Beijing, China (October 09, 2009) /ChinaNewswire.com/ — Eminent Chinese director, screenwriter and producer Mr Huang Jianxin will be the President of the International Jury for the third annual Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA) to be held on Australia's Gold Coast on November 26.
Huang Jianxin is part of the esteemed group of 'Fifth Generation' filmmakers and is the Chairman of the Beijing Film Director's Association. In a career spanning more than two decades, his films have garnered over 60 major domestic and international awards and his most recent film, Jianguo Daye (Founding a Republic) broke China's all-time weekend box office record for a domestic film when it opened earlier this month. Produced by the China Film Group to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Jianguo Daye (Founding a Republic) features a who's who of iconic Chinese stars including Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Andy Lau, Zhang Ziyi, Leon Lai, Feng Xiaogang and Zhang Guoli.
Previous APSA Jury presidents are renowned Indian actress and humanitarian Shabana Azmi (2007) and Academy Award nominated director, Australia's Bruce Beresford (2008).
APSA Chairman Des Power said, "The People's Republic of China is a great filmmaking nation and the influence of its cinema has been felt around the world for generations. We have great respect for the film heritage of China and their filmmakers."
"Huang Jianxin's repertoire as a filmmaker is outstanding and we are greatly honoured that he has accepted the appointment of Jury President for 2009. I am certain that his breadth of experience will bring valuable leadership to our Jury and the formidable task of choosing winners in the 2009 APSAs."
"China's films are renowned for the way in which they express their culture and their rich and informative history and in a year when China celebrates the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, it is timely that a Chinese filmmaker presides over our International Jury."
APSA has a strong association with the People's Republic of China in both its awards initiative and the television programs it produces in collaboration with CNN International about the films and filmmakers of Asia Pacific. Chinese films represent the highest number of film entries from the 70 countries engaged by APSA. Many of these have reached nominee stage and Hongse Kangbaiyin (The Red Awn) was awarded the Special Jury Prize in 2008.
Several of China's leading film practitioners and alumni of the renowned Beijing Film Academy have served on APSA's International Jury and Nominations Council including Tian Zhuangzhuang (2007 Jury member), Professor Zheng Dongtian (2008 Jury member) and Professor Xie Fei (APSA Nominations Council 2007, 2008, 2009). The China Film Producer's Association is the Official Submitting Organisation for the Asia Pacific Screen Awards.
"We enjoy a very good relationship with the Beijing Film Academy and I commend them for the way in which their graduates have gone on to major careers in film production, not just in China, but also internationally," said Des Power.
Huang Jianxin will be joined on the Jury by Australian playwright and screenwriter David Williamson, Iranian filmmaker Tahmineh Milāni, Indian playwright, screenwriter and director Feroz Abbas Khan and Korean writer/director Gina Kim.
APSA has attracted a record 212 film entries from 43 countries for the 2009 competition. The nominees announcement will be made on Monday, October 12. The winners are determined by the International Jury ahead of the third annual Asia Pacific Screen Awards ceremony on November 26, 2009, on Australia's Gold Coast.
APSA is a collaboration between CNN International, UNESCO and FIAPF-International Federation of Film Producers Associations which honours the works of filmmakers across a region covering 70 countries, one third of the earth and half the world's film output. Films are judged on cinematic excellence and the way in which they attest to their cultural origins.
Huang Jianxin is a graduate of the prestigious Beijing Film Academy and is part of the esteemed group of 'Fifth Generation' filmmakers. He is the current Chairman of the Beijing Film Director's Association. His 1985 directorial debut, Black Cannon Incident was selected by the 2005 Hong Kong Film Awards as one of "The Greatest 100 Films in the last 100 years". Black Cannon Incident and Back to Back Face to Face were both included in Asia Week's Top 100 Chinese Films of the 20th Century list. In 2005, Gimme Kudos won the Jury Grand Prix and Best Screenplay prizes at the Shanghai International Film Festival. Huang Jianxin is the co-director of the China Film Group's anniversary celebration blockbuster, Jianguo Daye (Founding a Republic). He is co-owner of Beijing based production company 'We Pictures' and his producer credits include the highly successful The Warlords (starring Jet Li and Andy Lau), Kite Runner, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Empire and he has served as a senior consultant on several international co-productions including Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill. Huang Jianxin's prior experience as a juror includes China's 12th and 26th Golden Rooster Awards, 11th Fukuoka International Film Festival, 25th Cairo International Film Festival and he served as jury president for the 11th Pyongyang International Film Festival.
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