Iranian writer and director Jafar Panahi received double honors at the 18th Asia Pacific Screen Awards, winning Best Picture and Best Director for his Cannes Palme d’Or winner “It Was Just an Accident.”
Japanese director Akio Fujimoto’s “Lost Land” (Hala Watan), a film about displaced Rohingya children overcoming an uncertain future, won the Grand Jury Prize. A co-production spanning Japan, France, Malaysia, and Germany, the producer is Kazutaka Watanabe.
Singaporean director Tan Siyu and producer Fran Borgia won the Best Youth Film award for “Amoeba,” while South Korean director Kim Bosol’s animation “The Square” won the Best Animated Film award.
In the documentary category, director Sepideh Farsi’s “Walk with a Soul in Your Hands” won Best Documentary Film for its direct perspective from inside Gaza. Deming Cheng’s Always, an exploration of his childhood and memories in rural China, received a special award from the documentary jury.
Japan’s Chie Hayakawa won the Best Screenplay Award for “Renoir,” and rising star Yui Suzuki also won the Best Newcomer Award. Hong Kong actor Sean Lau won the Best Performance Award for his role in “Dad,” in which he plays a father who overcomes grief and love.
Indonesian cinematographer Batala Gompal won the award for his work on Samsara, and Gold Coast actor Juliet Widiasari Barnett won on his behalf. Kyrgyz film director Akhtan Alim Kubat won the Cultural Diversity Award for “Black Red Yellow.”
India’s Rohan Parashuram Kanawade won the Young Cinema Award in association with Netpac for “Cactus Pear” (Sabar Bonda), which previously won the top prize at Sundance.
The new Forum Filmmaker Award, presented in partnership with Post Lounge Group, was presented to Prabhas Gurung for ‘Son of the Honey Hunter’ in recognition of outstanding creative growth at the 7th Asia Pacific Screen Forum.
Australian producer Greer Simpkin has been awarded the FIAPF Award for Outstanding Contribution to Film in the Asia-Pacific Region.
The ceremony also announced the four recipients of the 2025 MPA APSA Academy Film Fund Grants. Hong Kong curator Kiki Fung chaired the jury along with Vietnam’s Ngo Thi Bich Hanh and Australia’s Skylar Weiss.
Grant recipients include Academy member Anocha Suwichakornpong for her project Fiction in Thailand, director Kareem Abeed for the Syrian documentary Where Is My Father, Indonesian director Josep Angi Noyen and producer Gita Farah for The Sea Speaks, and Tien Anh Pham and Jeremy Chua for the Vietnamese feature film Heaven in a Wildflower.
All nominees, nomination councils and jurors will attend the APSA Academy, chaired by Australian film legend Jack Thompson. The academy is expected to have a total of more than 1,725 regional filmmakers in 2025.
“This year continues the strong rise of emerging filmmakers whose bold and authentic storytelling reflects one of the most diverse collections of perspectives APSA has ever showcased,” said Tracy Vieira, Chair of the Asia Pacific Film Awards.
The Asia Pacific Screen Academy covers 78 countries and territories, representing 4.5 billion people and producing half of the world’s films. Partners include Screen Queensland, Screen Australia, City of Gold Coast, MPA and The Post Lounge Group.
The ceremony, held at the Langham Hotel on Australia’s Gold Coast, celebrated film production excellence from 24 countries and territories in the Asia-Pacific region. The awards ceremony was supported by principal partner Jewel Gold Coast.
2025 APSA Award Winners
Best movie award
“It Was Just an Accident” Islamic Republic of Iran, France, Luxembourg Director: Jafar Panahi | Director: Jafar Panahi Producer: Jafar Panahi, Philippe Martin
Judge Grand Prix
“Lost Land” (Hala Watan) Japan, France, Malaysia, Germany Director: Akio Fujimoto | Produced by Kazutaka Watanabe
Best Youth Film Award
“Amoeba” Singapore, Netherlands, France, Spain, South Korea Director: Tan Siyu | Director: Tan Siyufuran A work produced by Borgia
Best Animated Film Award
“The Square” Korea Director Kim Bo-sol | Producer: Park So-hye, Kim Bo-sol
Best Documentary Film Award
“Walk with your soul in your hands” France, Palestine Directed by Sededeh Farsi | Produced by Javad Javahely
Special Notes — Documentary
“Always” America, France, People’s Republic of China, Taiwan Director: Deming Chen | Produced by Hansen Lin
Best Director Award
Jafar Panahi: “It was just an accident” Islamic Republic of Iran, France, Luxembourg
Best Screenplay Award
Chie Hayakawa “Renoir” Japan, France, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, Qatar
Best Cinematography Award
Batala Gompal “Samsara” Indonesia
best performance
Sean Lau “Papa” Hong Kong
Best Newcomer Award
Yui Suzuki “Renoir” Japan, France, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, Qatar
Cultural Diversity Award
“Black Red Yellow” Directed and produced by Akhtan Alim Kubat, Kyrgyzstan
Young Cinema Awards (in partnership with Netpac)
Rohan Parashuram Kanawade “Cactus Pears” (Sabar Bonda) India, UK, Canada
FIAPF Award
Greer Simpkin (Australia)
2025 MPA APSA Academy Film Fund Winners
Anocha Swichakornpong “Fiction” Thailand
Kareem Abeed “Where is my father” Syria
Josep Angi Noen and Gita Fara “The Sea Speaks Its Name” Indonesia
Tien Anh Pham and Jeremy Chua “Heaven in a Wildflower” Vietnam
FILMMAKER FORUM AWARD (sponsored by The Post Lounge Group)
Prabhas Gurung “Son of the Honey Hunter”
