An awards ceremony also recognized fellows with outstanding performance during the program. The CHANEL X BAFA Promising Filmmaker Award was presented to Anastassiya Ponomaryova and Nivitha Muralikrishna, each receiving a USD 5,000 cash grant. Special Mention was awarded to Zhang YanCheng.
A new honor introduced this year is the C-47 POST STUDIO Editing Award, which is given to the top fellow in editing, Anahit Barghinyan, accompanied by a DaVinci Resolve Micro Panel and a lifelong Resolve Studio license. Through the ‘Bridge to Hollywood’ workshop co-hosted with the Motion Picture Association, the first place fellow, Amir Zargara, earned a spot in the LA Film Immersion Course. At the same time, the runner-up, Prabhat Gurung, was selected to attend the Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA).
The graduation ceremony also featured a screening of eight short films. These included The Old Man and the Grave¸ depicting an old gravedigger facing a life-threatening situation when a dead man comes back to life in the cemetery; You Never Existed, following Hana, a widow who struggles to decide whether to confide a painful secret to her sister-in-law; The Basket, portraying emptiness seeping into the daily routine of two elderly women in a neighborhood bathhouse; Saranghae, capturing the anxiety and forlornness of a young man cut off from his family during airstrikes in Iran; Sambal Tteokbokki, exploring culture and identity through a dish; Double Knot, reflecting on the meaning of connection across strangeness and familiarity; Bus Stop, unfolding unexpected warmth and comfort in a fragile conversation; and An Exchange, exchanging memories to forget them in a mysterious forest. Many works attracted strong audience interest, reflecting diverse perspectives and fresh sensibilities of the next generation of Asian cinema.
Since its launch in 2005, BAFA has nurtured 454 emerging filmmakers from 35 countries, serving as a springboard for them to lead the future Asian cinema. Reinvigorated by its partnership with Chanel in 2022, BAFA continues to expand its global reach through innovative learning environments and broader networking opportunities.
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Meanwhile, the achievements of BAFA alumni once again stood out in this year’s BIFF selections. A total of 14 alumni films were showcased, including Spying Stars, the Competition title of the 30th BIFF, shot by 2013 alumnus Eeshit Narain; AMOEBA directed and production designed by 2019 alumni Tan Siyou and Sam Manasca, respectively; The Fox King edited by 2010 alumnus Carlo Francisco Manatad and co-produced by 2016 alumnus Cheng Thim Kian; and In the Land of Arto directed by 2007 alumna Tamara Stepanyan, which screened in the Piazza Grande at the Locarno Film Festival.
2025 CHANEL X BIFF Asian Film Academy will further its mission to discover and nurture promising filmmakers across Asia. |
