Asian Academy Creative Awards Named National Winners
The awards recognized 335 winners across 18 countries in a multi-round judging process.
Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Film — General
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The Asian Academy Creative Awards have announced 335 National Winners across 39 categories. These winners represent 18 different countries and will now advance to an international judging round.
Why it matters
The organization utilizes a two-round judging system, with jurors from 38 countries participating to ensure regional representation before the final international selections are made.
Mediacorp led the count with 23 nominations, while Prime Video India and Astro Malaysia each secured 19 nods. The best feature film category alone accounts for nine of the selected National Winners.
The players
Mediacorp
This is a major media company based in Singapore that provides television, radio, and digital content services.
Norhanisham bin Muhammad
He was a film director who received a posthumous nomination for best direction.
Prime Video India
This is an international subscription video streaming service operated by Amazon.
Astro Malaysia
This is a leading Malaysian media and entertainment group that provides television and digital content.
The details
The selection process involves two distinct stages, where National Winners represent their home territories before competing on a global stage. Notable entries include the Malaysian film Forbidden Night with four nominations, and the Indonesian film Levitating and Singaporean film The Violinist, each earning three nods.
Timeline
May 2026: Director Norhanisham bin Muhammad passed away.
September 30, 2026: The list of National Winners was officially announced.
December 3, 2026: The gala awards ceremony is scheduled for Singapore.
Industry Dynamics
The awards highlight the ongoing growth of regional content production in the Asia Pacific market. This reflects a broader trend of streaming platforms and local broadcasters competing for prestige in high-quality storytelling.
The nominations highlight top-tier regional productions that audiences can look for on streaming services like Prime Video or local networks. Viewers can track these titles to see which international films and programs emerge as the final global winners in December.
The takeaway
The diverse list of nominees showcases the increasing visibility of Asian cinema on the global stage. Fans of international film can use these nominations to explore high-quality storytelling that has already been vetted by a multi-national jury.
What happens next
The gala awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on December 3, 2026, in Singapore.
Further reading
Discover more about the latest developments in global cinema in the Film — General section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Screen.
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Should the film industry prioritize more investment in regional content from across the Asia Pacific?
