HONG KONG, CHINA--The South Korean drama about a mother who searches for a way to acquit her mentally incapacitated son from a murderous charge was named Best Film at the 4th Asian Film Awards held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on March 22.

“Mother” loomed over the Philippines’ “Lola” and other nominees from China (“City of Life and Death”), Taiwan (“No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti”), Japan (“Parade”) and Hong Kong/China (“Bodyguards and Assassins”).

In an interview just minutes before the start of the awards presentation ceremony, “Lola” director Brillante Mendoza told Manila Bulletin Entertainment Online that regardless of the outcome, his film has already done its job of telling the world about “unconditional love among Filipino family members.”

“Hopefully, it will inspire other cultures to strengthen or at the very least, re-examine their family relationships especially those involving the elderly,” said Mendoza.

“Lola” follows the travails of two grandmothers on the opposite sides of the law. Lola Sepa represents the victim---her grandson was murdered by a robber for his cellphone. Meanwhile, Lola Puring has to bail her grandson, the perpetrator, from jail.

Two days before the 4th Asian Film Awards, “Lola” received accolades at the 24th Fribourg International Film Festival in Switzerland. The movie won the Ecumenical Jury Award, the “Don Quijote”-Award of the FICC Jury, and a special mention from the International Jury of the FICC.

Mendoza, who was nominated in the Asian Film Awards Best Director category, bowed out to Chinese filmmaker Lu Chuan for his entry “City of Life and Death” (China), which deals with the Battle of Nanjing during the Second Sino-Japanese War.

The Philippines suffered a third defeat in the Best Editor category. Filipino nominee Kats Serraon (for his work in “Lola”) gave way to Malaysian Lee Chatameikool of “Karaoke” in their category.

Although “Lola” did not bring home trophies from the 4th Asian Film Awards, it will be screened during Hong Kong’s month-long Entertainment Expo, along with Mendoza’s “Kinatay,” which won for him the Best Director trophy at the 2009 Cannes Film Awards.

More, short films by Filipino Raymond Red will also be shown here. These are “Anino” (which won in the Best Short Film category at the 2000 Cannes Palme d’Or), “Ang Magpakailanman,” “Kabaka,” “Ang Hikab,” “Kamada,” “Pelikula,” “Mistulang Kamera Obskura,” “Sakay” and “Manila Skies (Himpapawid).”

Winners of acting trophies at the 4th Asian Film Awards categories were Wang Xueqi, Best Actor (“Bodyguards and Assassins,” Hong Kong/China); Kim Hye-Ja, Best Actress (“Mother”); Ng Meng Hui, Best Newcomer (“At the End of Daybreak,” Malaysia/Hong Kong/South Korea); Nicholas Tse, Best Supporting Actor (“Bodyguards and Assassins,” Hong Kong/China); and Wai Ying-Hung, Best Supporting Actress (“At the End of Daybreak”).

The victors in other categories were Park Eun-Kyo and Bong Joon-ho, Best Screenwriter (“Mother”); Cao Yu, Best Cinematographer (“City of Life and Death”); Alain-Pascal Housiaux, Patrick Dechesne and Lee Tian-Jue, Best Production Designer (“Face,” Taiwan); Lo Ta-Yu, Best Composer (“Vengeance,” Hong Kong); Yi Zeonhyoung , Best Visual Effects (“Thirst,” South Korea); and Christian Lacroiz, Anne Dunsford and Wang Chia-Hui, Best Costume Designer (“Face”).

The Lifetime Achievement Award this year went to India’s Amitabh Bachchan. John Woo and Terence Chang were honored as 2009’s Top-Grossing Film Director for the film “Red Cliff” (Hong Kong).

China’s Zhang Yimou was honored for his outstanding contribution to Asian Cinema.

Launched in 2007, the Asian Film Awards is a pioneering programme that honors filmmakers with outstanding achievements in the field of Asian cinema.

Over the years, prominent guests, stars and filmmakers have attended the AFA including Oliver Stone, William Hurt, Jet Li, Rain, Michelle Yeoh, John Woo, Harvey Weinstein and many more.

The Asian Film Awards is one of nine major events in this year’s Entertainment Expo in Hong Kong organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.

The other events in the expo from March 21 to April 6, 2010 are the Hong Kong Independent Short Film and Video Awards; the IFPI Hong Kong Top Sales Music Award; the Hong Kong International Film and TV Market; the Hong Kong - Asia Film Financing Forum; the Hong Kong Music Fair; the Hong Kong Film Awards Presentation Ceremony; the Digital Entertainment Leadership Forum and the Hong Kong International Film Festival.