‘Taxi Driver’ named top film at Asian World Film Festival
LOS ANGELES: Jang Hoon’s A Taxi Driver from South Korea took the prize for best picture at the third Asian World Film Festival, while George Takei was given the organisation’s Snow Leopard Lifetime Achievement Award for his work with the LGBT community.
Angelina Jolie and Loung Ung of First They Killed My Father accepted the rising star award on behalf of the film’s lead actress Sreymoch Sareum of Cambodia.
The festival, held at various venues in the Los Angeles area, ran from Oct 25 to Nov 2, screening 37 films from 22 countries.
The awards were handed out on closing night, followed immediately by a screening of Allegiance: The Broadway Musical, a big-screen version of the stage show, with music and lyrics by Jay Kuo, based on Takei’s experiences during the WWII Japanese American internment.
The awards ceremony was hosted by actors Christopher Kriesa (Fresh Off the Boat) and Alexandra Kahwagi, with actress Banyah Maria Choi presenting the awards.
The Snow Leopard for best actor went to Aktan Arym Kubat in Centaur; actress, Anoma Janadari, Burning Birds; special jury award went to Mad World; audience award, Ayla: The Daughter of War.
There were two winners of the new director award: Ana Urushadze (for Scary Mother) and Alexander Hant (for How Victor ‘The Garlic’ Took Alexey ‘The Stud’ to the Nursing Home). Vietnamese actress Ha Phuong earned the spirit award “for dedication and passion.”
The Murray Weissman Poster Art Award was given to Little Gandhi (directed by Sam Kadi, Syria).
A Taxi Driver was handed the prize, labelled Dr Kim’s He Can Do She Can Do Award, which includes a US$10,000 prize. The award is presented by Lighthouse Worldwide Solutions and was chosen by a jury.