Korea Honored at Asian Film Awards in Hong Kong

Published on 2011/03/25 | Source

By Lukas Schwarzacher

Korea was in the limelight at the Asian Film Awards (AFA) in Hong Kong on March 22. Best Director and Best Screenplay kudos went to director Lee Chang-dong for "Poetry". Ha Jung-woo won Best Actor for "The Yellow Sea", and Youn Yuh-jung was awarded the Best Supporting Actress prize for "The Housemaid - 2010".

The Best Editor was Nam Na-yeong for "I Saw the Devil" (in American release since two weeks ago). All in all, Korea won the most prizes. The Best Film award went to Thailand for "Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives".

This year was the fifth edition of the AFA, held in conjunction with the 35^thHong Kong International Film Festival, which also sponsors the Awards. The AFA was marked with many absences because of the recent calamitous earthquake and tsunami in Japan, and the evening began with prayers being sent to the people of Japan.

Lee, who won Best Screenplay honors at Cannes 2010 for "Poetry", said: "My scenario seems to have some good things, but it's really the actors and actresses, especially my main actress Yoon Jung-hee, and the staff – they blew the breath of life into my work". For the past month "Poetry" has been in limited American release and has awed the critics here.

"The Yellow Sea" was nominated for a total of four awards, including Best Director, Production Design and Music Score. Said Ha in his acceptance speech: "I'd like to share this honor and happiness entirely with "The Yellow Sea" team. Thank you".

In the lifetime awards section Kim Dong-ho, the founder and former director of the famous Busan International Film Festival (this year it's the 16^th time), won the prize for Contribution to Asian Cinema.