Streaming sensations: A look at the Asia Contents Awards and Global OTT Awards
The Busan International Film Festival is gearing up for its sixth annual Asia Contents Awards and Global OTT Awards, celebrating the best in Asian television and streaming content. This year, the competition is fierce, with nominees spanning 11 categories.
Leading the pack
PTS Taiwan’s “Imperfect Us” leads the nominations with five nods, closely followed by the Indonesian Netflix series “Cigarette Girl” with four. Notable mentions include Wong Kar-wai’s series debut “Blossoms Shanghai” on Tencent Video and Korea’s “A Killer Paradox” on Netflix, each securing three nominations. Other multiple nominees include Korea’s “Daily Dose of Sunshine” and “Lovely Runner”, as well as the Thai Prime Video series “Enigma”.
Best lead actor (male)
The competition for best lead actor (male) is intense, featuring:
- Hu Ge for “Blossoms Shanghai”
- Yim Si-wan for “Boyhood”
- Choi Woo-shik for “A Killer Paradox”
- Wu Kang Ren for “Living”
- Cho Jin-woong for “No Way Out: The Roulette”
- Sakai Masato for “Vivant”
Best lead actor (female)
In the best lead actor (female) category, the nominees are:
- Dian Sastrowardoyo for “Cigarette Girl”
- Park Bo-young for “Daily Dose of Sunshine”
- Nikaido Fumi for “Eye Love You”
- Ariel Lin for “Imperfect Us”
- Zhou Xun for “Imperfect Victim”
- Kim Hyeyoon for “Lovely Runner”
Best director
The best director category features:
- Alisher Utev for “1286”
- Kamila Andini and Ifa Ifansyah for “Cigarette Girl”
- Patha Thongpan for “Enigma”
- Lim Daehyung and Jeon Gowoon for “LTNS”
- Park Hoonjung for “The Tyrant”
Best original song
A new category this year, best original song, features entries from:
The awards ceremony is set for October 6, promising a night of celebration and recognition for the best in Asian content.
Miguel Gomes: A filmmaker of joyful melancholy
In addition to the awards, the Busan International Film Festival will spotlight Portuguese auteur Miguel Gomes. The program, titled “Miguel Gomes, a Filmmaker of Joyful Melancholy”, will showcase eight of his works, from his 2004 debut “The Face You Deserve” to his latest, “Grand Tour”, which won best director at Cannes 2024.
Films to be screened
The lineup includes:
- “The Face You Deserve”
- “Our Beloved Month of August”
- “Tabu”
- The “Arabian Nights” trilogy
- “The Tsugua Diaries”, co-directed with Maureen Fazendeiro
- “Grand Tour”
A masterclass with Gomes is also planned, offering insights into his unique blend of reality and fantasy, often exploring themes of Portuguese identity.
Anime avalanche: One Piece lands on BBC
The BBC has secured U.K. rights to over 1,000 episodes of the English-dubbed “One Piece” anime series. Based on Eiichiro Oda’s bestselling manga, the show follows Monkey D. Luffy and his crew’s quest for the titular treasure.
Release schedule
BBC iPlayer, in partnership with BBC Three, will release all 10 sagas between September and December, starting with:
All 1085 episodes will be available on BBC iPlayer by the end of the year, marking the first U.K. availability of dubbed versions.
Chainsmokers’ collaboration: A global remix
EDM duo The Chainsmokers have released a new version of their hit “Addicted” featuring Indian artists Guru Randhawa and Jonita Gandhi. The remix, which also includes Brazilian DJ Zerb and German producer Ink, adds Punjabi verses to the dance track.
Production details
The collaboration was orchestrated by The Hello Group and TH3RD BRAIN, with additional production by K-pop veterans Alawn and Taylor Jones. The original “Addicted” has amassed some 140 million collective streams and topped Billboard’s Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart.
Listen to the new version of “Addicted” with additional Punjabi lyrics.
AI artistry: India’s first AI-generated music video
Rochak Kohli and rapper Panther have released the single “Meeh Baras”, featuring what’s billed as India’s first AI-generated music video. The track, distributed by Virgin Music Group India under the R Music label, blends electronic sounds with traditional melodies and pop beats.
Video production
The video, produced by Studio Blo, uses AI to create diverse landscapes and recreate images of the artists within a structured narrative. Over 7,000 images were generated for the project, marking Studio Blo’s entry into music video production. Lyrics are by Gurpreet Saini and Gautam G. Sharma.
Experience the innovative “Meeh Baras” music video.
The Busan International Film Festival runs from October 2-11, with the Asian Contents and Film Market taking place concurrently from October 5-8. This year promises a rich tapestry of cinematic and television excellence, celebrating the diverse and dynamic world of Asian content.