Now that the region is open to travel again, Southeast Asia’s film festival circuit sprang back into action over the autumn, with several events that gave audiences in the region the opportunity to see Southeast Asian films on the big screen.
Most of these films had premiered at European film festivals, and other Asian events such as Busan and Tokyo, earlier in the year, so came with some built-in publicity and audience awareness. What has been encouraging during this season is to see audiences interested in watching films that are from the Southeast Asia region, but outside of their home country. Some of these festivals are also showcasing cinema from other parts of Asia and the rest of the world.
Below is round-up of the winning films from four Southeast Asia festivals, but several more took place as in-person events during the autumn season, and Streamlined hopes to bring more attention to them in the future.
Autobiography, from Indonesia’s Makbul Mubarak, continued a festival sweep that started in Venice and has also taken in Toronto, London, Adelaide, Busan and Tokyo Filmex. Other favourites from the region include Arnold Is A Model Student, from Thailand’s Sorayos Prapapan, Leonor Will Never Die, from the Philippines’ Martika Escobar Ramirez, Davy Chou’s Return To Seoul, and Japanese multiple award-winner Plan 75, which has co-producers from the Philippines.
QCinema International Film Festival
[Quezon City, Manila, Philippines / November 17-26]
Best Film – Autobiography, dir: Makbul Mubarak
Jury Prize (Asian Next Wave) – Return To Seoul, dir: Davy Chou
Best Lead Performance – Chieko Baisho, Plan 75
Artistic Contribution (Production Design) – Setsuko Shiokawa, Plan 75
Best Director – Makbul Mubarak, Autobiography
Best Short Film – Bold Eagle, dir: Whammy Alcazaren
Jury Prize (QCShorts) – Luzonensis Osteoporosis, dir: Glenn Barit
Audience Choice Award (QCShorts) – Luzonensis Osteoporosis, dir: Glenn Barit
Gender Sensitivity Award – The River That Never Ends, dir: JT Trinidad
Singapore International Film Festival
[Singapore / November 24-December 4]
Silver Screen Awards Asian feature competition:
Best Film – Autobiography, dir: Makbul Mubarak
Best Director – Laha Mebow, Gaga
Best Performance – Zukhara Sansyzbay, Convenience Store
Special Mention – Arnold Is A Model Student, Sorayos Prapapan
Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival
[Yogyakarta, Indonesia, November 26-December 3]
Main Competition:
Golden Hanoman – Autobiography, dir: Makbul Mubarak
Silver Hanoman – Leonor Will Never Die, dir: Martika Escobar Ramirez
Jury Special Mention – 24, dir: Royston Tan,
NETPAC Award – Let Me Hear It Barefoot, dir: Riho Kudo, Jepang
Blencong Award – Anjing-Anjing Menyerbu Kuburan, dir: Eden Junjung,
Blencong Award, Jury Special Mention – Falling Day, dir: Kyung Seo Park
Geber Award – Leonor Will Never Die, dir: Martika Escobar Ramirez
Indonesian Screen Awards:
Best Film – Eksil, dir: Lola Amaria
Best Directing – Adriyanto Dewo, Galang
Best Storytelling – Tumpal Tampubolon, Galang
Best Performance – Orsila Murib, Orpa & Rafli Anwar Mursadad, Alang-Alang
Best Editing – Yuda Kurniawan, Roda-Roda Nada
Best Cinematography – Yudi Datau, Alang-Alang
World Film Festival Bangkok
[Bangkok, Thailand, December 2-11]
Best Film – Klondike, dir: Mayna Er Gorbach
Best Director – Dusan Zoric & Matija Gluscevic, Have You Seen This Woman?
Jury Grand Prize – Scala, dir: Ananta Thitanat
Best Screenplay – Stonewalling, Huang Ji & Ryuji Otsuka, Victim, Michal Blaško
Jury Prizes For Technical Achievement – Autobiography, Makbul Mubarak (cinematography & editing), Joyland, Saim Sadiq (best ensemble)