Internationally-acclaimed Filipino director Lav Diaz and ABS-CBN Chief Content Officer Charo Santos both received nods at this year’s Asian Film Festival for the 2016 revenge film “Ang Babaeng Humayo” (The Woman Who Left).
Diaz is nominated for the Best Director category competing with Na Hong-jin (South Korea), Koji Fukada (Japan), Derek Tsang (China), and Feng Xiaogang (China), while Santos is nominated for Best Actress and is pitted against Son Ye-Jin (South Korea), Fan Bingbing (China), Haru Kuroki (Japan), and Kara Wai (China).
Meanwhile, “The Woman Who Left” is also nominated for best screenplay.
The Asian Film Awards is presented annually by the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society to recognize the excellence of the film professionals in the film industries of Asian cinemas.
Last year was a remarkable year for Philippines Cinema especially after the Cinema One Originals and Sine Olivia Pilipinas produced film won the Golden Lion award at the 73rd Venice Film Festival. It made history as the first Filipino film to win the prestigious award at the world’s oldest film festival.
“Ang Babaeng Humayo” tells the story of Horacia (Charo Santos), a woman seeking revenge after being imprisoned for decades for a crime she didn’t commit.
The 11th Asian Film Awards will be held on March 21 at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre.