The Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA) today announced the final line-up for its 2009 International Jury with the appointment of two new members, Andrew Pike and Aden Young.
Andrew Pike, from Australia, is a film historian and documentary filmmaker, a producer, film distributor and exhibitor widely known for introducing Australian audiences to Asian cinema in the 1980s.
Aden Young is an accomplished actor, writer and director, seen most recently in the smash hit Maos Last Dancer, directed by APSAs 2008 Jury President, Bruce Beresford. Aden recently completed shooting Julie Bertuccellis The Tree, opposite Charlotte Gainsbourg.
They join Tahmineh Milāni (Islamic Republic of Iran), Feroz Abbas Khan (India), Gina Kim (Republic of Korea) and Jury President Huang Jianxin (Peoples Republic of China).
Australias David Williamson regrettably stepped down from the 2009 Jury due to a scheduling conflict but he looks forward to participating in APSA in future years.
The Jury will meet on Australias Gold Coast next week to commence deliberations and determine winners in the 2009 APSAs. Thirty-seven films from 16 countries and areas are vying for the regions highest accolade in film. Winners will be announced in a ceremony on the Gold Coast on November 26 attended by the nominees and more than 500 film industry luminaries.
An international cultural initiative of the Queensland Government, APSA is a unique collaboration between CNN International, UNESCO and FIAPF-International Federation of Film Producers Associations.
APSA Chairman Des Power said today: I am pleased to welcome Andrew and Aden to our Jury for 2009 and look forward to welcoming this outstanding group of filmmakers to the Gold Coast next week to commence their deliberations. The 37 films in competition this year are a superb representation of the talent and creativity of our diverse region. I trust that the Jurys collective breadth of experience will assist them in the difficult task of choosing winners in the 2009 APSAs.
On accepting his jury appointment, Andrew Pike said: This is a tremendous honour and I look forward to working with my fellow jury members and Jury President Huang Jianxin. I have fond memories of Huang Jianxins visit to Australia in the 1980s when we released his first feature, a savage political satire called The Black Cannon Incident, a film that went on to be selected by the Hong Kong Film Awards as one of the Greatest 100 Films in the last 100 years. He is a gifted filmmaker, especially of irreverent comedies, and is a distinguished figure in Asian cinema.
APSA honours the works of filmmakers across a region covering 70 countries, one third of the Earth and half the worlds film output. Films are judged on cinematic excellence and the way in which they attest to their cultural origins.