Anthony Chen to be on judging panel for Asia Pacific Screen Awards

SINGAPORE - Award-winning Singaporean filmmaker Anthony Chen will sit on the International Jury for this year's Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA).

The appointment was announced on Friday at a special event at the private residence of Mr Philip Green, Australian High Commissioner to Singapore.

This follows Anthony Chen's 2013 APSA win for Achievement in Directing for his debut feature Ilo, Ilo, the first APSA win for a Singaporean film.

The Asia Pacific Screen Awards are held annually in Brisbane, Australia, which is also the venue for the upcoming 2014 G20 Leaders' Summit.

Brisbane-based APSA Chairman Michael Hawkins said it was a great pleasure to announce talented filmmaker Anthony Chen would be a member of the International Jury for 2014.

"It is a special moment for APSA as Mr Chen is the first International Jury member to represent Singapore," Mr Hawkins said. "We look forward to his involvement in the event in Brisbane for the second year in a row."

One of Variety magazine's 10 Directors to Watch, Anthony Chen said APSA was held in high regard because of its discerning and uncompromising quest to recognise the best filmmaking the Asia-Pacific region had to offer.

"It is a real honour for me to return to Brisbane as a jury member and even more special to be judging alongside Jury President Asghar Farhadi, a filmmaker I admire and respect greatly," Mr Chen said.

The Deputy Lord Mayor of Brisbane Cr Adrian Schrinner also attended today's event, along with APSA International Nominations Council member Mr Philip Cheah and members of the Singaporean film industry.

This year's Asia Pacific Screen Awards would be held on Dec 11, a month after the city hosted the 2014 G20 Leaders' Summit.

The awards are supported by Brisbane City Council and managed by economic development board Brisbane Marketing in a unique collaboration with Paris-based UNESCO and FIAPF - International Federation of Film Producers Associations.

They recognise and promote cinematic excellence and cultural diversity of the world's fastest growing film region: comprising 70 countries and areas, 4.5 billion people, and responsible for half of the world's film output.

In 2013, 39 films from 22 countries and areas received award nominations.