‘Shoplifters’ Leads Asia Pacific Screen Awards Nominations

By Patrick Frater

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – “Shoplifters,” the Japanese drama that won the Palme d’Or at Cannes this year, leads the race for the Asia Pacific Screen Awards. It is nominated for best film and in in two other categories.

The four other films nominated for best feature film are: Lee Chang-dong’s “Burning” (Korea), Adilkhan Yerzhanov’s “The Gentle Indifference of the World” (Kazakhstan, France), Khavn de la Cruz’s “Balangiga: Howling Wilderness” (Philippines), and Phuttiphong Aroonpheng’s “Manta Ray” (Thailand, China, France).

Nomination in 11 categories were announced on Wednesday. They include 46 films from 22 countries. The awards will be presented at a ceremony in Brisbane, Australia, on Nov. 29, 2018.

This year, films from Japan and China lead the tally with 7 nominations each. Films from Australia, India and Kazakhstan each received 5 nominations. Uzbekistan (actor Karim Mirkhadiyev for his role in “Fortitude”) received a nomination for the first time.

Best director nominations go to: Hirokazu Kore-eda for “”; Ivan Ayr for “Soni” (India); Nadine Labaki for “Capharnaum” (Lebanon), Bruce Beresford for “Ladies in Black” (Australia), and Emir Baigazin for “The River” (Kazakhstan, Norway, Poland).

“The film industry in our culturally diverse region is thriving, and APSA with it, with the award nominations honoring established and developing filmmaking talent from across the Asia Pacific,” said Michael Hawkins, chair of the and its related Academy.

The Academy includes 1,200 of the region’s leading filmmakers and is made up of all nominees, international nominations council, selection panels and international jury members. It provides networking, development and funding opportunities through its MPA APSA Academy Film Fund, and the Asia Pacific Screen Lab.