MUMBAI: Mother, the South Korean film about a mother who searches for a way to acquit her mentally-incapacitated son from a murderous charge was voted as the Best Film at the 4th Asian Film Awards (AFA) that was held on 22 March in Hongkong.

The film brushed aside the Philippine film 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).

Two days before the 4th Asian Film Awards could begin, 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.

Lola director 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 that won for him the Best Director trophy at the 2009 Cannes Film Awards.