Asian Film Awards: South Korean Erotic Thriller ‘The Handmaiden’ Wins Big

South Korean erotic thriller The Handmaiden was the big winner at the 11th Asian Film Awards, held in Hong Kong on Tuesday, taking home four awards including best-supporting actress for Moon So-ri and best newcomer for Kim Tae-ri.

After three years of being held in Macau, the glitzy ceremony moved to Hong Kong this year to mark the 20th anniversary of the handover of the territory from Britain to China. Adding spice to the evening was Park Chan-wook’s critically acclaimed period drama The Handmaiden, which competed for the Palme d’Or in Cannes last year and took home four prizes from the six categories it was nominated in, the other awards coming for best production design and best costume design. 

China’s I Am Not Madame Bovary won the big prize, however, with its best film win, one of three on the night. While accepting the best film award, Bovary director Feng Xiaogang talked about how he had stopped chasing the box office and was focused instead on making films from his heart. The film’s leading lady, Fan Bingbing, was named best actress for her portrayal of a rural woman who challenges the Chinese legal system. Luo Pan won the best cinematography award for the film.

In the other major categories, the best director award went to South Korean helmer Na Hong-jin for the wildly successful period tale The Wailing, and Japan’s Asano Tadanobu won best actor for Harmonium, in which he plays an ex-convict who wreaks havoc on a family. Lam Suet was named best supporting actor for Hong Kong’s fgangster movie Trivisa.

The AFA also honored Hong Kong auteur Tsui Hark with a lifetime achievement award to celebrate the 37 films he has made over a career that spans four decades.

Hong Kong actress Sammi Cheng was also given the Excellence in Asian Cinema Award. Cheng thanked her frequent collaborators Johnnie To, Wai Ka-fai, and Andy Lau.

The 11th Asian Film Awards Full Winners List:

Best Film

I Am Not Madame Bovary

Best Director

Na Hong-jin, The Wailing

Best Actress

Fan Bingbing, I Am Not Madame Bovary

Best Actor

Asano Tadanobu, Harmonium

Best Supporting Actress

Moon So-ri, The Handmaiden

Best Supporting Actor

Lam Suet, Trivisa

Best Newcomer 

Kim Tae-ri, The Handmaiden

Best Editing

Apprentice

Best Production Design

The Handmaiden

Best Costume Design

The Handmaiden

Best Sound

Crosscurrent

Best Original Music

The Age of Shadows

Best Cinematography

I Am Not Madame Bovary

Best Visual Effects

Shin Godzilla