MANILA, OCTOBER 19, 2012 – Acclaimed independent filmmakers Brillante Mendoza, Chris Martinez and veteran actress Nora Aunor are vying for awards at this year’s Asia-Pacific Screen Awards.
Mendoza was nominated for Best Director for his Venice entry "Thy Womb," and its lead star Aunor for Best Actress. Meanwhile, Martinez is vying for best screenplay for "Ang Babae sa Septic Tank".

Mendoza is competing alongside India’s Anurag Kashyap for “Gangs of Wasseypur”, China’s Cheng Er for “Lethal Hostage”, Iran’s Khosro Masoumi for “Khers” (“Bear”), and Turkey’s Reis Çelik for “Lal gece” (“Night of Silence”).
Other players in the Best Screenplay category are China’s Cheng Er for “Lethal Hostage”, Turkey and Greece’s Emin Alper for “Tepenin Ardi” (“Beyond the Hill”), Turkey’s Reis Çelik for “Lal gece” (“Night of Silence”), and Pakistan’s Shoaib Mansoor for “Bol”.
Aunor’s contenders include South Korea’s Cho Min-Soo for “Pieta", Russia’s Darya Ekamasova for “Zila bila odna baba” (“Once Upon a Time There Lived a Simple Woman”), Pakistan’s Humaima Malick for “Bol” and India’s Vidya Balan for “The Dirty Picture”.
Founded in 2007, the Asia-Pacific Screen Awards to recognize and promote cinematic excellence and cultural diversity in the Asia-Pacific region. This year’s APSA awards will be held on November 23 in Brisbane, Australia.
