Osaka Asian Film Festival


The Osaka Asian Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan in March. The festival began in 2005 and currently introduces Asian films.
WWW oaff.jp

History

In December 2005, the Korean Entertainment Film Festival was inaugurated in Osaka to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of Japan–South Korea relations. In 2016, the festival was renamed Osaka Asian Film Festival to include not only Korean films, but also those from East Asian countries, such as Hong Kong, Japan and China. In addition, Malaysian and Thai films from South Asia were also introduced in the 3rd Festival in 2007.
At the 4th festival in 2009, film critic Sōzō Teruoka was appointed the programming director. "From Osaka, to the whole Japan, then to Asia!" was adopted as the theme in order to introduce premiering films and new directors from Japan. From its 4th edition onwards, the festival was held in March at the ABC Hall of Asahi Broadcasting Building in Hotarumachi, with the exception of the 8th festival in 2013. The Audience Award was introduced.
At the 6th festival in 2011, the competition section was established, which awards the Grand Prix, Most Promising Talent Award and ABC Award. Since the beginning, the Asian Meeting Osaka was set up to handle the release and exchange about the films aided by the Cinema Organisation Osaka and produced by new Asian producers. In 2012, the Cinema Organisation Osaka became the Indie Forum as a result of integration of sections, and the organiser was renamed from Osaka Asian Film Festival Executive Committee to Osaka Executive Committee for the Promotion of Moving. In 2015, the Yakushi Pearl Award was established to award the most brilliant performer.
In 2016, the Japan Society from New York City established the JAPAN CUTS Award for films with exceptional excitement and creativity, mainly for Japanese independent films and films screened by Indie Forum.
In 2018, the Housen Short Film Award was established by the Housen Cultural Foundation to award the best short film with length of less than 60 minutes which screen at OAFF as Japan Premieres.

Venues

  • 2005 - 2006 : Recital Hall
  • 2007 : Sogo Hall
  • 2009 - 2012 : ABC Hall
  • 2013 : Umeda Burg 7
  • 2014 onwards: ABC Hall

Past festivals

Korean Entertainment Film Festival 2005 in Osaka

  • Period: 9–23 December 2005
  • "Eve": Current Japan-Korea New Wave
  • "Japanese and Korean Famous Film": To a Nearby Nearby country

Osaka Asian Film Festival 2006 (2nd)

  • Period: 4–30 November 2006
  • Film Selection "Fabulous Asian Movie Stars!"

Osaka Asian Film Festival 2007 (3rd)

  • Period: 2–23 November 2007
  • Special Program: "Movies and Comedies, Million Laughs"

Osaka Asian Film Festival 2009 (4th)

  • Period: 7–22 March 2009
  • Award
  • *Audience Award: ''Love of Siam''

Osaka Asian Film Festival 2010 (5th)

  • Period: 6–14 March 2010
  • Special Programs
  • *In Memory of Yasmin Ahmad
  • *SAPPORO Short Fest 2009 Special screenings
  • Award
  • *Audience Award: Hear Me

Osaka Asian Film Festival 2011 (6th)

Osaka Asian Film Festival 2012 (7th)

Osaka Asian Film Festival 2013 (8th)

Osaka Asian Film Festival 2014 (9th)

  • Period: 7–16 March 2014
  • Sections: Competition, Special Screenings, Indie Forum
  • Special Programs:
  • *Taiwan: Movies on the Move 2014
  • **Mini collection: Taiwanese language films and Japan
  • *Special Focus On Hong Kong 2014
  • **Special Screenings in Memory of Run Run Shaw
  • *Memorial 3.11: Three Years from Great East Japan Earthquake
  • Awards:
  • *Grand Prix: Shift
  • *Most Promising Talent Award: Ha Jung-woo
  • *Best Actress Award: Carina Lau
  • *Special Mention: Anita's Last Cha-Cha
  • *ABC Award: Forever Love
  • *Audience Award: KANO
  • International Competition Jury: Eugene Domingo, Tom Lin Shu-yu, Lina Yang

Osaka Asian Film Festival 2015 (10th)

Osaka Asian Film Festival 2016 (11th)

  • Period: 4–13 March 2016
  • Sections: Competition, Special Screenings, Indie Forum
  • Special Programs:
  • *New Action! Southeast Asia
  • **Vietnamese Cinema in Bloom
  • **Southeast Asia Classic
  • *Taiwan: Movies on the Move 2016
  • *Special Focus On Hong Kong 2016
  • Awards:
  • *Grand Prix: My Sister, the Pig Lady
  • *Most Promising Talent Award: Uisenma Borchu
  • *JAPAN CUTS Award: Somewhere in My Memory
  • *ABC Award: Heart Attack (Freelance)
  • *Yakushi Pearl Award: Ella Chen
  • *Audience Award: Wansei Back Home
  • International Competition Jury: Chairman Yee Chin-yen, Phan Dang Di, Joko Anwar

Osaka Asian Film Festival 2017 (12th)

  • Period: 3–12 March 2017
  • Sections: Competition, Special Screenings, Indie Forum
  • Special Programs:
  • *In & Out of Work
  • *New Action! Southeast Asia
  • *Special Focus On Hong Kong 2017
  • 130th Anniversary of Thailand-Japan Diplomatic Relations
  • Supported Program: Housen Cultural Foundation: Support for film study and production
  • Awards:
  • *Grand Prix: Mad World
  • *Most Promising Talent Award: Fish Liew
  • *Special Mention: By the Time It Gets Dark
  • *JAPAN CUTS Award: Love and Good Bye and Hawaii
  • *ABC Award: Soul Mate
  • *Yakushi Pearl Award: Iza Calzado
  • *Audience Award: 29+1
  • International Competition Jury: Ho Yuhang, Monster Jimenez. Miho Nakanishi

Osaka Asian Film Festival 2018 (13th)

  • Period: 9–18 March 2018
  • Sections: Competition, Special Screenings, Indie Forum
  • Special Programs:
  • *New Action! Southeast Asia
  • *Special Focus On Hong Kong 2018
  • *Taiwan: Movies on the Move 2018
  • *SANDAAN: 100 Years of Philippine Cinema
  • Supported Program: Housen Cultural Foundation: Support for film study and production
  • Awards:
  • *Grand Prix: No.1 Chung Ying Street
  • *Most Promising Talent Award: Mikhail Red
  • *Best Actress Award: Shuna Iijima
  • *ABC Award: Take Me To the Moon
  • *Yakushi Pearl Award: Ryza Cenon
  • *JAPAN CUTS Award: KUSHINA, what will you be
  • *Housen Short Film Award: CYCLE-CYCLE
  • *Audience Award: Love Off the Cuff
  • International Competition Jury: Phan Gia Nhat Linh, Kim Jung-eun, Lim Kah-wai

Osaka Asian Film Festival 2019 (14th)

  • Period: 8–17 March 2019
  • Sections: Competition, Special Screenings, Indie Forum
  • Special Programs:
  • *New Action! Asia
  • *Special Focus On Hong Kong 2019
  • *Taiwan: Movies on the Move 2019
  • Supported Program: Housen Cultural Foundation: Support for film study and production
  • Awards:
  • *Grand Prix: Maggie
  • *Most Promising Talent Award: BAI Xue
  • *Special Mention: HAN Ka-ram
  • *Special Mention: Bulbul Can Sing
  • *ABC TV Award: Aruna & Her Palate
  • *Yakushi Pearl Award: Nilmini SIGERA
  • *JAPAN CUTS Award: Demolition Girl
  • *JAPAN CUTS Award / Special Mention: WHOLE
  • *Housen Short Film Award: till next time
  • *Housen Short Film Award / Special Mention: 2923
  • *Audience Award: Still Human
  • International Competition Jury: Yvette CHOU, Jakub KROLIKOWSKI, Samantha LEE
  • Housen Short Film Award Jury: Choi Hee-seo, Yoshinori SATO, Kazu WATANABE

Osaka Asian Film Festival 2020 (15th)

  • Period: 6–15 March 2020
  • Sections: Competition, Spotlight, Indie Forum, Special Screenings
  • Special Programs:
  • *New Action! Southeast Asia
  • *Our Lights and Shadows: Celebrating 101 Years of Korean Cinema
  • *Taiwan: Movies on the Move 2020
  • *Special Focus On Hong Kong 2020
  • Supported Program: Housen Cultural Foundation: Support for film study and production
  • Awards:
  • *Grand Prix: Happy Old Year
  • *Most Promising Talent Award: PARK Sun-joo
  • *Best Actor: Hidemasa MASE
  • *ABC TV Award: Write about Love
  • *Yakushi Pearl Award: Leon Dai
  • *JAPAN CUTS Award: The Murders of Oiso
  • *Housen Short Film Award: Hammock
  • *Audience Award: Better Days
  • International Competition Jury: Koyo UDAGAWA, Urara Matsubayashi
  • Housen Short Film Award Jury: Anshul CHAUHAN, Kiyotaka MORIWAKI

Osaka Asian Film Festival 2021 (16th)

  • Period: 5–14 March 2021
  • Sections: Competition, Spotlight, Indie Forum, Special Screenings
  • Special Programs:
  • *New Action! Southeast Asia
  • *Taiwan: Movies on the Move, Classic and Contemporary
  • *Special Focus on Hong Kong 2021
  • Special Screening Supported by Kobe College, Department of English
  • Supported Program: Housen Cultural Foundation: Support for film study and production
  • Awards:
  • *Grand Prix: Ito
  • *Most Promising Talent Award: CHOI Jin-young
  • *ABC TV Award: Sister Sister
  • *Yakushi Pearl Award: Lily LEE
  • *JAPAN CUTS Award: B/B
  • *JAPAN CUTS Award Special Mention: Among Four of Us
  • *Housen Short Film Award: In-young's Camcorder
  • *Audience Award: Ito
  • Competition Jury: Tsukasa ARIYOSHI, Yuka KIMBARA, Takuji SUZUKI
  • Housen Short Film Award Jury: Hiroshi OKUHARA, Noriko YAMASAKI, Satoko YOKOHAMA

Osaka Asian Film Festival 2022 (17th)

  • Period: 10–20 March 2022
  • Sections: Competition, Spotlight, Indie Forum, Special Screenings
  • Special Programs:
  • *Director in Focus: YOKOHAMA Satoko
  • *New Action! Southeast Asia
  • *Taiwan: Movies on the Move 2022
  • *Special Focus on Hong Kong 2022
  • Supported Program: Housen Cultural Foundation: Support for film study and production
  • Awards:
  • *Grand Prix: Aloners
  • *Most Promising Talent Award: Kasho IIZUKA
  • *Competition Special Mention: Anita
  • *ABC TV Award: The First Girl I Loved
  • *Yakushi Pearl Award: Bayarjargal BAYARTSETSEG
  • *JAPAN CUTS Award: Sanka: Nomads of the mountains
  • *Housen Short Film Award: We'll Never Get Lost Together Again
  • *Audience Award: Anita
  • Competition Jury: Shuna IIJIMA, Miyuki TAKEI, Esther YEUNG
  • Housen Short Film Award Jury: Mirai HAYASHI, Takashi KITAKOJI, Kousuke ONO

Osaka Asian Film Festival 2023 (18th)

  • Period: 10–19 March 2023
  • Sections: Competition, Spotlight, Indie Forum, Special Screenings
  • Special Program:
  • *Special Focus on Hong Kong 2023
  • Supported Program:
  • *Housen Cultural Foundation: Support for film study and production
  • Special Presentation:
  • *Expo‘70 Osaka and TAKAHASHI Katsuo
  • Awards:
  • *Grand Prix: Like & Share
  • *Most Promising Talent Award: Kai KO
  • *ABC TV Award: Over My Dead Body
  • *Yakushi Pearl Award: LU Hsiao-fen
  • *JAPAN CUTS Award: When Morning Comes, I Feel Empty
  • *Housen Short Film Award: Swallow Flying to the South
  • *Housen Short Film Award Special Mention: Daddy-To-Be
  • *Audience Award: Day Off
  • Competition Jury: HO Cheuk Tin, HSIEH Pei-ju, Rie TSUKINAGA
  • Housen Short Film Award Jury: Gina S. Noer, Banjong PISANTHANAKUN, Noriko TANAKA, Eric TSANG Hing Weng

Osaka Asian Film Festival 2024 (19th)

  • Period: 1–10 March 2024
  • Sections: Competition, Spotlight, Indie Forum, Special Screenings
  • Special Program:
  • *Thai Cinema Kaleidoscope 2024
  • *Taiwan: Movies on the Move 2024
  • *Special Focus on Hong Kong 2024
  • Special Presentation sponsored by Kobe College, Department of English
  • Special Presentation:
  • *Expo ’70 Osaka and Teshigahara Hiroshi
  • Housen Cultural Foundation-supported programs
  • Awards:
  • *Grand Prix: City of Wind
  • *Most Promising Talent Award: LIEN Chien Hung
  • *ABC TV Award: Salli
  • *Yakushi Pearl Award: CHI Yun
  • *JAPAN CUTS Award: Performing KAORU’s Funeral
  • *JAPAN CUTS Award Special Mention: Blue Imagine
  • *Housen Short Film Award: Sojourn to Shangri-la
  • *Housen Short Film Award Special Mention: On a Boat
  • *Housen Short Film Award Special Mention: Sweet Lime
  • *Audience Award: ''Amalock''