The Asian Film Awards Academy (AFA Academy or AFAA) announced the nominations for the 18th Asian Film Awards (AFA18) and the Jury President for this year in Hong Kong today.
Thirty outstanding films from 25 countries and regions have been shortlisted to compete for 16 awards at AFA18, which celebrates artistic and technical achievements in Asian cinema. The prestigious lineup of nominees from around Asia includes seven Japanese films: Teki Cometh (Director: Yoshida Daihachi, winner of the top three prizes at the 37th Tokyo International Film Festival – TIFF), Desert of Namibia (Yamanaka Yoko), All the Long Nights (Miyake Sho, recipient of the Kurosawa Akira Award at the 37th TIFF), My Sunshine (Okuyama Hiroshi, Official Selection for Un Certain Regard at Cannes), Happyend (Sora Neo), The Box Man (Ishii Gakuryu) and Black Ox (Tsuta Tetsuichiro, 37th TIFF Asian Future Official Selection).
Korean auteur Jang Jae-hyun’s Exhuma received eleven nominations, making it the most nominated film this year. It will compete for Best Film with Yoshida Daihachi’s Teki Cometh, Cannes Grand Prix-winning film All We Imagine as Light (Payal Kapadia), China’s Black Dog (Guan Hu), which was screened in the 37th TIFF Gala Selection, and Hong Kong’s Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In (Soi Cheang), which earned nine AFA nominations and was also screened in the 37th TIFF Gala Selection. These five distinctive Asian films from different regions are in a tight race to win the highest honor of Best Film at AFA18.
Japanese films and talents were nominated in 15 categories in total*, led by the TIFF standout (Grand Prix, Best Director and Best Actor) Teki Cometh, which received AFA nominations in six categories, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor (Nagatsuka Kyozo) and Best Supporting Actress (Takiuchi Kumi). Desert of Namibia, which won the FIPRESCI Prize in the Directors’ Fortnight section of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, is nominated in two categories, including Best Actress (Kawai Yuumi) and Best New Director (Yamanaka Yoko). Additionally, Sora Neo was nominated for Best New Director and Kurihara Hayato for Best Newcomer for Happyend, an Official Selection in the Orizzonti section at the Venice International Film Festival, while Mitsuishi Ken (All the Long Nights) and Ikematsu Sosuke (My Sunshine) are nominated for Best Supporting Actor.
Exhuma has earned an early spotlight in the awards, with the highest nominations in 11 categories. Since receiving both critical acclaim and commercial success after its release in 2024, Exhuma has proven the strength of Korean cinema by securing nominations in major categories, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Newcomer, Best Screenplay, Best Original Music, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Visual Effects, and Best Sound. Additionally, Lim Ji-yeon from Revolver is a nominee for Best Supporting Actress, and Hong Kyeong-pyo, the cinematographer of Harbin, is a nominee for Best Cinematography, raising further anticipation for Korean cineastes.
Also boasting a strong presence is Hong Kong’s action blockbuster Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, with nominations in nine categories, including Best Film and Best Supporting Actor. With its main protagonist fighting against evil after entering the lawless ‘Walled City’ by chance, the film has been a mega-hit in Hong Kong, ranking second in all-time Hong Kong box office revenue
Among the shortlisted films, many TIFF Competition films, such as My Friend An Delie (Dong Zijian, 37th TIFF Best Artistic Contribution), Papa (Philip Yung), Daughter’s Daughter (Huang Xi) and Cadet (Adilkhan Yerzhanov), received nominations.
Check the full list of nominees here
Sammo Hung Appointed as Jury President
Sammo Hung, the icon of Hong Kong cinema, is well-known both as an actor and director and has been appointed as the Jury President of this year’s Asian Film Awards. Having received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 16th Asian Film Awards in 2023, Hung recently reaffirmed his dominant presence in Hong Kong cinema with the box office success of his latest feature, Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In. Hung expressed his excitement, stating, “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.” Sammo Hung will be responsible for selecting the winners of this year’s Asian Film Awards alongside fellow jurors and a voting panel of over 200 members.
The 18th Asian Film Awards will continue to honor outstanding filmmakers who have contributed to the Asian film industry, presenting Special Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Honor, Rising Star of Asia Award, and AFA Next Generation Award. The awards ceremony will take place on Sunday, March 16, at the Xiqu Centre in Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District and will be streamed live through official online channels.
Official website: www.afa-academy.com
