Asian Film Award for Best Actress

Asian Film Award for Best Actress
The 2025 recipient: Shahana Goswami
Awarded for	Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in Asian Cinema
Presented by	Asian Film Awards Academy
First award	2007
Most recent winner	Shahana Goswami Santosh (2025)
Website	afa-academy.com

The Asian Film Award for Best Actress is presented annually by the Asian Film Awards Academy (AFAA), a non-profit organization founded by Busan International Film Festival, Hong Kong International Film Festival and Tokyo International Film Festival with the shared goal of celebrating excellence in Asian cinema. It was first presented in 2007.

Winners and nominees

2000s

Miki Nakatani, winner 2007

Jeon Do-yeon, winner 2008

Zhou Xun, winner 2009

Year	Recipient(s)	English title	Original title	Ref.
2007	Miki Nakatani	Memories of Matsuko	嫌われ松子の一生, Kiraware Matsuko no Isshō	[1] [2]
	Gong Li	Curse of the Golden Flower
	Kim Hye-soo	Tazza: The High Rollers	타짜 Tajja
	Im Soo-jung	I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK	싸이보그지만 괜찮아
	Rie Miyazawa	Hana	花よりもなほ Hana yori mo Naho
	Zhang Ziyi	The Banquet	夜宴 Yè Yàn
2008	Jeon Do-yeon	Secret Sunshine	밀양, Miryang	[3] [4]
	Joan Chen	The Home Song Stories
	Kirin Kiki	Tokyo Tower	東京タワー 〜オカンとボクと、時々、オトン〜
	Yunjin Kim	Seven Days	세븐 데이즈
	Deepika Padukone	Om Shanti Om
	Tang Wei	Lust, Caution
2009	Zhou Xun	The Equation of Love and Death	李米的猜想, Lǐ mǐ de cāi xiǎng	[5] [6]
	Eri Fukatsu	The Magic Hour	ザ・マジックアワー
	Jiang Wenli	And the Spring Comes	立春 Lì chūn
	Deepika Padukone	Chandni Chowk to China
	Sayuri Yoshinaga	Kabei: Our Mother	母べえ
	Zhao Wei	Painted Skin

2010s

Nora Aunor, winner 2013

Zhang Ziyi, winner 2014

Bae Doona, winner 2015

Shu Qi, winner 2016

Fan Bingbing, winner 2017

Sylvia Chang, winner 2018

Samal Yeslyamova, winner 2019

Year	Recipient(s)	English title	Original title	Ref.
2010	Kim Hye-ja	Mother	마더	[7] [8]
	Li Bingbing	The Message	风声 Fēngshēng
	Bae Doona	Air Doll	空気人形 Kūki Ningyō
	Sandrine Pinna	Yang Yang	陽陽
	Takako Matsu	Villon's Wife	ヴィヨンの妻 〜桜桃とタンポポ〜
2011	Xu Fan	Aftershock	唐山大地震	[9] [10]
	Jeon Do-yeon	The Housemaid	하녀 Hanyeo
	Rinko Kikuchi	Norwegian Wood	ノルウェイの森 Noruwei no mori
	Takako Matsu	Confessions	告白 Kokuhaku
	Michelle Yeoh	Reign of Assassins
2012	Deanie Ip	A Simple Life	桃姐	[11] [12]
	Vidya Balan	The Dirty Picture
	Michelle Chen	You Are the Apple of My Eye	那些年，我們一起追的女孩
	Eugene Domingo	The Woman in the Septic Tank	Ang Babae sa Septic Tank
	Leila Hatami	A Separation	جدایی نادر از سیمین Jodái-e Náder az Simin
2013	Nora Aunor	Thy Womb	Sinapupunan	[13]
	Cho Min-soo	Pietà	피에타
	Golshifteh Farahani	The Patience Stone	سنگ صبور
	Gwei Lun-mei	Girlfriend, Boyfriend	女朋友。男朋友
	Hao Lei	Mystery
2014	Zhang Ziyi	The Grandmaster	一代宗師	[14]
	Eugene Domingo	Barber's Tales	Mga Kuwentong Barbero
	Han Hyo-joo	Cold Eyes	감시자들
	Paw Hee-ching	Rigor Mortis	殭屍
	Yoko Maki	The Ravine of Goodbye	さよなら渓谷 Sayonara keikoku
2015	Bae Doona	A Girl at My Door	도희야	[15]
	Gong Li	Coming Home	歸來
	Kalki Koechlin	Margarita With A Straw	Choone Chali Aasman
	Rie Miyazawa	Pale Moon	紙の月
	Tang Wei	The Golden Era	黃金時代
	Zhao Wei	Dearest	親愛的
2016	Shu Qi	The Assassin	刺客聶隱娘	[16] [17]
	Haruka Ayase	Our Little Sister	海街diary
	Kim Hye-soo	Coin Locker Girl	차이나타운
	Karena Lam	Zinnia Flower	百日告別
	Zhao Tao	Mountains May Depart	山河故人
2017	Fan Bingbing	I Am Not Madame Bovary	我不是潘金莲	[18] [19]
	Son Ye-jin	The Last Princess	덕혜옹주
	Haru Kuroki	A Bride for Rip Van Winkle	皆川 七海
	Kara Hui	Happiness	幸運是我
	Charo Santos-Concio	The Woman Who Left	Ang Babaeng Humayo
2018	Sylvia Chang	Love Education	相爱相亲	[20] [21]
	Yū Aoi	Birds Without Names	彼女がその名を知らない鳥たち
	Marsha Timothy	Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts	Marlina Si Pembunuh Dalam Empat Babak
	Kim Min-hee	The Day After	그
	Zhou Dongyu	This Is Not What I Expected	喜欢你
2019	Samal Yeslyamova	Ayka	Айка	[22] [23]
	Zhao Tao	Ash Is Purest White	江湖儿女
	Han Ji-min	Miss Baek	미쓰백
	Ando Sakura	Shoplifters	万引き家族
	Chloe Maayan	Three Husbands	三夫

2020s

Zhou Dongyu, winner 2020

Yū Aoi, winner 2021

Tang Wei, winner 2023

Shahana Goswami, winner 2025

Year	Recipient(s)	English title	Original title	Ref.
2020	Zhou Dongyu	Better Days	少年的你	[24] [25]
	Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying	Happy Old Year	ฮาวทูทิ้ง..ทิ้งอย่างไรไม่ให้เหลือเธอ
	Jung Yu-mi	Kim Ji-young: Born 1982	82년생 김지영
	Mariko Tsutsui	A Girl Missing	よこがお
	Yeo Yann Yann	Wet Season	熱帶雨
	Yong Mei	So Long, My Son	地久天长
2021	Yū Aoi	Wife of a Spy	スパイの妻	[26] [27]
	Jeon Jong-seo	The Call	콜
	Zhang Zifeng	Sister	我的姐姐
	Chen Shu-fang	Little Big Women	孤味
	Assel Sadvakassova	Ulbolsyn	Ұлболсын
2023	Tang Wei	Decision to Leave	헤어질 결심	[28] [29]
	Sylvia Chang	A Light Never Goes Out	燈火闌珊
	Karena Lam	American Girl	美國女孩
	Happy Salma	Before, Now & Then	Nana
	Chieko Baisho	Plan 75	Mishi Kakutani
2024	Jiang Qinqin	Dwelling by the West Lake	草木人间	[30]
	Jung Yu-mi	Sleep	잠
	Audrey Lin	Trouble Girl	小曉
	/ Zhou Dongyu	The Breaking Ice	燃冬
	Rinko Kikuchi	658km, Yoko no Tabi	陽子の旅
2025	Shahana Goswami	Santosh		[31]
	Kani Kusruti	All We Imagine as Light
	Sylvia Chang	Daughter's Daughter	女兒的女兒
	Kim Go-eun	Exhuma	파묘
	Yuumi Kawai	Desert of Namibia	ナミビアの砂漠

See also

• Blue Dragon Film Award for Best Actress
• Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress
• European Film Award for Best Actress
• Golden Horse Award for Best Leading Actress
• Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actress
• Japan Academy Film Prize for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

References

1. Frater, Patrick (January 29, 2007). "Hong Kong to host new Asian awards". Variety . Retrieved April 6, 2025.
2. Tsui, Clarence (March 21, 2007). "South Korean film scoops inaugural awards". South China Morning Post . Retrieved April 6, 2025.
3. Chu, Karen (January 18, 2008). "'Lust' and war at Asian Film Awards". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved April 6, 2025.
4. Schwankert, Steven (March 18, 2008). "'Secret' winner at AFAs". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved April 6, 2025.
5. Lim, Marcus (January 21, 2009). "'The Good' leads Asian awards race". Variety . Retrieved April 6, 2025.
6. Coonan, Clifford (March 23, 2009). "Japan shines at Asian Film Awards". Variety . Retrieved April 6, 2025.
7. Chu, Karen (January 20, 2010). "'Bodyguards,' 'Mother' top AFA noms". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved April 6, 2025.
8. Landreth, Jonathan (March 22, 2010). "'Mother' tops Asian Film Awards". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved April 6, 2025.
9. Shackleton, Liz (January 20, 2011). "Bullets, Confessions lead nominations for Asian Film Awards". Screen Daily . Retrieved April 6, 2025.
10. Napolitano, Dean (March 22, 2011). "'Uncle Boonmee' Wins AFA Best Picture Award -- Scene Asia". The Wall Street Journal . ISSN   0099-9660 . Retrieved April 6, 2025.
11. Shackleton, Liz (January 17, 2012). "Flying Swords leads nominations for Asian Film Awards". Screen Daily . Retrieved April 6, 2025.
12. Napolitano, Dean (March 20, 2012). "'A Separation' Triumphs at 2012 Asian Film Awards - Complete List of Winners". The Wall Street Journal . ISSN   0099-9660 . Retrieved April 6, 2025.
13. Napolitano, Dean (March 18, 2013). "Full List: Winners of the Seventh Asian Film Awards 2013". The Wall Street Journal . ISSN   0099-9660 . Retrieved April 6, 2025.
14. Seno, Alexandra A. (March 28, 2014). "'The Grandmaster' Leads Asian Film Awards 2014 Winners". The Wall Street Journal . ISSN   0099-9660 . Retrieved April 6, 2025.
15. "'Blind Massage' The Big Winner as China Dominates Asian Film Awards". The Wall Street Journal . March 25, 2015. ISSN   0099-9660 . Retrieved April 6, 2025.
16. Shackleton, Liz (February 3, 2016). "'The Assassin' leads nods for Asian Film Awards". Screen Daily . Retrieved April 6, 2025.
17. Grater, Tom (March 18, 2016). "'The Assassin' sweeps Asian Film Awards". Screen Daily . Retrieved April 6, 2025.
18. Frater, Patrick (January 11, 2017). "'Handmaiden,' 'Bovary,' 'Train' Lead Asian Film Awards Nominations". Variety . Retrieved April 6, 2025.
19. Liu, Marian (March 22, 2017). "Iranian movie 'The Salesman' among big winners at Asian Film Awards". CNN . Retrieved April 6, 2025.
20. Shackleton, Liz (January 11, 2018). "'Legend Of The Demon Cat' leads Asian Film Awards nominations". Screen Daily . Retrieved April 6, 2025.
21. Shackleton, Liz (March 17, 2018). "Feng Xiaogang's 'Youth' wins best film at Asian Film Awards". Screen Daily . Retrieved April 6, 2025.
22. Lee, Edmund (January 11, 2019). "Asian Film Awards 2019 nominations: Burning, Shoplifters vie for top prizes". South China Morning Post . Retrieved April 6, 2025.
23. Lee, Edmund (March 18, 2019). "Asian Film Awards 2019 winners: Shoplifters named best picture; China, Japan and South Korea dominate". South China Morning Post . Retrieved April 6, 2025.
24. Noh, Jean (September 9, 2020). "'Parasite' heads nominations for first Asian Film Awards hosted by Busan". Screen Daily . Retrieved March 18, 2025.
25. Noh, Jean (October 28, 2020). "'Parasite' wins top prize at Asian Film Awards". Screen Daily . Retrieved March 18, 2025.
26. Soriano, Jianne (September 9, 2021). "Asian Film Awards 2021: Full List of Nominees". Tatler Asia . Retrieved March 18, 2025.
27. Soriano, Jianne (October 8, 2021). "All the Winners From the Asian Film Awards 2021". Tatler Asia . Retrieved March 18, 2025.
28. Rosser, Michael (January 6, 2023). "'Decision To Leave' leads Asian Film Awards nominations". Screen Daily . Retrieved March 16, 2025.
29. Rosser, Michael (March 12, 2023). "'Drive My Car' wins top prize at Asian Film Awards, Tony Leung takes two trophies". Screen Daily . Retrieved March 16, 2025.
30. Frater, Patrick; Ramachandran, Naman (March 10, 2024). "'Evil Does Not Exist' Wins Best Picture at Asian Film Awards". Variety . Retrieved March 16, 2025.
31. Brzeski, Patrick (March 16, 2025). "Asian Film Awards: 'All We Imagine as Light' Wins Best Picture, Yoshida Daihachi Takes Best Director for 'Teki Cometh'". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved March 16, 2025.

External links

• Asian Film Awards Academy