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1 February 2012, Hong Kong – The 36th Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF) will be held in Hong Kong from 21 March to 5 April 2012, the 6th Asian Film Awards (AFA) will be held on 19 March 2012 and the 10th Hong Kong – Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) will be held from 19 to 21 March 2012. Journalists and industry press are invited to sign up for media accreditation at http://society.hkiff.org.hk/en/app/accreditation/media/apply starting from 3 February 2012.

The HKIFF is one of Asia’s most reputable platforms for filmmakers, film professionals and filmgoers from all over the world to launch new works and experience outstanding films. It draws thousands of film fans, industry professionals and press from around the world annually.

The AFA seeks to highlight the best in Asian cinema to the world, and to promote Asian film culture both regionally and internationally. Eminent filmmakers, distinguished guests and acclaimed talents from around the world are invited to bestow awards upon the winners of each category, making the ceremony a dazzling extravaganza as well as an influential cultural event that helps position Hong Kong as the centre of Asian cinema.

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The 6th Asian Film Awards announces nominations in 14 categories as Singaporean director Eric KHOO is named Jury President

Hong Kong, 17 January 2012 – The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (HKIFFS) announced today the nominees in the 14 categories and the jury for the 6th Asian Film Awards (AFA). Eric KHOO, Singapore-based director and producer, will take up the mantle of Jury President, heading the panel of international film community notables who will select the winners of these prestigious awards. The Asian Film Awards Presentation Ceremony will be held at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Grand Hall on 19 March 2012.

Organised by the HKIFFS and funded by CreateHK and the Film Development Fund, supported by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the AFA recognises and celebrates the achievements of the preceding year in Asian film through 14 award categories: Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Newcomer, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Screenwriter, Best Cinematographer, Best Production Designer, Best Composer, Best Editor, Best Visual Effects, and Best Costume Designer.

From over a thousand of eligible films, up to six nominees in each category have been selected throughout the Asian regions. The full list of nominations includes 32 films from 11 countries and regions, all chosen for their outstanding contribution to Asian cinema in 2011. The nominations this year come from a dazzling array of Asian films, from major mainstream action blockbusters such as The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate and romances such as You Are the Apple of My Eye, to festival favourites that have won tremendous critical acclaim, including Nader and Simin: A Separation and The Mirror Never Lies.

“In the past year, we have seen Asia’s film industry grow, prosper and truly shine in every way,” said Mr. Wilfred WONG, SBS, JP, Chairman of the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (HKIFFS). “Not only on the screen, but behind the scenes as well, where directors, producers, composers and designers, have spent countless hours working tirelessly to create films they love and want to share with the world.”

The 6th Asian Film Awards will also recognise the outstanding efforts and careers of professionals in the Asian film industry with three special awards: the Lifetime Achievement Award, the Edward Yang New Talent Award and the Award for 2011’s Top-Grossing Asian Film.

The award-winning director of critically acclaimed hits Mee Pok Man, 12 Storeys and Be With Me, Jury President Eric KHOO, helped to put Singapore on the international film map. He will lead a jury consisting of 12 film professionals with internationally recognised experience and expertise in cinema.

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Hong Kong, 12 January 2012 – Film director Ann HUI On-wah, a leading light of the Hong Kong New Wave of the 1970s and 1980s, and an artist whose career has spanned decades of success, will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the upcoming 6^th Asian Film Awards (AFA), making her the first female recipient of the award. In the early part of her career, HUI directed films that were instrumental in igniting the distinct voice of Hong Kong film, giving early breakthrough roles to stars such as CHOW Yun-fat and Andy LAU, and has continued to create works that have combined mainstream success with intellectual depth to this day.

The Asian Film Awards (AFA) are dedicated to honouring filmmakers with outstanding achievements in the field of Asian cinema. The 6^th Asian Film Awards Presentation Ceremony will take place on 19 March 2012 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. In addition to 14 individual award categories, the 6^th Asian Film Awards will also recognise the outstanding efforts and careers of professionals in the Asian film industry with three special awards: the Lifetime Achievement Award, the Edward Yang New Talent Award and the Award for 2011’s Top-Grossing Asian Film.

Previous recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award include the Japanese director YAMADA Yoji, famous for his “Samurai Trilogy”, the universally acclaimed Indian actor Amitabh BACHCHAN, and the influential Hong Kong producer and founder of the Golden Harvest studio, Raymond CHOW Man-wai.

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(1 November 2011 – Hong Kong) Presented by the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (HKIFFS), the 6^th Asian Film Awards (AFA) announced the opening of film submissions for AFA nominations today.

Launched in 2007, the AFA is a pioneering programme honouring filmmakers with outstanding achievements in the field of Asian cinema. The AFA is the only platform in the world that brings together the best cinematic talents of Asia, drawing film fans and professionals from all across the globe.

Individual film submissions for AFA nomination were introduced in 2009 and are being invited again for the 6^th AFA.

“At a time when Asian cinema is increasingly attracting international attention, inviting open submission from individuals is intended to encourage greater participation from all territories in Asia and we hope will help recognize and honour the outstanding achievements of all Asian talents across the board.” said the Executive Director of the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society, Mr. Roger Garcia.

Together with the open submission, the 6^th AFA now comprises three channels for submission which are: (i) official Submission Organizations; (ii) Jury members; and (iii) open submission. Films can be submitted directly online at https://apps.asianfilmawards.asia/submission.

Submission of films for nomination is open from 1 to 30 November 2011. Nominees for the 6^th AFA will be announced at least four weeks before the AFA Presentation Ceremony, which will be held on 19 March 2012.

For the 6^th AFA, the official Submission Organizations include: Cinema Department, Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, Cambodia; Motion Picture Industry Association Limited (MPIA), Hong Kong; National Film Development Corporation, India; Bali Film Center, Indonesia; UniJapan, Japan; Korea Film Producers Association, South Korea; National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS), Malaysia; Film Development Board, Nepal; Film Development Council of Philippines, The Philippines; Singapore Film Commission, Singapore; Taipei Film Commission, Taiwan; The Federation of National Film Associations of Thailand, Thailand; and Vietnam Media Corporation, Vietnam. The official Submission Organizations, together with a panel of professional jurors, determine the nominees from the eligible films produced and released theatrically in the Asian region in that year.

There are 14 categories for nomination and up to six nominees are selected in each of the categories. These include: Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Newcomer, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Screenwriter, Best Cinematographer, Best Production Designer, Best Composer, Best Editor, Best Visual Effects, and Best Costume Designer.

The AFA Presentation Ceremony takes place as part of the Entertainment Expo Hong Kong. Eminent filmmakers, distinguished guests and acclaimed talents from around the world are invited to bestow awards upon the winner(s) of each category, making the Ceremony a dazzling extravaganza as well as an influential cultural event that helps position Hong Kong as the hub of Asian cinema.

For more information about the Asian Film Awards and film submission for nomination, please visit: www.asianfilmawards.asia.

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About Hong Kong International Film Festival Society Limited

Uniting the World through Film

The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (HKIFFS) is a charitable, non-profit, non-government organization dedicated to the discovery and promotion of creativity in the art and culture of film.

Through its year-round programmes, the mission of the Society is to strengthen global appreciation of Chinese film culture and to promote inspiring films from around the world, enriching the cultural life of Hong Kong.

Committed to the development of a vibrant film culture in Hong Kong and Asia, the Society organizes three annual flagship events in March and April: The Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF), the Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) and the Asian Film Awards (AFA).

Passionately believing in the power of films to unite cultures and generations, the HKIFFS is devoted to giving thousands of film lovers around the region direct access to the world’s most inspired films all year round.

Website: www.hkiff.org.hk

Media Enquiries:

HKIFFS

Catherine Liu

DL: +852 2102 7391/ +852 9621 7430 E-mail: catherine_liu@hkiff.org.hk

June Lui

DL: +852 2102 7392/ +852 9642 6576 E-mail: june_lui@hkiff.org.hk

Main: +852 2970 3300 Fax: +852 2970 3011