The prestigious Asian Academy Creative Awards today announced the National Winners who will represent their countries and territories at the Grand Awards and Gala Final in Singapore this December.
These winners from 16 nations and territories, showcase the pinnacle of creativity and innovation across Asia-Pacific, competing in 41 categories for the ultimate prize — the revered golden “Goddess of Creativity” statuette.
2024: A Record-Breaking Year
This year has been a landmark for the Asian Academy Creative Awards, with entries up year-on-year, reflecting the region’s ever-growing influence on the global entertainment industry. A record number of companies submitted entries in 2024, highlighting the strength and diversity of creative talent across Asia-Pacific.
Additionally, a record number of Members of Jury were involved in adjudicating the National Round of judging, underscoring the prestige and rigorous evaluation process that ensures only the very best make it to the Grand Awards.
BY THE NUMBERS
There’s always a fierce sub-battle between entrant companies as National Wins are eagerly counted. Here’s how it panned out:
Netflix : 33 in their own right
WBD & CNN : 21
Mediacorp : 20 (plus another 7 courtesy of production partners including WAWA and August Pictures with 3 each)
VIU : 18 (including Makerville in HK)
Astro Malaysia : 16
Prime Video : 15 including those via production partners across the region
GMA Philippines : 13
TVB Hong Kong : 10
PT Surya Indonesia : 10
iQIYI : 9 for Chinese Mainland
Vidio Indonesia : 9
CJ ENM : 9 (including Studio Dragon)
Hunan TV / Mango TV claimed 8
PTS Taiwan : 8
ABS-CBN Philippines : 7
GMMTV Thailand : 7
NHK Japan : 6
FujiTV Japan : 5
BOY SWALLOWS 6 NATIONAL WINS
Australian drama series “Boy Swallows Universe” (Netflix) was a stand out with National Wins including Best Drama Series and nods for Felix Cameron and Primetime Emmy and Golden Globes nominated Simon Baker.
New Zealand’s South Pacific Pictures scores 3 national wins as did the Australian Children’s Television Foundation. Oscar and Emmy nominated, golden globe winner Rachel Griffiths’ “Madam” will fly the NZ flag for Best Comedy Programme.
For Chinese Mainland, heavyweight streamer iQIYI claimed 9 wins with the quirky rural drama “To The Wonder” challenging in 4 categories including Best Direction (Fiction), Best Drama Series and Best Actress in a Leading role thanks to the award winning Ma Yili
When it came to Best Drama Series, India’s judges opted for the quirky fantasy drama “Barzakh” (Limboland) from Zee. The scripted categories were hard fought with “Amar Singh Chamkila” scoring 4 for Netflix including Best Feature Film. “Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar” scored 3 including a Best Actress nod for Manisha Koirala. The “Railway Men” gained two wins for Netflix including Best Actor for veteran Kay Kay Menon.
The Netflix documentary “The Hunt For Veerappan” will represent India in three categories. For Japan “City Hunter” collected 4 AACA national laurels including Best Feature Film and Ryohei Suzuki collected a Best Actor National Win to go with his Best Comedy nod.
Netflix shows dominated in Korea with the much lauded CJENM’s “Queen of Tears” picking up wins for Best Direction Fiction and Best Screenplay. “Mask Girl” collected both supporting actor and actress categories thanks to former BIFF Best Actor winner Ahn Jae-hong and Yeom Hye-ran. Best Drama was claimed by “Atypical Family” by SLL.
AACA President and Emmy Award-winning producer Michael McKay said “We are proud to celebrate the exceptional talent that has emerged this year. The level of competition has been truly remarkable, and with a record number of entries and judges participating, we are excited to host these incredible events at Singapore’s historic Capitol Theatre in December.”
A GRAND CELEBRATION OVER TWO NIGHTS
Night 1: Grand Awards Dinner – December 3rd, 2024
The Grand Awards will kick off the two night showcase with an exclusive, invitation-only, sit-down dinner, catered by the luxurious Kempinski Hotel. This elegant event honours the exceptional talent behind some of the region’s top content and productions, especially in non-scripted, factual and kids categories.
ACCA President, Michael McKay, always finds this particular night interesting “before and especially after the ceremony it’s a real night for networking and you’ll catch industry heavyweights locked in earnest discussion off to the side, distributors are busy at work, co-productions are being forged, there are deals being done, it’s great to see”.
Night 2: Gala Final – December 4th, 2024
The Gala Final is when the industry puts on a show as it recognises the best scripted shows, outstanding on-screen performances, and key behind-the-scenes contributions. With the event at its new home, Singapore’s historic Capitol Theatre, fans can once again join the excitement with access to prime balcony seating and the red-carpet fan zone, where they can cheer on their favourite stars.
NATIONAL WINNERS CONFERENCE – A KEY FESTIVAL FEATURE
As part of the wider festival, the National Winners Conference will take place across both days, offering up to 14 panels and keynote sessions featuring guest moderators, speakers, and award winning creatives. This highly anticipated event is renowned for fostering important industry connections, with attendees using the platform to discuss international co-production opportunities, network, and gain valuable insights into award-winning works from across the region.
ADVT.
This article is brought to you by Asian Academy Creative Awards.
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