The 17th Asian Film Awards take place in Hong Kong’s striking Xiqu Centre this Sunday.
A joint collaboration between the Busan, Hong Kong and Tokyo International Film Festivals, the awards aim to recognise the achievements of professionals in the Asian film industry in 16 different categories.
This year will see 35 shortlisted films from across Asia competing, including the frontrunners, Evil Does Not Exist and 12.12: The Day, which both earned a total of 6 nominations.
The winner of last year’s Best Actor award, Hong Kong’s Tony Leung, has received a nomination for the same prize this year for his role as an unscrupulous businessman in The Goldfinger (2023).
The Best Actress category meanwhile has seen nominations for actresses Zhou Dongyu and Rinko Kikuchi, among others.
[See more: Academy Awards countdown: Here are Asia’s past Oscar successes]
There were, however, some notable omissions, with legendary Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto and Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun absent from the lists for their work in the posthumous films, Monster and Sleep respectively.
In the leadup to the event, talks involving acclaimed filmmakers and performers have been organised, including a masterclass session featuring Kurosawa Kiyoshi and Fruit Chan, who are internationally known for films such as Tokyo Sonata (2008) and Dumplings (2004).
“Asian cinema is in good hands with the health of film talents across Asia, and veteran filmmakers can pass the legacy on to the new generation,” said the chairman of the Asian Film Awards Association (AFAA), Wilfred Wong in a press release. He added that the ceremony serves as a “unique platform” that allows for “collaborations and exchanges.”
The ceremony will be livestreamed on AFA’s YouTube Channel.
