AUSTRALIAN FILMS WIN THREE ASIA PACIFIC SCREEN AWARDS,
INCLUDING BEST FEATURE FILM
Acclaimed Australian film Samson & Delilah has won the Best Feature Film Award at the
third annual Asia Pacific Screen Awards, announced tonight on the Gold Coast,
Queensland, Australia.
Produced by Kath Shelper and written and directed by Warwick Thornton, Samson & Delilah
previously won the Camera d’Or prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, six major awards
at the recent Inside Film Awards in Australia and has been nominated for 13 Australian Film
Institute Awards. Representing the first time an Australian film has been nominated in this
category of the APSA’s, Samson & Delilah competed against films from China, Iran and the
Palestinian Territories for Best Feature Film. Warwick Thornton was on the Gold Coast to
accept the award.
Mary and Max, produced by Melanie Coombs and written and directed by Adam Elliott, was
awarded Best Animated Feature and the Australian documentary Ghandi’s Children, by
filmmaker David MacDougall, received a High Commendation from the International Jury.
The Asia Pacific Screen Awards, the region’s highest accolade in film in 2009, were
presented tonight at a glittering ceremony on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia,
attended by more than 800 film industry luminaries from the Asia-Pacific region, and around
the world.
Thirty seven films representing 16 countries and territories were finalists in the Awards, with
winners coming from Australia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Islamic Republic of Iran, Israel,
Palestinian Territories, People’s Republic of China and Thailand and high commendations
for films from Australia, India, Republic of Korea and Russian Federation.
The Awards were determined by an International Jury headed by notable Chinese director
and producer Huang Jianxin, joined by Tahmineh Milani (Islamic Republic of Iran), Gina Kim
(Republic of Korea), Aden Young (Australia), Andrew Pike (Australia) and Pryas Gupta
(India).
Full media release, images of red carpet and ceremony highlights available on
in the APSA Media Centre:
Username: apsa Password: apsamedia
NEWS 
