CHINA: Iranian film 'A Separation' wins top awards at the 6th Asian Film Awards in Hong Kong

Record ID: 205058

  • Title: CHINA: Iranian film 'A Separation' wins top awards at the 6th Asian Film Awards in Hong Kong
  • Date: 20th March 2012
  • Summary: 'A SEPARATION' BEING PLAYED ON SCREEN
  • Embargoed: 4th April 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: China, Hong Kong, China
  • City:
  • Country: Hong Kong
  • Reuters ID: LVA6K16T1QW9QEEKIRFD548S1V06
  • Story Text: Iranian film "A Separation" took home the top prizes including best film, and best director at the Asian Film Awards on Monday (March 19), winning four out of five nominations it received at the Asian top film event. The two other awards were for best screenwriter and best editor.
    'A Separation' won the Oscar for best foreign language film last month, becoming the first Iranian movie to win the honour and the second to be nominated for one.
    It has received almost universal critical acclaim, gracing many top 10 lists for the best movies of 2011.
    "I'm very happy that this film has been received so warmly from all the people from around the world and this is very successful for us. It's a huge success," said the film's lead actress, Iranian Leila Hatami on the red carpet before the event, who was clad in a black Islamic headscarf and accompanied by her two small children and husband.
    Thirty-two films from across the region vied for the 14 prizes during the 6th Asian Film Awards which attracted a glitzy crowd at Hong Kong's harbourside convention centre.
    "I'm wearing quite a few wonderful things on myself. A very nice Escada dress, a Ferragamo clutch and De Beers diamonds. I'm worth millions tonight," said singer and actress Karen Mok.
    The only nomination that it did not win was in the best actress category, which went to Hong Kong's veteran actress Deanie Ip for her role in the film "A Simple Life".
    "This is the best film I ever made. So I'm lucky, I am, I really am. Yes," said Ip before winning the award.
    Written and directed by Asghar Farhadi, who was not able to attend the ceremony, the domestic drama focuses on a couple going through a divorce and touches on traditions, justice, and male-female relationships in modern Iran.
    "Honestly, I've never thought about this question. But I think films are there to touch people and has an impact. And good films are really big roles in our societies. So it will certainly have an impact, it will change it in a good way," said Hatami who collected the awards on Farhadi's behalf, when asked if the film highlighted gender inequalities in Iran.
    Made for $800,000, the film has generated more than $13 million in worldwide box office sales, according to the web site Box Office Mojo, including $2.6 million in the U.S.
    Farhadi, who works and lives in Iran, has been reluctant to entertain theories that his film is a parable for the struggles between Iran's young dissidents and its paternalistic mullahs, saying it is up to audiences to take from the movie what they will.
    Others have interpreted "A Separation" as a comment on class differences, or as a critique of Iran's justice system, or a clash between modernity and tradition.
    Farhadi made the movie under Iranian censors who impose strictures on filmmakers in the name of Islamic morality and national morale. But he has said he was not confronted with censorship.
    Award-winning Iranian director Jafar Panahi was sentenced to jail in 2010 and banned from making any more films. Farhadi has spoken up for Panahi, putting himself in the line of fire from hardliners in the Iranian government.
    But Farhadi has also criticized fellow Iranians who emphasize state censorship in order to promote their movies abroad, saying they are as morally culpable as the government officials who censor them.
    Indonesian actor Donny Damara was delighted to win best actor for his role in Indonesian film "Lovely Man", a film about a transgender street walker in Jakarta and his relationship with his abandoned daughter.
    "First things first. Thanks to Asian Film Awards for supporting Indonesian films," said Damara who said his family were very supportive despite the controversial role.
    "Well I dedicated this trophy for Indonesian films. For sure," he added.
    "Well it certainly is a joy being here tonight with so many fellow Asian actors and film makers," said Deanie Ip, a veteran Hong Kong actress who has not graced the silver screen for many years, after winning best actress for her role in 'A Simple Life', directed by Ann Hui who was honoured for her life's work at the ceremony with the Lifetime Achievement Award. She is the first female director to receive the award.
    "And so my lifetime achievement can said to be part of the achievement of the Hong Kong film festival," said Hui.
    But far from resting on her laurels, Hui said the award had inspired her to work more.
    "I'm working on several but it's not yet been decided which will be shot next," she said.
    The film is about a domestic helper, played by Ip, that has worked for the same family for more than half a century and raised the character played by Hong Kong superstar, Andy Lau.
    The film, based on the true experiences of its producer Roger Lee, and backed by China's Poly Bona and Andy Lau's Focus Films premiered at the 67th International Venice Film Festival last year and took home many accolades in Italy.

    The full list of awards follows:
    Best Film: A Separation (Iran)
    Best Director: Asghar Farhadi (A Separation -- Iran)
    Best Actor: Donny Damara (Lovely Man -- Indonesia)
    Best Actress: Deanie Ip (A Simple Life -- Hong Kong)
    Best Newcomer: Ni Ni (The Flowers of War -- Mainland China)
    Best Supporting Actor: Lawrence Ko (Jump! Ashin -- Taiwan)
    Best Supporting Actress: Shamaine Buencamino (Nino -- The Philippines)
    Best Screenwriter: Asghar Farhadi (A Separation -- Iran)
    Best Cinematographer: Jake Pollock, Lai Yiu-fai (Wu Xia -- Mainland China/ Hong Kong)
    Best Production Designer: Yee Chung-man, Sun Li (Wu Xia -- Mainland China/ Hong Kong)
    Best Composer: Chan Kwong-wing, Peter Kam, Chatchai Pongprapaphan (Wu Xia -- Mainland China/ Hong Kong)
    Best Editor: Hayedeh Safiyari (A Separation -- Iran)
    Best Visual Effects: Wook Kim, Josh Cole, Frankie Chung (The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate -- Hong Kong/Mainland China)
    Best Costume Designer: Yee Chung-man, Lai Hsuan-wu (The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate -- Hong Kong/Mainland Chia)
    The Edward Yang New Talent Award: Edwin (Indonesia)
    Lifetime Achievement Award: Ann Hui (Hong Kong)
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