AIFFA 2025 culminates in star-studded Gala Night
- BT
- 23 minutes ago
- 3 min read
KUCHING, SARAWAK, 16 November 2025 – The 7th edition of the ASEAN International Film Festival & Awards (AIFFA) reached its spectacular conclusion last night with the highly anticipated AIFFA 2025 Gala Night & Awards Ceremony. Held at the Colosseum Ballroom, Pullman Hotel Kuching, the grand celebration recognised the finest contributors to ASEAN cinema, following an eventful day that captured the public’s attention. The festival’s influence was highlighted by a record 200 film submissions this year.
The atmosphere was electric as special guest, Hong Kong film star Simon Yam, added international glamour to the star-studded event. Earlier in the day, the celebrity was seen enjoying the local sights on board the Sarawak River Cruise, followed by a meet and greet session, with hundreds of fans crowding the Kuching Waterfront just to catch the film star in person.
The Gala Night & Awards Ceremony itself was graced by the Premier of Sarawak, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari bin Tun Datuk Abang Haji Openg. Also present were Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah and his deputies, Datuk Sebastian Ting Chiew Yew (Tourism) and Datuk Snowdan Lawan (Creative Industry and Performing Arts).
The Gala Night saw 14 awards given out to filmmakers, screenwriters, and film stars in various categories including:
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD - Lav Diaz
ASEAN INSPIRATION AWARD - Simon Yam
ASEAN SPIRIT AWARD - Mbutik (Indonesia)
BEST FILM - Tenement (Cambodia)
BEST DIRECTOR - Pham Thien An for Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell (Vietnam).
BEST ACTOR - Wu Kang-Ren in Abang Adik (Malaysia)
BEST ACTRESS - Yunita Siregar in Home Sweet Loan (Indonesia)
BEST SCREENPLAY - The Gospel of The Beast (Philippines)
BEST FILM EDITING - Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell (Vietnam)
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY - Some Nights I Feel Like Walking (Philippines)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - Sweet Qismina in Babah (Malaysia)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - Ronnie Lazaro in The Gospel of the Beast (Philippines)
SPECIAL JURY AWARDS x 2 - Tegkang (Malaysia) and Waiters (Brunei)
AIFFA Festival Director, Livan Tajang emphasised the blend of experience and fresh perspective in this year’s festival.
“The submissions have been very competitive, with a good combination of veteran industry leaders and fresh talents. This is a good indication of the on-going commitment towards the longevity and continuity of ASEAN films in weaving unique cultures with strong storytelling,” she said.
Head Juror U-Wei Haji Saari commented on the scope of the achievement, stating, “This milestone edition of AIFFA reflects the growing creative power of ASEAN cinema. Two hundred submissions is record-setting and demonstrates both ambition and excellence.”
International juror Herman Van Eyken commented: “Tonight is a celebration of not just film, but culture, identity and innovation. We are truly honoured to have witnessed stories that transcend borders.”
Meanwhile, adding to the glitz and glamour, last night witnessed incredible live entertainment from specially invited artistes. Ruth Sahanaya, the acclaimed Indonesian songstress, enchanted the audience with her mega hit “Kaulah Segalanya” and a rendition of Lea Salonga’s “Reflection”. The legendary Dato’ M Nasir, Malaysian poet, singer-songwriter, composer, producer and actor, performed his hit “Mentera Semerah Padi” while Malaysian singer, choreographer, actress and lifestyle influencer Mimifly delivered her viral single “Serumpun”. The audience was also entertained with performances by Vince Chong and Ronnie.
This year’s AIFFA continued to highlight the power of film in uniting cultures, inspiring new generations, and strengthening creative ties across ASEAN and beyond. And last night’s Gala was definitely proof of that.
