12th Asian Film Awards nominations announced in Hong Kong

The Asian Film Awards (AFA) Academy has announced the nominations for the 12th Asian Film Awards (AFA) in Hong Kong, China. For this edition, submissions were received from 26 countries and regions and 89 nominations were made for 17 awards, including the newly added Best New Director and Best Action Film.

The nominations represent 32 films from 10 countries and regions. Japanese films and talents were nominated in 14 categories, including a Best Film Award nomination for “The Third Murder” directed by Hirokazu Kore-Eda, a Best Director Award nomination for Yuya Ishii for “The Tokyo Night Sky is Always the Densest Shade of Blue” and a Best Actress Award nomination for Yu Aoi for “Birds Without Names.”

World-renowned Hong Kong director Ching Siu-Tung will serve as this year’s Jury President and lead a jury comprising respected film industry professionals, festival programmers and critics. Hong Kong actress Carina Lau will join the jury as a celebrity juror.

Together with the Hong Kong International Film Festival and the Busan International Film Festival, the Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF), created a nonprofit organization called the AFA Academy in 2013 to promote and develop Asian cinema and its talents. The annual awards ceremony organized by the AFA Academy will celebrate its 12th anniversary this year.

The 12th Asian Film Awards will take place on March 17, 2018 at one of the world’s leading integrated resorts and must-see destinations, The Venetian Macao. The AFA Academy and the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society Chairman Dr. Wilfred Wong Ying-wai, GBS, JP, said, “This year, we will celebrate the excellence of martial arts in Asian cinema by recognizing many outstanding Asian filmmakers and providing a platform for new faces and up-and-coming artists.”

“In addition to the annual AFA, the Academy has further developed various professional programs such as masterclasses, film festival visits for students, young film professionals overseas training programs and film roadshows around the globe,” Wong added. “Through these efforts we hope to strengthen the ties between film talents, audiences and the region’s industries.”

Joining Wong in the AFA Academy are executive director Roger Garcia, general manager Josie Lin, board member Fred Wang Cheung-yue and student ambassadors Lee Jung-Jin and Cherry Ngan Cheuk-Ling. Ching and Lau’s fellow jury members are Briccio Santos, Ichizaka Kenji, Janet Wu, Jennifer Jao, Kamil Othman, Li Cheuk-to, Nam Dong-chul and Sanmu.

Hong Kong actress Kara Wai Ying-Hung will be honored with the Excellence in Asian Cinema Award at the ceremony. Here is the complete list of the 12th Asian Film Awards nominees:

Best Editing

1. Li Nien-hsiu for “mon mon mon MONSTERS” (Taiwan)
2. Mary Stephen, Kong Chi-leung for “Our Time Will Come” (Hong Kong, China)
3. Shin Min-kyung for “The King” (South Korea)
4. Hirokazu Kore-eda for “The Third Murder” (Japan)
5. Zhang Qi for “Youth” (China)

Best Cinematography

1. Cao Yu for “Legend of the Demon Cat” (Hong Kong, Japan, China)
2. Yunus Pasolang for “Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts” (Indonesia, France, Malaysia, Thailand)
3. Kim Ji-yong for “The Fortress” (South Korea)
4. Nakashima Nagao for “The Great Buddha +” (Taiwan)
5. Mikiya Takimoto for “The Third Murder” (Japan)

Best Visual Effects

1. Jin Jong-hyun for “Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds” (South Korea)
2. Ankur Sachdev for “Baahubali 2: The Conclusion” (India)
3. Shingo Kobayashi for “Gintama” (Japan)
4. Norio Ishii for “Legend of the Demon Cat” (Hong Kong, Japan, China)
5. Huang Mei-cing, Pao Cheng-hsun for “mon mon mon MONSTERS” (Taiwan)
6. Jang Seong-ho, Park Young-soo, Son Ohh-young for “The Thousand Faces of Dunjia” (Hong Kong, China)

Best Sound

1. Wang Gang for “Brotherhood of Blades II: The Infernal Battlefield” (China)
2. Khikmawan Santosa for “Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts” (Indonesia, France, Malaysia, Thailand)
3. Tu Duu-chih, Wu Shu-yao, Tu Chun-tang for “mon mon mon MONSTERS” (Taiwan)
4. Choi Tae-young for “The Fortress” (South Korea)
5. Tu Duu-chih, Wu Shu-yao for “The Great Buddha +” (Taiwan)

Best Original Music

1. Jo Young-wook for “A Taxi Driver” (South Korea)
2. Wen Zi for “Angels Wear White” (China, France)
3. Joe Hisaishi for “Our Time Will Come” (Hong Kong, China)
4. Lin Sheng-xiang for “The Great Buddha +” (Taiwan)
5. Taro Iwashiro for “Wilderness” (Japan)

Best Costume Design

1. Shim Hyun-sup for “Anarchist from Colony” (South Korea)
2. Rama Rajamouli, Prashanti Tipirineni for “Baahubali 2: The Conclusion” (India)
3. Yuya Maeda for “Blade of the Immortal” (Japan)
4. Chen Tongxun for “Legend of the Demon Cat” (Hong Kong, Japan, China)
5. Shirley Chan for “The Thousand Faces of Dunjia” (Hong Kong, China)

Best Production Design

1. Lee Mok-won for “Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds” (South Korea)
2. Tu Nan, Lu Wei for “Legend of the Demon Cat” (Hong Kong, Japan, China)
3. Frans Paat for “Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts” (Indonesia, France, Malaysia, Thailand)
4. Yohei Taneda for “The Third Murder” (Japan)
5. Ben Luk for “This Is Not What I Expected” (Hong Kong, China)

Best Screenplay

1. Hwang Seong-gu for “Anarchist from Colony” (South Korea)
2. Mayank Tewari, Amit V Masurkar for “Newton” (India)
3. Sylvia Chang, You Xiaoying for “Love Education” (China, Taiwan)
4. Tanida Hantaweewatana, Vasudhorn Piyaromna, Nattawut Poonpiriya for “Bad Genius” (Thailand)
5. Yan Geling for “Youth” (China)

Best New Director 

1. Anucha Boonyawatana in “Malila: The Farewell Flower” (Thailand)
2. Derek Hui in “This is Not What I Expected” (Hong Kong)
3. Dong Yue in “The Looming Storm” (China)
4. Huang Hsin-yao in “The Great Buddha” (Taiwan)
5. Yoshiyuki Kishi in “Wilderness” (Japan)
6. Vivian Qu in “Angels Wear White” (China)

Best Director

1. Ann Hui for “Our Time Will Come” (Hong Kong)
2. Chen Kaige for “Legend of the Demon Cat” (China)
3. Feng Xiaogang for “Youth” (China)
4. Hong Sang-soo for “The Day After” (South Korea)
5. Sylvia Chang for “Love Education” (Taiwan)
6. Yuya Ishii for “The Tokyo Night Sky is Always the Densest Shade of Blue” (Japan)

Best Newcomer

1. Akari Kinoshita in “Wilderness” (Japan)
2. Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying in “Bad Genius” (Thailand)
3. Im Yoon-ah in “Confidential Assignment” (South Korea)
4. Ling Man-lung in “Tomorrow is Another Day” (Hong Kong)
5. Zhong Chuxi in “Youth” (China)
6. Zhou Meijun in “Angels Wear White” (China)

Best Supporting Actor 

1. Yoo Hae-jin in “A Taxi Driver” (South Korea)
2. Geng Le in “Angels Wear White” (China)
3. Tian Zhuangzhuang in “Love Education” (China)
4. Eddie Peng in “Our Time Will Come” (Taiwan)
5. Yang Ik-june in “Wilderness” (South Korea)

Best Supporting Actress

1. Choi Hee-seo in “Anarchist from Colony” (South Korea)
2. Hana Sugisaki in “Blade of the Immortal” (Japan)
3. Kitty Zhang in “Legend of the Demon Cat” (China)
4. Wu Yanshu in “Love Education” (China)
5. Suzu Hirose in “The Third Murder” (Japan)

Best Actor 

1. Duan Yihong in “The Looming Storm” (China)
2. Kim Yoon-seok in “1987: When the Day Comes” (South Korea)
3. Louis Koo in “Paradox” (Hong Kong)
4. Rajkummar Rao in “Newton” (India)
5. Sukollawat Kanarot in “Malila: The Farewell Flower” (Thailand)

Best Actress

1. Yu Aoi in “Birds Without Names” (Japan)
2. Sylvia Chang in “Love Education” (Taiwan)
3. Marsha Timothy in “Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts” (Indonesia)
4. Kim Min-hee in “The Day After” (South Korea)
5. Zhou Dongyu in “This is not What I Expected” (China)

Best Action Film

1. “Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds” (South Korea)
2. “Blade of the Immortal” (Japan)
3. “Brotherhood of Blades II: The Infernal Battlefield” (China)
4. “Paradox” (Hong Kong)
5. “The Thousand Faces of Dunjia” (Hong Kong, China)

Best Film

1. “Angels Wear White” (China, France)
2. “Newton” (India)
3. “The Day After” (South Korea)
4. “The Third Murder” (Japan)
5. “Youth” (China)