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Asia's Film Talent Shines for the 5th time at the Annual Asian Festival of First Films
The Asian Festival of First Films (AFFF), the world's premier film and documentary festival celebrating first-time film makers, announced the winners of the festival this evening at the Raffles Hotel Ballroom at a glittering awards night dinner.
SINGAPORE, December 07, 2009 /Movies and Video PR News/ -- Asia's Film Talent Shines for the 5th time at the Annual Asian Festival of First Films
• Double Happiness for 'Looking For Anne', as it scores a first for Japan at the AFFF with dual awards for Best Film and Best Director.
• 'For Real' (India) bags 4 awards for Best Screenplay, Best Producer, Best Actor and Best Actress
• Documentary, Superman of Malegaon (India) sweeps Best Documentary, Best Director for Documentary and Best Cinematographer/Editor
The Asian Festival of First Films (AFFF), the world's premier film and documentary festival celebrating first-time film makers, announced the winners of the festival this evening at the Raffles Hotel Ballroom at a glittering awards night dinner.
The week-long search ended with Japanese film, 'Looking for Anne', the story of a 17-year-old Japanese girl on Prince Edward Island with a secret mission to find her recently deceased grandmother's first love, a Canadian war veteran who gave her the book "Anne of Green Gables" years ago. 'Looking For Anne' won Best Film and Best Director.
And first-time producer, Sona Jain, bagged 4 awards for her story of a family, seen through the eyes of their child. Six year old Shruti feels disconnected from her mother and withdraws into her own fantasy world where she believes her mother is an alien. Both the film's main child leads, first-time actress Sriharsh Sharma Churai and first-time actor Zoya S. Hasan captivated the jury with their heartrending depictions of a family caught up in its own tragedy.
The gala awards night was attended by the movers and shakers of the film industry, including for the first time in Singapore, Chris Lee, Producer of Superman: Man of Steel, Malcolm Young (Managing Director/Executive Producer, NYU Tisch Asia School of the Arts), Wolfgang Muench (Dean Faculty of Media Arts, Lasalle College of the Arts Singapore), Juan Foo (Executive Producer, Shooting Gallery Motion Pictures) and ambassadors and chancellors from the Asia Pacific from the Embassy of the Australia, Britain, Canada, Malta, Pakistan, the Philippines.
An international jury made up of distinguished personalities who specially flew in for the festival were also present. Jury members include award winning filmmakers and internationally-acclaimed producers Ana Kokkinos (Australia), a multi-award winning filmmaker from Australia, Chris Lee (Hawaii), notable film producer of blockbusters Superman Returns and SWAT, and Kabir Khan (India), the AFFF's Best Director winner in 2007 and multi-award winner for his incisive portrayals of the historical milestones of our time. The event was hosted by Singaporean Lavinia Tan.
More than 30 nominee-hopefuls flew in to attend the glamorous occasion, including first-time director Takako Miyahira (Japan) of 'Looking for Anne', Kaushal Oza (India) of 'Vaishnav Jan Toh...', Seema Kohli (India) of 'Swayamsiddha', Saqib Mausoof (Pakistan) of 'Kala Pul', Rita Hui (Hong Kong) of 'Dead Slowly'.
In between award presentations, guests were regaled with local performances, by Singapore's own song-writer celebrity, Dick Lee, a dramatic stunt act replete with flying stunts and somersaults by Picasso Tan's Kuen Wushu School and local indie up and coming singer-producer, Iris Judotter.
Supported by the Media Development Authority (MDA), the AFFF is a part of the annual Asia Media Festival (AMF). "The AFFF has once again shone the spotlight on budding film talent in Asia with a body of work that reflects the heart and soul of Asia. In this light, every nominee is a winner. I am confident that the AFFF will continue to bring to the fore promising talents with quality films that resonate with an international audience," says Ms Cassandra Tay, Director Communications and Community and International Relations, MDA, and the guest-of-honor for the evening.
A part of the Asia TV Forum held in Singapore which brings together a global buyer network, the AFFF further propels the interests of budding regional film talent by giving them this platform to attain access to commercial interest and funding, crucial to the success of every good film and filmmaker. Over the years, the AFFF has managed to attract top film talents and international stars to be part of the festival, further enhancing Singapore's media hub and economy.
"This year's films captivated our hearts and minds and transported us from the mud huts of Afghanistan to the Canadian countryside and the slums of Mumbai to the back alleys of Singapore. Each year, the festival grows in stature among the film circuit, and first-time filmmakers take heart that they too have a platform created specially for them where their dreams can unfold," notes Sanjoy Roy, Festival Director.
Shweta Asnani, Executive Producer of AFFF adds, "The AFFF allows budding talent in Asia to portray the diversity and depth in the stories of the region to an international audience of film professionals. My heartiest congratulations to all our nominees for taking this step into the world of filmmaking and for telling the world our stories through their eyes."
Sonia Kolesnikov-Jessop, who headed the Foreign Correspondents Association (FCA) jury for the FCA Purple Orchid Award, comments, "The overall level of entries was good but the jury felt that 'Land Gold Woman' from India was able to portray the dilemma that Asians cope with having to face the world and their families in a perpetual struggle between globalization and their roots." The winning film tells about the tough choice an immigrant Indian professor in Birmingham faces, between saving his family's name or his teenage daughter when she is found to be in an illicit relationship.
For this year's competition, a total of 700 entries were received from 28 countries. A total of 22 nominated films and documentaries view for 11 awards. The winners and films are listed in below:
Category Winner Winner 1 Winner 2
Best Film Looking for Anne Takako Miyahira
Best Producer For Real Sona Jain
Best Director Looking for Anne Takako Miyahira
Best Screenplay/ Script For Real & Land Gold Woman (Tie) Sona Jain (For Real) Avantika Hari, Vivek Agrawal (Land Gold Woman)
Best Cinematographer/ Editor Superman of Malegaon Shweta Venkat
Best Male Actor For Real Sriharsh Sharma Churai
Best Female Actor For Real Zoya S. Hasan
Best Documentary Superman of Malegaon Faiza Ahmad Khan
Best Director of Documentary Addicted in Afghanistan & Superman of Malegaon (Tie) Jawed Taiman (Addicted in Afghanistan) Faiza Ahmad Khan (Superman of Malegaon)
Best Short Film Vitthal Vinoo Choliparambil
Foreign Correspondents Association Purple Orchid Award Land Gold Woman Avantika Hari, Vivek Agrawal
The Asian Festival of First Films 2009 ran from 29 November to 3 December at Golden Village Marina and The Arts House. More information is available on the festival website www.asianfirstfilms.com.
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About the Asian Festival of First Films
AFFF's impressive debut in 2005 as the world's first Asian festival for first films attracted the attention of the global media and also pointed to a sign of growing distributor and investor confidence in Asian first films.
Since its inception, AFFF has proven achievement of an astounding level of success in meeting its chief objectives to promote budding film makers and movie talents. In the past four years alone, many of its award winners have moved on to pick up critical acclaim and major awards (in high-profile categories such as Best Feature Film, Best Documentary, Best Director and Best Actor) at prestigious international film festivals such as the Sundance Film Festival, Berlin Film Festival, Rotterdam International Film Festival, Montreal Film Festival, La Palmas, New York Film festival and San Francisco Film Festival. In terms of sales and distribution, over 15 million dollars of business was generated by these films finding distribution across Asia and Europe including China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa.
About Teamwork Productions
Teamwork is a highly versatile entertainment company, with roots in the performing arts, social action, and the corporate world. Our expertise lies in the area of entertainment including Television, Film - documentary and feature, Event Management, Social Communication, Creation and Development of Contemporary Performing and Visual Arts Festivals across the world and in nurturing new talent across arts forms.
Teamwork Films, India, Teamwork Productions Singapore, Teamwork Films Pvt Ltd UK, Friends of Music and TWF Arts Society and liaison offices in Hong Kong and New York have initiated a wide range of projects in Australia, Canada, France, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia New Zealand, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, UK and USA.
About Asia Media Festival
The Asia Media Festival (AMF) is a media fiesta held from 2nd to 4th December 2009 comprising events for both trade professionals and consumers. Hosted by the Media Development Authority Singapore (MDA), the Festival offers opportunities for the media industry to share best practices, forge strong business networks and foster international collaborations under its line-up of premier trade events, namely: Promax BDA Asia, Asia Factual Forum, Media Financing Forum, Asia Television Forum, Asia Film Market & Conference, Asia Animation Conference, Asian Festival of 1st Films, Apollo Awards and Asian Television Awards.
Running parallel to the trade events is MediAction!, an outreach initiative organised by MDA to inspire the general public to discover the benefits and possibilities that media can offer for work, learning and play.
More information on AMF 2009 can be found at www.asiamediafestival.com.
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Issued on behalf of Asian Festival of 1st Films 2009
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