‘Loktak Lairembee’ shines again at 11th Asia Pacific Screen Awards

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | Nov 24

After being nominated yesterday in the category of Cultural Diversity Award under the patronage of UNESCO of the prestigious 11th Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA), Brisbane, Manipuri film ‘Loktak Lairembi’ was announced to be in the Special Mention in the category.

Awards in APSA are considered to be the Academy Awards of the Asia Pacific region. There were 41 films from 21 countries and areas of the Asia Pacific region that have received nominations in 2017, including the first nomination for a film from Bhutan. ‘Loktak Lairembi’ directed by Haobam Paban Kumar was one among the prestigious films to have been recognised and given special mention.

Indian films which have nominations in APSA, included two nominations for Manipuri film ‘Loktak Lairembi’, which also included for Shehnad J Jalal in best cinematography. Filmmaker, Sanal kumar Sasidharan was also nominated for best director for the film ‘Sexy Durga’. However, Amit V Masurkar and Mayank Tewari won the best screenplay award for the film ‘Newton’, along with best actor award by Rajkummar Rao in the same film.

Chairman of Asia Pacific Screen Awards and its Academy, Michael Hawkins said that amongst the nominees there are not only a great number of newer filmmakers, but also a large number of filmmakers who are already a part of the growing Asia Pacific Screen Academy, which was created precisely to encompass and connect the large body of talented filmmakers in the Asia Pacific region.

The nominations were drawn from the 298 films that were in competition for APSA. The nominees were decided by the International Nominations Council from 47 Asia Pacific countries and areas. Across all awards and achievements throughout, the films were judged by two international juries, with films from Australia, Japan and People’s Republic of China in the nomination tally with six each.