South Korea’s “Mother” and the Hong Kong/China co-production “Bodyguards and Assassins” bagged six nominations each in the 4th Asian Film Awards, which will be held on March 22 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

“Mother,” which is nominated for best film, could also possibly receive honors for best director (Bong Joon-ho), best actress (Kim Hye-ja), best supporting actor (for popular star Won Bin), best screenwriter (Park Eun-kyo and Bong Joon-ho) and best editor (Moon Sae-kyoun).

The story of a mother (played by Kim) whose mentally challenged son (played by Won) is accused of killing a girl, it revolves around her quest to prove her son’s innocence and find the real killer. Aside from a screening at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival last year, “Mother” also produced a best actress winner in Kim Hye-ja at the 2009 Asia Pacific Screen Awards.

“Bodyguards and Assassins,” on the other hand, also bagged six nominations in this year’s Asian Film Awards: best film, best actor for Wang Xueqi, best newcomer for Li Yuchun, best supporting actor for Nicholas Tse, best production design for Kenneth Mak, and best costume designer for Dora Ng.

Meanwhile, doing the Philippines proud is the movie “Lola,” which garnered three nominations, namely for best film, best director (Brilliante Mendoza) and best editor (Kats Serraon).

Chinese director Zhang Yimou will receive the Asian Film Award for Outstanding Contribution to Asian Cinema. Zhang, whose films include “Red Sorghum” and “A Simple Noodle Story,” directed the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

“Zhang is one of the most distinguished figures in the Chinese filming industry – a true and unique talent and we are proud to further acknowledge his contribution and we hope the Asian film industry, with its vast gifted talents, continues to shine in bringing the world such creativity,” said Shaw Soo Wei, executive director of the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (HKIFFS), the organizer of the AFA.

The 4th Asian Film Awards aims to recognize excellence in Asian films shown in 2009.

The AFA will be the opening gala of the Entertainment Expo Hong Kong that also includes the 34th Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF), and the 8th Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF). 

Thirty-seven Asian films are competing in 14 AFA categories.  Actor Tony Leung Ka-fai is this year’s jury president. The jury is composed of 13 film experts from 13 countries and territories including the United States, Japan and France.

The nominees for this year’s Asian Film Awards are:

Best Film
“Lola” (Philippines)
“Bodyguards and Assassins” (Hong Kong/ China)
“City of Life and Death” (China)
“Mother” (South Korea)
“No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti” (Taiwan)
“Parade” (Japan)

Best Director
Brilliante Mendoza (“Lola”)
Bong Joon-ho (“Mother”)
Asghar Farhadi (“About Elly”)
Lu Chuan (“City of Life and Death”)
Sono Sion (“Love Exposure”)
Yonfan (“Prince of Tears”)

Best Actress
Bae Doo-na (“Air Doll”)
Kim Hye-ja (“Mother”)
Li Bing-bing (“The Message”)
Matsu Takako (“Villon’s Wife”)
Sandrine Pinna (“Yang Yang”)

Best Actor
Asano Tadanobu  (“Villon’s Wife”)
Huang Bo (“Cow”)
Matsumoto Hitoshi (“Symbol”)
Song Kang-ho (“Thirst”)
Wang Xue-qi (“Bodyguards and Assassins”)

Best Supporting Actress
Ando Sakura (“A Crowd of Three”)
Hirosue Ryoko (“Villon’s Wife”)
Kim Kkob-bi (“Breathless”)
Wai Ying-hung (“At the End of Daybreak”)
Yan Ni (“Cow”)

Best Supporting Actor
Eita (“Dear Doctor”)
Huang Xiao-ming (“The Message”)
Tou Chung-hua (“The Warrior and the Wolf”)
Nicholas Tse (“Bodyguards and Assassins”)
Won Bin (“Mother”)

Best Newcomer
Sonam Kapoor (“Delhi 6”)
Kim Sae-ron (“A Brand New Life”)
Li Yu-chun (“Bodyguards and Assassins”)
Ng Meng-hui (“At the End of Daybreak”)
Zhu Xuan (“Prince of Tears”)

Best Screenwriter
Asghar Farhadi (“About Elly”)
Hong Sang-soo (“Like You Know It All”)
Park Eun-kyo and Bong Joon-ho (“Mother”)
Phan Dang-di (“Adrift”)
Wai Ka-fai  and Au Kin-yee (“Written By”)