A sold out official Closing Gala ceremony featuring body-swapping action-packed Korean film ‘SPIRITWALKER' made for an energetic, rapturously received eleventh and final day of the London East Asia Film Festival.
Thirty three films from across East Asia played all over London from 21st to 31st October with online industry talks, a young critics programme, Q+A events and more complimenting a diverse, cultural festival selection.
AWARD WINNERS
The festival jury was chaired by Nick James (former editor Sight & Sound) with Hannah McGill (former Artistic Director of Edinburgh International Film Festival) and Damon Wise (BFI Festival advisor) joining. Having viewed all eleven festival Competition titles and being pleased to view diverse, stimulating cinema, the jury were in attendance for the Closing Gala ceremony to announce the winners.
A Special Mention was afforded to Ricky Ko for action-drama ‘TIME''s cinephilic opening sequence. The jury were impressed with its joyous tribute to a rich cinematic history and by its focus on characters of a demographic not always well represented on screen. Director Ko thanked the jury and festival audience in a video message.
Best Actor was awarded to Liang Jingdong for atmospheric lost-love film ‘STARS AWAIT US'. The jury commended his charismatic leading turn and thoughtful, layered performance.
Impressed by a thoughtful, painfully true and fantastical personal story, the jury awarded first-time director Carlo Francisco Manatad with Best Director for ‘WHETHER THE WEATHER IS FINE.' Director Manatad accepted his award via video message and shared his gratitude as a debut filmmaker.
From the diverse films in the competition, the jury commended the powerful, morally confronting and deft emotionally controlled story of ‘A BALANCE' and so awarded it with the prestigious Best Film award. Director Yujiro Haramuto shared a video message of sincere thanks and looked forward to the support that such an award would bring to his film and crew.
BEST FILM
“A BALANCE”
Dir. Yujiro Harumoto
BEST DIRECTOR
“WHETHER THE WEATHER IS FINE”
Dir. Carlo Francisco Manatad
BEST ACTOR
“STARS AWAIT US”
Liang Jindong
SPECIAL MENTION
“TIME”
Dir. Ricky Ko
Festival Director Hyejung Jeon spoke to describe the challenging year that the festival has faced but her resolute message underlined the vital need for events like LEAFF to go ahead. Highlighting the festival's new expanded programmes, the Festival Director passionately advocated for supporting cinemas and East Asian culture in the UK.
