supporting actor.
Among the shortlisted Hong Kong films, “Papa” and “The Last Dance” each received three nominations.
Veteran actress Maggie LI Lin Lin earned her first-ever film award nomination for best supporting actress for her role in “All Shall Be Well.”
Nominees for best actor are Eddie Peng, “Black Dog” Choi Min-sik, “Exhuma”; Sean Lau, “Papa”; Nagatsuka Kyozo, “”Teki Cometh”; and Michael Hui, “The Last Dance.”
Vying for best actress are Kani Kusruti, “All We Imagine as Light”; Sylvia Chang, “Daughter's Daughter”; Kawai Yuumi, “Desert of Namibia”; Kim Go-eun, :”Exhuma”; and Shahana Goswami, “Santosh.”
The nominees for best newcomer are Korean actor Lee Do-hyun, “Exhuma”; Thai singer and actor Putthipong Assaratanakul (aka Billkin), “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies”; Kurihara Hayato, “Happyend”; Dylan So, “Papa”; and Duy Bao Dinh Dao, “Viêt and Nam.”
Internationally acclaimed film icon and director Sammo Hung will serve as the jury president for the 18th Asian Film Awards.
“It is my pleasure to serve as the Jury President for the Asian Film Awards. It is a significant responsibility, and I hope to continue working with my peers to support the development of the Asian film industry,” said Hung.
Dr. Wilfred Wong, chairman of the Asian Film Awards Academy, said, “The Asian Film Awards celebrate the exceptional achievements of Asian filmmakers while providing an important platform for cultural exchange and collaboration. As Asian cinema continues to shine internationally, the Academy remains dedicated to promoting its growth and nurturing new talent.”
According to Park Kwang-Soo, chairman of the Busan International Film Festival,, “The Asian Film Awards plays a vital role in fostering the development of Asian cinema and recognizing its achievements. I am confident this year’s ceremony will inspire further growth and creativity in the industry.”
“Asian cinema has become a global hub of creativity. The Asian Film Awards honor outstanding talent and pave the way for the future of the industry,” said Ando Hiroyasu, chairman of the Tokyo International Film Festival.
The Asian Film Awards Academy recently announced this year’s Asian Film Awards Ambassadors.
They are Japanese actor Dean Fujioka, (“Fullmetal Alchemist,” “Hit Me Anyone One More Time”) will serve as the Ambassador, leading four Youth Ambassadors: Thai actress Aokbab Chutimon (“Bad Genius,” “Hunger”), Taiwanese actor Austin Lin (“Marry My Dead Body,” “At Cafe 6”), Hong Kong actor Lo Chun Yip (“Time Still Turns the Pages,” “Suk Suk”), and Japanese actor Okada Masaki (“Drive My Car,” “Confessions”).
Asian Film Awards Ambassadors (AFA)
Here is the complete list of nominees for the 18th Asian Film Awards:
BEST FILM
| FILM TITLE | COUNTRY/REGION |
1 | All We Imagine as Light
| India, France, Netherlands, Luxembourg
|
2 | Black Dog
| Mainland China
|
3 | Exhuma
| South Korea |
4 | Teki Cometh
| Japan |
5 | Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In
| Hong Kong
|
BEST DIRECTOR
| Nominee | Film Title | Country/Region |
1 | Payal KAPADIA
| All We Imagine as Light
| India, France, Netherlands, Luxembourg |
2 | GUAN Hu
| Black Dog | Mainland China |
3 | JANG Jae-hyun | Exhuma
| South Korea |
4 | Rithy PANH
| Meeting with Pol Pot
| Cambodia, France, Taiwan, Qatar, Türkiye
|
5 | YOSHIDA Daihachi
| Teki Cometh
| Japan
|
BEST ACTOR
| Nominee | Film Title | Country/Region |
1 | Eddie PENG
| Black Dog | Mainland China
|
2 | CHOI Min-sik
| Exhuma
| South Korea
|
3 | Sean LAU
| Papa
| Hong Kong
|
4 | NAGATSUKA Kyozo
| Teki Cometh
| Japan
|
5 | Michael HUI
| The Last Dance
| Hong Kong |
BEST ACTRESS
| Nominee | Film Title | Country/Region |
1 |
Kani KUSRUTI | All We Imagine as Light
| India, France, Netherlands, Luxembourg
|
2 | Sylvia CHANG | Daughter's Daughter
| Taiwan
|
3 | KAWAI Yuumi
| Desert of Namibia | Japan
|
4 | KIM Go-eun
| Exhuma
| South Korea
|
5 | Shahana GOSWAMI
| Santosh
| India, United Kingdom, France, Germany
|
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
| Nominee | Film Title | Country/Region |
1 | MITSUISHI Ken
| All the Long Nights
| Japan |
2 | IKEMATSU Sosuke
| My Sunshine
| Japan |
3 | LEE Kang-Sheng
| Stranger Eyes
| Singapore, Taiwan, France, United States
|
4 | CHU Pak Hong
| The Last Dance
| Hong Kong
|
5 | Philip NG
| Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In | Hong Kong
|
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
| Nominee | Film Title | Country/Region |
1 | Maggie LI Lin Lin
| All Shall Be Well
| Hong Kong
|
2 | Divya PRABHA
| All We Imagine as Light
| India, France, Netherlands, Luxembourg
|
3 | LIM Ji-yeon
| Revolver
| South Korea
|
4 | TAKIUCHI Kumi
| Teki Cometh
| Japan
|
5 | YANG Kuei-Mei
| Yen and Ai-Lee
| Taiwan |
BEST NEW DIRECTOR
| Nominee | Fm Title | iCountry/Region |
1 | YAMANAKA Yoko
| Desert of Namibia
| Japan
|
2 | SORA Neo
| Happyend
| Japan, United States
|
3 | DONG Zijian
| My Friend An Delie
| Mainland China
|
4 | Sandhya SURI
| Santosh
| India, United Kingdom, France, Germany
|
5 | TRUONG Minh Quý
| Viêt and Nam
| The Philippines, France, Singapore, Netherlands, Germany, Italy
|
BEST NEWCOMER
| Nominee | Film Title | Country/Region |
1 | LEE Do-hyun
| Exhuma
| South Korea |
2 | KURIHARA Hayato
| Happyend
| Japan, United States
|
3 | Putthipong ASSARATANAKUL
| How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies
| Thailand
|
4 | Dylan SO
| Papa
| Hong Kong
|
5 | Duy Bao Dinh DAO
| Viêt and Nam
| The Philippines, France, Singapore, Netherlands, Germany, Italy
|
BEST SCREENPLAY
| Nominee | Film Title | Country/Region |
1 | WADA Kiyoto, MIYAKE Sho
| All the Long Nights
| Japan
|
2 | Payal KAPADIA
| All We Imagine as Light
| India, France, Netherlands, Luxembourg
|
3 | JANG Jae-hyun
| Exhuma
| South Korea
|
4 | Pierre ERWAN GUILLAUME, Rithy PANH | Meeting with Pol Pot | Cambodia, France, Taiwan, Qatar, Türkiye |
5 | Mohammad RASOULOF
| The Seed of the Sacred Fig
| Iran, Germany, France
|
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
| Nominee | Film Title | Country/Region |
1 | YANG Donglin
| A Tapestry of a Legendary Land
| Mainland China |
2 | CHOI Yoon-sun | Exhuma
| South Korea
|
3 |
Dorjee Dradhul GURUNG |
Shambhala
| Nepal, Hong Kong, France, Norway, Qatar, Taiwan, Türkiye, United States
|
4 | MIYAMOTO Mari
| Teki Cometh
| Japan
|
5 | Bruce YU, Karen YIP
| Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In
| Hong Kong
|
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
| Nominee | Film Title | Country/Region |
1 | HUO Tingxiao, LI Chang
| Black Dog
| Mainland China
|
2 |
PHAM Phong Lan | Don't Cry, Butterfly
| Vietnam, Singapore, The Philippines, Indonesia
|
3 | SEO Sung-kyung | Exhuma
| South Korea |
4 | HAYASHIDA Yuji
| The Box Man
| Japan
|
5 | Kenneth MAK, CHAU Sai Hung Ambrose
| Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In
| Hong Kong
|
BEST EDITING
| Nominee | Film Title | Country/Region |
1 |
Clément PINTEAUX | All We Imagine as Light
| India, France, Netherlands, Luxembourg
|
2 | Rithy PANH, Matthieu LACLAU
| Meeting with Pol Pot
| Cambodia, France, Taiwan, Qatar, Türkiye
|
3 | William CHANG Suk Ping
| My Friend An Delie
| Mainland China
|
4 | Jojo SHEK
| Papa
| Hong Kong
|
5 | CHEUNG Ka Fai
| Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In
| Hong Kong
|
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
| Nominee | Film Title | Country/Region |
1 | HONG Kyeong-pyo
| Harbin
| South Korea
|
2 | LV Songye
| My Friend An Delie
| Mainland China
|
3 |
Aziz ZHAMBAKIYEV
|
Shambhala
| Nepal, Hong Kong, France, Norway, Qatar, Taiwan, Türkiye, United States
|
4 | SHINOMIYA Hidetoshi
| Teki Cometh
| Japan
|
5 | CHENG Siu Keung
| Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In
| Hong Kong
|
BEST ORIGINAL MUSIC
| Nominee | Film Title | Country/Region |
1 | Hi'Spec | All the Long Nights
| Japan
|
2 | KIM Tae-sung
| Exhuma
| South Korea
|
3 | KATSUMOTO Michiaki
| The Box Man
| Japan
|
4 | CHU Wan Pin
| The Last Dance
| Hong Kong
|
5 | KAWAI Kenji
| Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In
| Hong Kong
|
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
| Nominee | Film Title | Country/Region |
1 | Danny YIN
| Black Dog
| Mainland China
|
2 | SATO Fumiro, KOBARI Yasuhiro
| Black Ox
| Japan, Taiwan
|
3 | Tomi KUO, CHIU Chun-Yi
| Dead Talents Society
| Taiwan
|
4 | KIM Shin-chul, Daniel SON | Exhuma
| South Korea |
5 | LIN Chun Yue Jules, MA Siu Fu, Garrett K LAM, YEE Kwok Leung
|
Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In
|
Hong Kong
|
BEST SOUND
| Nominee | Film Title | Country/Region |
1 | Zurab KURMANBAYEV | Cadet | Kazakhstan
|
2 | KIM Byung-in | Exhuma
| South Korea
|
3 | TU Duu-Chih, TU Tse- Kang
| Stranger Eyes
| Singapore, Taiwan, France, United States
|
4 | YIU Chun Hin, CHEUNG Man Hoi, TO Burnard Davy
|
Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In
|
Hong Kong
|
5 | Vincent VILLA |
Viêt and Nam
| The Philippines, France, Singapore, Netherlands, Germany, Italy
|