Asia Pacific Screen Awards

Overview

The Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA) honor cinematic excellence from 78 countries and areas across the Asia-Pacific region, spanning East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Oceania. The ceremony takes place annually on the Gold Coast, Australia. APSA is supported by UNESCO and FIAPF (International Federation of Film Producers Associations).

The 18th APSA ceremony took place November 27, 2025 at The Langham Hotel on the Gold Coast, supported by major partner Jewel Gold Coast. Jafar Panahi's It Was Just an Accident (Un simple accident) won Best Film, with Panahi also taking Best Director. The film, a co-production between Iran, France, and Luxembourg, had previously won the Cannes Palme d'Or. Entries came from 24 countries and regions. Full rules and submission details are available at asiapacificscreenawards.com.

The 19th APSA ceremony is scheduled for October 30, 2026 on the Gold Coast.

Eligibility and Submission

APSA does not accept open submissions. Films enter the competition through one of three pathways:

1. Submitting Member Organisation: Films are selected by a national film organization to represent their country or area
2. APSA International Nominations Council: The council and Executive Chairman directly invite films to enter
3. APSA Academy Members: Academy members may submit their own productions for consideration

Films may also be submitted via FilmFreeway, but must meet the eligibility criteria. Submissions for the 2025 cycle closed August 23. The submission process requires a high-quality online screener (with English subtitles for non-English entries), three high-quality digital film stills (minimum 300dpi), and an electronic press kit.

The Test: Eligibility Criteria

APSA uses a points-based eligibility system called "The Test" to determine whether a film qualifies as a film from the Asia-Pacific region. A film must score at least 9 out of 12 possible points in Content and at least 10 out of 19 possible points in Creatives.

Content (maximum 12 points):

• Subject matter or underlying material from or about the Asia-Pacific region
• Over 50% set in the Asia-Pacific region (films set outside the region dealing with Asia-Pacific diaspora receive a maximum of 2 points)
• Lead characters from the Asia-Pacific region
• Original dialogue in a language from the Asia-Pacific region (silent films receive maximum 3 points)

Creatives (maximum 19 points):

• Director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer, editor, composer, and lead performers must be predominantly from the Asia-Pacific region (born in the region, holding a passport from the region, or normally residing there)
• Additional points for APSA Academy member involvement in key roles

The Executive Director of APSA has discretion to make case-by-case exceptions, particularly for co-productions where non-Asia-Pacific countries have provided major producing support.

General Requirements

• Feature-length: over 60 minutes for fiction and youth films, over 40 minutes for animated and documentary films
• Must have been presented at an international film festival, theatrically released, or released on a VOD platform
• Must have had its world premiere, international premiere, or theatrical release between August 1, 2024 and October 31, 2025 (for the 2025 cycle)
• All films must be final and complete; no working titles accepted
• APSA Academy members may receive a discounted entry fee

Key Categories

APSA presents awards across the following categories:

Major Awards:

• Best Film
• Jury Grand Prize
• Achievement in Directing (Best Director)
• Best Screenplay
• Best Cinematography
• Best Performance
• Best New Performer

Format Categories:

• Best Animated Film
• Best Documentary Film
• Best Youth Film

Special Awards:

• Cultural Diversity Award - recognizing a film that celebrates cultural identity and tradition
• Young Cinema Award (in partnership with NETPAC) - honoring an emerging filmmaker
• FIAPF Award - for outstanding contribution to the Asia-Pacific screen industry

Funding:

• MPA APSA Academy Film Fund - production funding for past APSA nominees

The MPA APSA Academy Film Fund

The MPA APSA Academy Film Fund is a unique feature that directly supports filmmakers who have been recognized by the awards. Past nominees can apply for production funding, making APSA one of the few awards bodies that provides tangible financial support alongside recognition.

The 2025 fund recipients were:

• Anocha Suwichakornpong for the Thai project Fiction
• Kareem Abeed for the Syrian documentary Where is My Father
• Yosep Anggi Noen and Gita Fara for The Sea Speaks His Name (Indonesia)
• Thien An Pham and Jeremy Chua for Heaven in a Wildflower (Vietnam)
• Prabhath Gurung for Son of a Honey Hunter (Nepal)

All nominated filmmakers are inducted into the APSA Academy and become eligible to apply for the fund.

History

APSA was established in 2007 to highlight and connect film industries across a region that produces the majority of the world's films. The awards use an international jury-based system, with a panel of acclaimed filmmakers and industry figures selecting nominees and winners from a field that can include films from Iran, India, South Korea, Japan, China, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, the Philippines, and dozens of other countries.

The APSA-defined region is based on culture and heritage rather than politics, borders, or boundaries. The 78 countries and areas encompass a wider geographic and cultural range than any other regional film awards. This means an Iranian film, a Korean animation, a Singaporean youth drama, and a Kyrgyz cultural diversity entry can all compete in the same ceremony.

The ceremony moved from Brisbane to the Gold Coast in recent years. The 2025 ceremony was held at The Langham Hotel, with the Asia Pacific Screen Forum running November 19-23 in the lead-up to the awards.

Significance for Filmmakers

For filmmakers from smaller Asia-Pacific industries, APSA provides visibility across a region that includes some of the world's largest film markets. The awards connect filmmaking communities from countries as diverse as Kazakhstan, Fiji, Iran, and the Philippines, fostering co-production relationships and creative exchange.

APSA recognition can translate into international festival circuit attention, distribution deals, and access to the MPA APSA Academy Film Fund. The fund is particularly valuable for filmmakers from regions where production funding is scarce. Past recipients have used the fund for script development, pre-production, and post-production.

For filmmakers whose films may not meet the eligibility criteria for major Western awards (due to language, distribution, or release timing), APSA offers an alternative path to international recognition. The awards do not require a U.S. theatrical release, making them accessible to films that premiere at regional festivals or stream on domestic platforms.

The 2025 winners illustrate the breadth of the region: Best Film went to an Iranian-French-Luxembourg co-production, Best Cinematography to an Indonesian film, Best Screenplay to a Japanese-French-Singaporean-Philippine-Indonesian-Qatari co-production, Best Performance to a Hong Kong actor, and the Young Cinema Award to an Indian-British-Canadian co-production. No other awards body covers this geographic and cultural range.

Recent Winners

2025 (18th APSA):

• Best Film: It Was Just an Accident (Iran, France, Luxembourg) - Directed by Jafar Panahi
• Jury Grand Prize: Lost Land (Harà Watan) (Japan, France, Malaysia, Germany) - Directed by Akio Fujimoto
• Best Director: Jafar Panahi, It Was Just an Accident
• Best Screenplay: Chie Hayakawa, Renoir (Japan, France, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, Qatar)
• Best Cinematography: Batara Goempar, Samsara (Indonesia)
• Best Performance: Sean Lau, Papa (Hong Kong)
• Best New Performer: Yui Suzuki, Renoir (Japan, France, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, Qatar)
• Best Animated Film: The Square (Republic of Korea) - Directed by Kim Bo-sol
• Best Documentary Film: Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk (France, Palestine) - Directed by Sepideh Farsi
• Best Youth Film: Amoeba (Singapore, Netherlands, France, Spain, Republic of Korea) - Directed by Tan Siyou
• Cultural Diversity Award: Black Red Yellow (Kyrgyzstan) - Directed by Aktan Arym Kubat
• Young Cinema Award: Rohan Parashuram Kanawade, Cactus Pears (India, UK, Canada)
• FIAPF Award: Greer Simpkin (Australia)

Voting Process

APSA uses an international jury system rather than a membership voting model. Separate juries evaluate different categories. The main jury selects winners for Best Film, Jury Grand Prize, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Performance, and Best New Performer. A dedicated documentary jury evaluates Best Documentary Film. The Animation and Youth Film categories have their own assessment panels.

Jury members are working film professionals from across the Asia-Pacific region. The jury evaluates entries based on artistic merit and craft excellence rather than commercial popularity. All nominated filmmakers are inducted into the Asia Pacific Screen Academy, giving them voting eligibility for future ceremonies and access to the MPA APSA Academy Film Fund.

Eligibility Quirks That Trip People Up

• Mistake: Assuming any film from an Asia-Pacific country automatically qualifies. Correct rule: APSA uses a points-based system called "The Test." A film must score at least 9 of 12 points in Content and 10 of 19 points in Creatives. Co-productions with non-Asia-Pacific countries may lose points unless the Executive Director grants an exception.
• Mistake: Submitting a film that has not had a festival premiere or theatrical release. Correct rule: Films must have been presented at an international film festival, theatrically released, or released on a VOD platform. A film with only a domestic TV broadcast does not qualify.
• Mistake: Entering through open submission without a national organization or Academy invitation. Correct rule: APSA does not accept open submissions in the traditional sense. Films enter through a Submitting Member Organisation, an invitation from the APSA International Nominations Council, or via Academy member self-submission. FilmFreeway submissions must still meet all eligibility criteria.
• Mistake: Missing the August 23 submission deadline. Correct rule: The deadline is firm. Late submissions are not accepted regardless of circumstances. The 2026 cycle deadline will differ, so check the APSA website for current year dates.

Prestige Tier

APSA ranks as the top regional film award for the Asia-Pacific. It sits below the Cannes Palme d'Or, Venice Golden Lion, and Berlin Golden Bear in global recognition. It sits alongside the Asian Film Awards and the Busan International Film Festival awards in regional scope. For filmmakers from smaller Asia-Pacific industries, APSA provides visibility that no national award can match. The MPA APSA Academy Film Fund sets APSA apart from peer awards by offering direct production funding of $25,000 per recipient. No comparable regional award provides this level of financial support to nominees.

What Filmmakers Should Know

If you are an Asia-Pacific filmmaker planning an APSA entry, first determine your pathway: national organization submission, Academy member self-submission, or Nominations Council invitation. The key trade-off: APSA delivers maximum regional visibility across 78 countries and areas but carries less weight with Western distributors than a Cannes or Venice selection. For films targeting both regional and international markets, APSA recognition complements rather than replaces a European festival strategy. The points-based eligibility system rewards films with deep Asia-Pacific creative involvement. Co-productions with Western partners should verify their point totals before submitting. The MPA APSA Academy Film Fund offers $25,000 grants to nominated filmmakers, making APSA one of the few awards that provides tangible production funding alongside recognition. All nominees join the APSA Academy, which opens networking connections across the region.

Watch

See Also

For understanding how Asia-Pacific cinema connects to international distribution, see Distribution Deals Explained. To model revenue across global markets, use the Revenue Forecast Calculator. For evaluating the cost of submitting to multiple award categories against projected career returns, use the Ad Spend Break-Even Calculator.