The Asia Pacific Screen Awards, the region’s highest accolade in film for 2007, is calling for final entries. Countries have just 10 remaining days until the entry deadline of September 12, 2007 to nominate films from the Asia-Pacific region.
The Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA) Nominations Council will meet in Brisbane, Australia, from September 24 – 28 to decide up to five nominees in nine categories.
The council is chaired in 2007 by Mr Kim Hong-Joon (Korea), who is Festival Director of the Chungmuro International Film Festival; and Associate Professor, Department of Film, School of Film, TV and Multimedia, Korean National University of Arts. He will be joined in Brisbane by Nominations Council members from Egypt, Turkey, China, Iran, Singapore, Hawaii, India and Australia.
A nominee from each nominated film, in each award achievement, will be flown to the Gold Coast, Australia, for the Awards Ceremony on November 13, 2007.
Winners in each category will be determined by the International Jury headed by esteemed Indian actress and humanitarian, Shabana Azmi.
Asia Pacific Screen Awards Chairman, Mr Des Power has urged countries yet to submit films not to miss the September 12 deadline.
“The Awards, to be staged for the first time in November, are an outstanding opportunity to showcase the film talent of this diverse region to a global audience.
“APSA is a collaboration with CNN International, UNESCO and FIAPF- the International Federation of Film Producers Associations and is an international cultural initiative to acclaim films that best reflect their cultural origins and demonstrate cinematic excellence.
“Through this unique partnership, we are privileged to honour the works of filmmakers across a region covering more than 70 countries, one third of the earth and half the world’s film output,” Mr. Power said.
APSA is producing television programs attached to the inaugural 2007 Awards for global broadcast on CNN International.
The programs, titled Scene By Scene, will carry stories and interviews about the region’s film industry. Scene By Scene – Films of Asia Pacific will screen on CNN International on November 10 prior to the Awards ceremony on November 13. The second program, Scene By Scene – Best Films of Asia Pacific, will include the Awards ceremony and will air on November 17.
FIAPF – The International Federation of Film Producers Associations – has endorsed the Asia Pacific Screen Awards Charter. The Director General of UNESCO has given his formal endorsement for the Asia Pacific Screen Awards to be conducted under the auspices of UNESCO.
In 2007, Awards will be presented for the following achievements:
- Best Feature Film
- Best Animated Film
- Best Documentary
- Best Children’s Film
- Achievement in Driecting
- Best Screenplay
- Achievement in Cinematography
- Performance by an Actress
- Performance by an Actor
Two major Awards will be presented for outstanding achievement:
- The FIAPF Award for outstanding achievement in film in the Asia-Pacific region.
- The UNESCO Award for outstanding contribution to the promotion and preservation of cultural diversity through film.
Definition of the Region:
The Asia-Pacific region is defined as those countries and areas of Asia and the Pacific that lie substantially between the longitudes of 30° east and 170° west – a region stretching from Turkey in the west to Samoa in the east, and from Russia in the north to New Zealand in the south.