Asia Pacific Screen Awards 2025: Director Jafar Panahi's 'It was just an Accident' earns dual honours; check winners list here

Queensland [Australia], November 28 : Iranian director Jafar Panahi claimed dual honours at the 18th Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA), with his Cannes Palme d'Or winner 'It Was Just an Accident' (Un simple accident) taking home best film and best director.

According to the APSA website, the Japanese filmmaker Fujimoto Akio's 'Lost Land' received the Jury Grand Prize for its portrait of displaced Rohingya children navigating uncertain futures. The movie was also honoured at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival under the Orizzonti section.

Singaporean filmmaker Tan Siyou and producer Fran Borgia won best youth film for 'Amoeba,' while Korean director Kim Bo-sol's animation 'The Square' claimed best animated film honours.

As for the documentary categories, Sepideh Farsi's 'Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk' won best documentary film for its first-hand perspective from within Gaza, while Deming Chen's 'Always,' exploring boyhood and memory in rural China, received a special mention from the documentary jury.

According to the website, Japan's Chie Hayakawa earned best screenplay for 'Renoir,' which also saw rising star Yui Suzuki win best new performer. Hong Kong actor Sean Lau took the best performance for 'Papa,' portraying a father navigating grief and love.

Indonesian cinematographer Batara Goempar won for 'Samsara,' with Gold Coast actor Juliet Widyasari Burnett accepting on his behalf. Kyrgyzstan filmmaker Aktan Arym Kubat received the Cultural Diversity Award for "Black Red Yellow."

India's Rohan Parashuram Kanawade received the Young Cinema Award in partnership with NETPAC for Cactus Pears (Sabar Bonda), acknowledging an exceptional emerging voice, whose work represents the next generation of Asia Pacific filmmaking, quoted the website.

The ceremony also announced four recipients of the 2025 MPA APSA Academy Film Fund grants.

Grant recipients included Academy Member Anocha Suwichakornpong for Thai project 'Fiction,' director Kareem Abeed for the Syrian documentary 'Where is My Father,' Indonesian director Yosep Anggi Noen and producer Gita Fara for 'The Sea Speaks His Name,' and director Thien An Pham with Jeremy Chua for the Vietnamese feature 'Heaven in a Wildflower.'

Here is the full winners list of Asia Pacific Screen Awards 2025.

2025 APSA WINNERS

BEST FILM

'It Was Just an Accident' (Un simple accident)

JURY GRAND PRIZE

'Lost Land' (Hara Watan), directed by Akio Fujimoto

BEST YOUTH FILM

'Amoeba', directed by Tan Siyou

BEST ANIMATED FILM

'The Square' Republic of Korea Directed by Kim Bo-sol

BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM

'Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk', directed by Sepideh Farsi

SPECIAL MENTION DOCUMENTARY

'Always', directed by Deming Chen

BEST DIRECTOR

Jafar Panahi 'It Was Just an Accident'

BEST SCREENPLAY

Chie Hayakawa 'Renoir'

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Batara Goempar 'Samsara' Indonesia

BEST PERFORMANCE

Sean Lau 'Papa' Hong Kong

BEST NEW PERFORMER

Yui Suzuki 'Renoir'

CULTURAL DIVERSITY AWARD

'Black Red Yellow' Directed & Produced by Aktan Arym Kubat

YOUNG CINEMA AWARD (in partnership with Netpac)

Rohan Parashuram Kanawade 'Cactus Pears' (Sabar Bonda)

FIAPF AWARD

Greer Simpkin (Australia)

2025 MPA APSA ACADEMY FILM FUND RECIPIENTS

Anocha Suwichakornpong 'Fiction' Thailand

Kareem Abeed 'Where is My Father' Syria

Yosep Anggi Noen and Gita Fara 'The Sea Speaks His Name' Indonesia

Thien An Pham and Jeremy Chua 'Heaven in a Wildflower' Vietnam

FILMMAKER FORUM AWARD (presented by The Post Lounge Group)

Prabhath Gurung 'Son of a Honey Hunter'

The ceremony was held at The Langham Hotel on Australia's Gold Coast, which celebrated filmmaking excellence from 24 countries and regions across the Asia Pacific.

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