Oliver Chan’s Still Human won both the Audience Award and the Critics Award at this year’s edition of the Udine Far East Film Festival (FEFF) in Italy.
The Hong Kong-produced film stars Anthony Wong and newcomer Crisel Consunji in the story of a paralysed man and his friendship with his Filipina helper. It recently scooped best actor for Wong and best new director at the Hong Kong Film Awards.
“We live on the other side of the world and we were worried that our film wouldn’t be understood. But the world speaks a single language: the language of love,” said Consunji as she accepted the award with Wong and Chan.
Chinese drama Dying To Survive came second in the Audience Awards, while third position went to Korean blockbuster Extreme Job.
The White Mulberry award for First Film went to Melancholic from Japanese newcomer Tanaka Seiji, while readers of MYmovies.it voted for another Japanese film, Takeuchi Hideki’s Fly Me To Saitama.
In total, the festival screened 77 films, including three world premieres and 14 first films. In addition to Wong, stars in attendance included Korea’s Jeon Do-Yeon and China’s Yao Chen. Industry platforms included the Focus Asia projects market and Ties That Bind workshop.
Next year’s FEFF has been scheduled for April 24 – May 2, 2020.