Gold Coast, Australia — The 17th Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA) will celebrate films from across the region, and three films from the Philippines have received nominations. The awards ceremony will be held on 30 November 2024, at The Langham, Gold Coast, with the Asia Pacific Screen Forum running from 27 to 30 November.
Antoinette Jadaone’s Sunshine, Carl Joseph Papa’s The Missing (Iti Mapukpukaw), and the documentary XiXi are the three nominated films. These nominations highlight the contributions of Filipino filmmakers to the region’s film industry.
Sunshine, directed by Antoinette Jadaone, tells the story of a young gymnast who finds out she is pregnant just before an important national tryout. The film was nominated for Best Youth Film and was recently shown at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Carl Joseph Papa’s animated film The Missing (Iti Mapukpukaw) is nominated for Best Animated Film. This sci-fi animation brings a new approach to the category, competing with entries from Japan, Australia, and South Korea.
The documentary XiXi, a joint effort by Taiwan, the Philippines, and South Korea, is directed by Fan Wu and Venice De Castro Atienza. It looks at themes of womanhood through the life of a Chinese performer and is nominated for Best Documentary, a category that features real-life stories from the Asia Pacific region.
These nominations are important for Filipino filmmakers and their communities around the world, including in Australia. The awards, supported by partners like Jewel Private Residences and Screen Queensland, will feature entries from 23 countries. The theme for this year, Land, focuses on identity and storytelling.
The Filipino community in Australia and those interested in cinema can look forward to the event and support the filmmakers representing the Philippines.
