Hosted by Angela Chow, Archie Kao and Lisa S., a total of 18 awards were handed out at the star-studded event on 21st March 2011. Attended by big names such as Harvey Weinstein, Tony Leung (above), Chow Yun Fat, Joan Chen, Yofan and Sally Yeh, the jubilant atmosphere was obviously eclipsed by the aftermath of the Japanese earthquake. While the presenters and winners took turns sending their best wishes to Japan, monetary contributions were secured for relief efforts on and off stage. Feng Xiao Gang (below), after winning the box office award for Aftershock, announced that two of the investors in Aftershock – Media Asia and Huayi Brothers – are donating 500,000 Chinese yuan. Moet & Chandon, while getting their fair share of publicity backstage, also pledged HK$180,000.   

Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s enigmatic Uncle Boomnee Who Can Recall His Past Lives scored Best Film award, beating out Chinese favourites Let the Bullets Fly and Aftershock.

Xu Fan (below) secured a Best Actress award for her portrayal of a psychologically-scarred woman in Aftershock.

The South Korean entourage snapped up five awards and became the big winner of the night. Lee Chang-dong (below)’s poignantly-scripted Poetry won him Best Screenplay and Director.  

Ha Jung-woo took centre stage for his best actor portrayal of a ruthless murderer in The Yellow Sea. Yoon Yeo-jeong was honoured for her supporting role in The Housemaid, while the Best Editing Award went to Nam Na-young (below) for I Saw the Devil. 

Kim dong-ho (below, left), the founder and current honorary director of the Busan International Film Festival, received the Asian Film Award special prize for Outstanding Contribution to Asian Cinema.

Taiwanese heartthrob Mark Chao (below) took home the Newcomer Award for Monga, a period gangster drama directed by Doze Niu and set in the old quarters of Taipei.

Veteran Hong Kong producer Raymond Chow was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Largely credited for launching the careers of world-renowned martial artists Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, Chow also co-founded Golden Harvest, a Hong Kong film production and distribution company, in 1970.

 
And without further ado, the full list of the 2011 Asian Film Award winners:

Film: Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, Apitchatpong Weerasethakul (Thailand)

Director: Lee Chang-dong, Poetry (South Korea)

Actor: Ha Jung-woo, The Yellow Sea (South Korea)

Actress: Xu Fan, Aftershock (China/Hong Kong)

Newcomer: Mark Chao, Monga (Taiwan)

Supporting Actor: Sammo Hung, Ip Man 2 (Hong Kong)

Supporting Actress: Yoon Yeo-jeong, The Housemaid (South Korea)

Screenwriter: Lee Chang-dong, Poetry (South Korea)

Cinematographer: Mark Lee, Norwegian Wood (Japan)

Production Designer: Yuji Hayashida, 13 Assassins (Japan)

Music Score: Indian Ocean, Peepli Live (India)

Editing: Nam Na-young, I Saw the Devil (South Korea)

Visual Effects: Phil Jones, Zhang Yan-ming, Aftershcok (China/Hong Kong)

Costume Designer: William Chang, Let The Bullets Fly (China/Hong Kong)

Lifetime Achievement: Raymond Chow

Outstanding Contribution to Asian Cinema: Kim Dong-ho

Promotion of Asian Cinema: Fortissimo Films

2010 Top-Grossing Film: Aftershock