Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia’s poignant drama “All We Imagine as Light” took home the best picture prize at the 18th Asian Film Awards. The film has been on an impressive journey since winning the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival last May. Kapadia praised her lead actors during her acceptance speech, expressing her gratitude and excitement for ending this journey in Hong Kong.

“Thank you so much to my lead actors — three incredible artists and human beings. They are the ones who brought this film to light,” Kapadia said from the stage inside Hong Kong’s gleaming Xiqu Centre, where the ceremony was held. 

“I’m so happy that we could end our journey here in Hong Kong, a city that has meant a lot to me, watching the amazing films from this city over the years,” the director added. 

Legendary Hong Kong filmmaker and martial arts star Sammo Hung served as president of the jury that selected the winners of the 2025 AFAs, Asia’s leading pan-regional cinema honours.

The Best Director award went to Japan’s Yoshida Daihachi for “Teki Cometh”, which previously dominated the Tokyo International Film Festival. Hong Kong actor Sean Lau won Best Actor for “Papa”, celebrating the resilience of Hong Kong’s film industry.

The actor thanked the actors who played his family members in the film and gave a shout-out to the host city’s beleaguered filmmaking community.

“I’m very happy because “Papa” is a Hong Kong-made movie,” Lau said.

Shahana Goswami was named best actress for her role in “Santosh”, while Taiwanese veteran Lee Kang-sheng won best supporting actor for “Stranger Eyes”. 

Despite leading with 11 nominations, South Korea’s “Exhuma” secured only two awards for costume design and visual effects.

“I’d also like to thank myself,” she said. “I feel like I’m always under-confident and I never give myself enough credit, so I want to thank the Asian Film Awards Academy for giving me this vote of confidence.”

Koji Yakusho was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award, celebrating his 45-year acting career and remarkable contributions to Japanese cinema.

“I was truly humbled to hear the names of the past recipients and found myself in awe of such distinguished figures,” Yakusho said. “Receiving this award motivates me to strive for even better work in the remaining years of my acting career.”

The evening was a celebration of Asian cinema’s growing global influence, kicking off a busy month for Hong Kong’s film industry.

See the full list of 2025 Asian Film Award winners below.

BEST FILM

“All We Imagine as Light” (India, France, Netherlands, Luxembourg)

“Black Dog” (Mainland China)

“”Exhuma”” (South Korea)

“”Teki Cometh”” (Japan)

“Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” (Hong Kong)

BEST DIRECTOR

Payal Kapadia – “All We Imagine as Light” (India, France, Netherlands, Luxembourg)

Guan Hu – “Black Dog” (Mainland China)

Jang Jae-hyun – “Exhuma” (South Korea)

Rithy Panh – “Meeting With Pol Pot” (Cambodia, France, Taiwan, Qatar, Türkiye)

Yoshida Daihachi – “Teki Cometh” (Japan)

BEST ACTOR

Eddie Peng – “Black Dog” (Mainland China)

Choi Min-sik – “Exhuma” (South Korea)

Sean Lau – Papa (Hong Kong)

Nagatsuka Kyozo – “Teki Cometh” (Japan)

Michael Hui – “The Last Dance” (Hong Kong)

BEST ACTRESS

Kani Kusruti – “All We Imagine as Light” (India, France, Netherlands, Luxembourg)

Sylvia Chang – “Daughter’s Daughter” (Taiwan)

Kawai Yuumi – “Desert of Namibia” (Japan)

Kim Go-eun – “Exhuma” (South Korea)

Shahana Goswami – “Santosh” (India, United Kingdom, France, Germany)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Mitsuishi Ken – “All the Long Nights” (Japan)

Ikematsu Sosuke – “My Sunshine” (Japan)

Lee Kang-sheng – “Stranger Eyes” (Singapore, Taiwan, France, United States)

Chu Pak Hong – “The Last Dance” (Hong Kong)

Philip Ng – “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” (Hong Kong)

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Maggie Li Lin Lin – “All Shall Be Well” (Hong Kong)

Divya Prabha – “All We Imagine as Light” (India, France, Netherlands, Luxembourg)

Lim Ji-yeon – “Revolver” (South Korea)

Takiuchi Kumi – “Teki Cometh” (Japan)

Yang Kuei-Mei – “Yen and Ai-Lee” (Taiwan)

BEST NEW DIRECTOR

Yamanaka Yoko – “Desert of Namibia” (Japan)

Sora Neo – “Happyend” (Japan, United States)

Dong Zijian – “My Friend An Delie” (Mainland China)

Sandhya Suri – “Santosh” (India, United Kingdom, France, Germany)

Truong Minh Quý – “Viêt and Nam” (The Philippines, France, Singapore, Netherlands, Germany, Italy)

BEST NEWCOMER

Lee Do-hyun – “Exhuma” (South Korea)

Kurihara Hayato – “Happyend” (Japan, United States)

Putthipong Assaratanakul – “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies” (Thailand)

Dylan So – “Papa” (Hong Kong)

Duy Bao Dinh Dao – “Viêt and Nam” (The Philippines, France, Singapore, Netherlands, Germany, Italy)

BEST SCREENPLAY

Wada Kiyoto, Miyake Sho – “All the Long Nights” (Japan)

Payal Kapadia – “All We Imagine as Light” (India, France, Netherlands, Luxembourg)

Jang Jae-hyun – “Exhuma” (South Korea)

Pierre Erwan Guillaume, Rithy Panh – “Meeting With Pol Pot” (Cambodia, France, Taiwan, Qatar, Türkiye)

Mohammad Rasoulof – “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” (Iran, Germany, France)

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Yang Donglin – “A Tapestry of a Legendary Land” (Mainland China)

Choi Yoon-sun – “Exhuma” (South Korea)

Dorjee Dradhul Gurung – “Shambhala” (Nepal, Hong Kong, France, Norway, Qatar, Taiwan, Türkiye, United States)

Miyamoto Mari – “Teki Cometh” (Japan)

Bruce Yu, Karen Yip – “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” (Hong Kong)

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

Huo Tingxiao, Li Chang – “Black Dog” (Mainland China)

Pham Phong Lan – “Don’t Cry, Butterfly” (Vietnam, Singapore, The Philippines, Indonesia)

Seo Sung-kyung – “Exhuma” (South Korea)

Hayashida Yuji – “The Box Man” (Japan)

Kenneth Mak, Chau Sai Hung Ambrose – “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” (Hong Kong)

BEST EDITING

Clément Pinteaux – “All We Imagine as Light” (India, France, Netherlands, Luxembourg)

Rithy Panh, Matthieu Laclau – “Meeting With Pol Pot” (Cambodia, France, Taiwan, Qatar, Türkiye)

William Chang Suk Ping – “My Friend An Delie” (Mainland China)

Jojo Shek – “Papa” (Hong Kong)

Cheung Ka Fai – “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” (Hong Kong)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Hong Kyeong-pyo – “Harbin” (South Korea)

Lv Songye – “My Friend An Delie” (Mainland China)

Aziz Zhambakiyev – “Shambhala” (Nepal, Hong Kong, France, Norway, Qatar, Taiwan, Türkiye, United States)

Shinomiya Hidetoshi – “Teki Cometh” (Japan)

Cheng Siu Keung – “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” (Hong Kong)

BEST ORIGINAL MUSIC

Hi’Spec – “All the Long Nights” (Japan)

Kim Tae-sung – “Exhuma” (South Korea)

Katsumoto Michiaki – “The Box Man” (Japan)

Chu Wan Pin – “The Last Dance” (Hong Kong)

Kawai Kenji – “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” (Hong Kong)

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Danny Yin – “Black Dog” (Mainland China)

Sato Fumiro, Kobari Yasuhiro – “Black Ox” (Japan, Taiwan)

Tomi Kuo, Chiu Chun-Yi – “Dead Talents Society” (Taiwan)

Kim Shin-chul, Daniel Son – “Exhuma” (South Korea)

Lin Chun Yue Jules, Ma Siu Fu, Garrett K Lam, Yee Kwok Leung – “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” (Hong Kong)

BEST SOUND

Zurab Kurmanbayev – “Cadet” (Kazakhstan)

Kim Byung-in – “Exhuma” (South Korea)

Tu Duu-Chih, Tu Tse-Kang – “Stranger Eyes” (Singapore, Taiwan, France, United States)

Yiu Chun Hin, Cheung Man Hoi, To Burnard Davy – “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” (Hong Kong)

Vincent Villa – “Viêt and Nam” (The Philippines, France, Singapore, Netherlands, Germany, Italy)