NEWS & REPORTS
See Your Schedule
Ko - production in Busan
- Korean Film News
- Asian Brilliant Stars Awards Returned to Berlin
- by Pierce Conran / Feb 27, 2018
- YOUTH Took Home 3 Prizes from Jury Presided over by KIM Ki-duk
The Asian Brilliant Stars Awards returned to Berlin for their second edition during this year’s 68th Berlin International Film Festival. The Chinese historical drama Youth (2017) was the most awarded film of the day, receiving three prizes from a jury lead by Korean filmmaker KIM Ki-duk. Three Korean films were among this year’s shortlisted titles.The awards were launched last year as a way to offer a new opportunity for Asian film culture to present itself on the world stage. Richard Shen, General Secretary of Asian Film and Television Promotion, calls the event “a platform to promote Asian films and create a bridge between Asia and the world.” He added, “If Asian culture wants to gain influence in tomorrow’s world, it also needs an internal dialogue”.KIM Ki-duk, who is also in town with his new film Human, Space, Time and Human, which premiered in the ‘Panorama Special’ section of Berlinale, served as the president of this year’s jury, which also featured Iranian actor Babak KARIMI, former President of the Hong Kong Film Awards Association Mandfred WONG, Japanese Producer ICHIYAMA Shôzô, German actor Moritz Bleibtreu and Chinese director CAO Baoping.During the event, KIM stated “The Big Three film festivals have selected many outstanding Asian films over the years. What the Asian Brilliant Stars adds is an Asian perspective to the film selection, a stronger voice to Asian filmmakers”.KIM also remarked on the potential of China’s burgeoning arthouse film audiences and the difficulties of the distribution system for arthouse fare in Korea, partly owing to illegal downloading and unfair screening practices by local exhibitors.The big winner at this year’s Asian Brilliant Stars Awards was the Chinese film Youth (2017) by FENG Xiaogang. Debuting at the Toronto International Film Festival before topping the Chinese box office in December last year, the historical drama took home the Special Jury Award for director FENG, the Best Screenwriter Award (YAN Geling), and an Asian New Talent Award to ZHONG Chuxi, the film’s leading actress.Elsewhere, CHUTIMON Chuengcharoensukying earned the Best Actress prize for her part in the hit Thai high school cheating drama Bad Genius (2017), CHANG Chen was crowned Best Actor for his appearance in period action-drama Brotherhood of Blades II: The Infernal Battlefield (2017) from China, and Samuel MAOZ earned the Best Director accolade for his politically-tinged drama Foxtrot (2017), an Israel-Germany-France co-production. Finally, ZHANG Yang received the Best Producer Award for the Tibetan documentary road movie Paths of the Soul (2015).While no Korean films received awards this year, there were three among the lineup. These included LEE Joon-ik’s period trial drama Anarchist from Colony (2017), KIM Hyun-suk’s comedy-drama I Can Speak (2017) and the indie drama The Day After (2017) by director Hong Sangsoo, who is also in town with his latest film Grass, which is screening in the ‘Forum’ section of the festival.
- Any copying, republication or redistribution of KOFIC's content is prohibited without prior consent of KOFIC.
