Hamaguchi Ryusuke‘s “All of a Sudden” and Abinash Bikram Shah’s “Elephants in the Fog” led nominations for the 19th Asia Pacific Screen Awards with three nods apiece, as the Asia Pacific Screen Academy unveiled a 36-film slate from 32 countries and regions ahead of the Oct. 30 ceremony in Australia.
“All of a Sudden” (France, Japan, Germany, Belgium) and “Elephants in the Fog” (Nepal, Germany, Brazil, France, Norway) are both nominated for best film, best director and best performance. Hamaguchi and Shah face off in the director race against Sompot Chidgasornpongse for “9 Temples to Heaven,” Aung Phyoe for “Fruit Gathering” and Jennifer Peedom for “Tenzing.”
Three more films round out the best film category with two nominations apiece: Shahrbanoo Sadat’s “No Good Men” (Germany, France, Norway, Denmark, Afghanistan), also up for best performance; Levan Koguashvili’s “Guria” (Georgia, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Türkiye, U.K., Norway, Saudi Arabia), also nominated for best cinematography; and Chidgasornpongse’s “9 Temples to Heaven” (Thailand, Singapore, France, Norway, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Qatar).
APSA also recognizes best screenplay, best cinematography, best youth film, best animated film and best documentary film, with best performance remaining an ungendered category.
According to the Academy, 69% of directors with nominated films are presenting their first or second feature, a trend most pronounced in the youth and animation races: all five best youth film nominees are helmed by first-time directors, and every best animated film contender comes from a first- or second-time filmmaker.
The lineup also highlighted several cross-border pairings, including Virginie Efira and Okamoto Tao, jointly nominated for best performance for “All of a Sudden,” and Ervin Han and Raúl García, the Singaporean and Spanish directing duo behind best animated film contender “The Violinist.”
Tracey Vieira, chair of the Asia Pacific Screen Academy, said: “When you look across this year’s nominations, what really stands out is the level of collaboration behind these films. We are seeing filmmakers and creative teams from countries across the Asia Pacific working together, and in many cases partnering with countries well beyond the region, to bring these stories to the screen.”
Three projects backed by the MPA APSA Academy Film Fund earned nominations this year: “9 Temples to Heaven,” funded in 2021; Sara Ishaq’s “The Station” (Yemen, Jordan, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Qatar), funded in 2019; and Anthony Chen’s “We Are All Strangers” (Singapore), funded in 2023. Submissions for this year’s fund remain open through Sept. 25.
Mandy Walker ASC ACS, the APSA international jury president, said: “Watching and celebrating movies from other cultures only enriches our own experiences and views of the world. I have the honor to be heading the International Jury this year to recognize the achievements of these talented filmmakers.”
The Asia Pacific Screen Forum will run Oct. 28–30 on the Gold Coast ahead of the awards ceremony, with sessions on financing, distribution and cross-border collaboration alongside a masterclass with Walker. Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said: “The Gold Coast is proud to be a creative crossroads for the Asia Pacific, and APSA is a big part of that story.”
FULL LIST OF APSA 2026 NOMINEES:
BEST FILM
“All of a Sudden” (France, Japan, Germany, Belgium), directed by Hamaguchi Ryusuke
“Elephants in the Fog” (Nepal, Germany, Brazil, France, Norway), directed by Abinash Bikram Shah
“No Good Men” (Germany, France, Norway, Denmark, Afghanistan), directed by Shahrbanoo Sadat
“Guria” (Georgia, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Türkiye, U.K., Norway, Saudi Arabia), directed by Levan Koguashvili
“9 Temples to Heaven” (Thailand, Singapore, France, Norway, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Qatar), directed by Sompot Chidgasornpongse
BEST YOUTH FILM
“Big Girls Don’t Cry” (New Zealand), directed by Paloma Schneideman
“Don’t Tell Mother” (India, Australia), directed by Anoop Lokkur
“En Route To” (Republic of Korea), directed by Yoo Jaein
“Funky Freaky Freaks” (Republic of Korea), directed by Han Chang-lok
“Our Share of Sand” (India, U.K., Greece), directed by Shalini Adnani
BEST ANIMATED FILM
“Light Pillar” (China), directed by Xu Zao
“Magic Atlas” (Singapore), directed by Sun Xun
“A Mighty Adventure” (Taiwan, Malaysia, Hong Kong), directed by Toe Yuen
“The Violinist” (Singapore, Spain, Italy), directed by Ervin Han, Raúl García
“Zsazsa Zaturnnah” (Philippines, France), directed by Avid Liongoren
BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM
“32 Meters” (Iran, Türkiye, Qatar), directed by Morteza Atabaki
“Colors of White Rock” (France, Mongolia), directed by Khoroldorj Choijoovanchig
“Baby Jackfruit Baby Guava” (Vietnam, Republic of Korea), directed by Nhật Quang Nông
“One in a Million” (U.K., U.S.), directed by Itab Azzam, Jack MacInness
“Rehearsals for a Revolution” (Czech Republic, Spain), directed by Pegah Ahangarani
BEST DIRECTOR
Hamaguchi Ryusuke, “All of a Sudden” (France, Japan, Germany, Belgium)
Abinash Bikram Shah, “Elephants in the Fog” (Nepal, Germany, Brazil, France, Norway)
Sompot Chidgasornpongse, “9 Temples to Heaven” (Thailand, Singapore, France, Norway, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Qatar)
Jennifer Peedom, “Tenzing” (U.S., Australia)
Aung Phyoe, “Fruit Gathering” (Myanmar, Czech Republic, France)
BEST SCREENPLAY
Ghasideh Golmakani, “Head to Head” (Iran, Germany)
Yashasvi Juyal and Ankit Thapa, “The Ink Stained Hand and the Missing Thumb” (India, U.S., Saudi Arabia)
Mohammed Hammad, “Safe Exit” (Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Qatar, Germany)
Sara Ishaq and Nadia Eliewat, “The Station” (Yemen, Jordan, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Qatar)
Rakan Mayasi, “Yesterday the Eye Didn’t Sleep” (Belgium, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia)
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Batara Goempar, “Four Seasons in Java” (Indonesia, France, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Singapore)
Nguyễn Vinh Phúc, “Hearing” (Vietnam, Singapore, Norway, France, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Cambodia, Thailand, Taiwan)
Gigi Samsonadze and Giorgi Shvelidze, “Guria” (Georgia, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Türkiye, U.K., Norway, Saudi Arabia)
Warwick Thornton, “Wolfram” (Australia)
Emo Weemhoff, “The Burning Giants” (Thailand, Singapore, France, Netherlands)
BEST PERFORMANCE
Virginie Efira and Okamoto Tao, “All of a Sudden” (France, Japan, Germany, Belgium)
Anwar Hashimi, “No Good Men” (Germany, France, Norway, Denmark, Afghanistan)
Pushpa Thing Lama, “Elephants in the Fog” (Nepal, Germany, Brazil, France, Norway)
Ghassan Saad, “Pipes” (Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia)
Yeo Yann Yann, “We Are All Strangers” (Singapore)
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