Leviathan Wins Top Award, Best Film, at Asia Pacific Screen Award

The Russian film Leviathan won the 8th Asia Pacific Screen Award (APSA) for Best Feature Film, the region’s highest accolade in film at the awards ceremony held in Brisbane, Australia.  The APSA for Achievement in Directing, for the third time in the history of the event, went to Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan for his already Palme d’Or winning film Winter Sleep (Turkey, France, Germany).  The awards recognize and promote cinematic excellence and cultural diversity of the world’s fastest-growing film region.

Cliff Curtis, Hiam Abbass, David Gulpilil

Best Performance by an Actor went to New Zealand’s Cliff Curtis for his role in film The Dark Horse, with Australian actor David Gulpilil receiving a Special Mention for his role in Charlie’s Country. Best Performance by an Actress was awarded to Lü Zhong for Red Amnesia (People’s Republic of China), with a Special Mention going to Iranian actress Merila Zareie for her performance in Track 143.

Turkish writer/director Kaan Müjdeci was present to accept the award for Best Youth Feature Film for his debut feature Sivas (Turkey, Germany); and Best Animated Feature Film was won by The Tale of Princess Kaguya,

Best Documentary Feature Film was awarded to 1001 Apples, produced, written and directed by Taha Karimi. Sadly, Taha Karimi passed away shortly after completing the film. The award was accepted by his brother Hawre Karimi. The jury said of the film, ‘An atrocity of the enormity of  that experienced by the Kurdish people has caused deep psychological after-effects. 1001 Apples takes the audience into that darkest place and produces a deeply moving explication through the voices of the survivors of genocide. The judges were moved to tears as 1001 apples (and cloves) come to symbolize reconciliation for families and their loved ones.’

The complete list of winners of 2014 Asia Pacific Screen Awards 

BEST FEATURE FILM
“Leviathan” (aka “Leviafan”) (Russia)

ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING
Nuri Bilge Ceylan for “Winter Sleep” (aka “Kis Uykusu”) (Turkey, France, Germany)

BEST SCREENPLAY
Nima Javidi for “Melbourne” (Iran)

ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
Dong Jinsong for “Black Coal Thin Ice” (aka “Bai Ri Yan Huo”) (China, Hong Kong)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR
Cliff Curtis in “The Dark Horse” (New Zealand)

SPECIAL MENTION BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR
David Gulpilil in “Charlie’s Country” (Australia)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS
Lu Zhong in “Red Amnesia” (aka “Chuangru Zhe”) (China)

SPECIAL MENTION BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS
Merila Zareie in “Track 143” (aka “Shiar-E 143”) (Iran)

BEST YOUTH FEATURE FILM
“Sivas” (Turkey, Germany)

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM
“1001 Apples” (aka “Hezar-o yek Siv”) (Iraq)

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
“The Tale of The Princess Kaguya” (aka “Kaguya-hime no Monogatari”) (Japan)

UNESCO AWARD
Shawkat Amin Korki for directing “Memories on Stone” (aka “Bîranînên li ser kevirî”) (Iraqi Kurdistan, Germany)

JURY GRAND PRIZE
“Blind Massage” (aka “Tui Na”) (China, France)

JURY GRAND PRIZE
Rakhshan Banietemad for directing “Tales” (aka “Ghesseha”) (Iran)

FIAPF Award for Outstanding Achievement in Film in the Asia Pacific region
Emile Sherman (Australia)

APSA Academy NETPAC Development Prize
Reza Dormishian (Iran)