SINGAPORE — The Asian Academy Creative Awards has unveiled its 2026 National Winners, recognizing 335 entries across 18 countries and territories ahead of the Grand Awards Gala in Singapore this coming December.
The slate of winners across 39 distinct categories was announced through a livestream broadcast on September 30. The regional Grand Final Winners are set to be revealed on December 3 during a ceremony at Singapore’s historic Capitol Theatre.
Leading the corporate leaderboards, Singapore’s Mediacorp topped the tally with 23 national titles, while Prime Video India and Astro Malaysia followed with 19 awards each.
CNN secured 15 national accolades, primarily dominating the factual programming categories.
High-profile screen veterans were among the celebrated individual honorees. Action icon Jackie Chan and Indian actor Anil Kapoor earned national recognitions for their work in the feature films “The Shadow’s Edge” and “Subedaar,” respectively.
Malaysian cinema saw a major showing from the horror feature “Malam Terlarang (Forbidden Night),” which captured four national honors. Its victories included Best Feature Film, Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Sofia Jane, and a posthumous Best Direction (Feature Film) honor for Norhanisham bin Muhammad, who passed away in May.
Among single television titles, China’s “The Lead” logged the highest overall count with six national wins, including Best Actress in a Leading Role for Liu Haocun. However, the top Best Drama Series title for China went to “Legend of the Magnate.”
Astro’s family crime drama “Good Boys Go to Heaven” earned five national trophies for Malaysia, taking both Best Actor and Best Drama Series. Japan’s “Song of the Samurai” also gathered five wins, while Netflix’s “Alice in Borderland” secured Japan’s Best Drama Series title.
Actress Non was named Japan’s Best Actress for her performance in “Miss King.”
Additionally, China’s “Swords Into Plowshares” and India’s “The Family Man Season 3” bagged four awards each, with Bai Yu claiming China’s Best Actor in a Leading Role award. Taiwan’s PTS production “Dogman” also earned four honors, taking Drama Series alongside acting trophies for Chang Hsiao Chuan and Tarcy Su.
In Thailand, GMMTV’s “Enigma Black Stage” stood out with four wins. Thai performer Gemini Norawit Titicharoenrak picked up Best Actor for “Ticket to Heaven,” while MONO’s Manatsanun Phanlerdwongsakul won Best Actress for her performance in “Sweet Dreams.”
The Philippines claimed major acting slots with Kapamilya personality Vice Ganda securing the Best Actor national honor for his 2025 Metro Manila Film Festival entry “Call Me Mother,” following a tie-breaker round. His co-star, Nadine Lustre, also advanced to the finals for her lead role in Viu’s “Love, Siargao.”
ABS-CBN separately highlighted the recognition of Vice Ganda and news anchor Rico Hizon in this year’s list.
For host nation Singapore, “The Violinist” secured Best Feature Film, Best Animation, and Best Screenplay. The project features voice work by Tan Kheng Hua and Ayden Sng, the latter of whom also won Singapore’s Best Actor in a Leading Role award for his performance in “Double Helix.” Independent Singapore outfit Refinery Media earned three awards for its lifestyle series “Man of the Hour.”
Asian Academy Creative Awards Chairperson Beverley McGarvey, who also serves as President and Streaming Lead at Paramount ANZ, praised the talent showcased across the continent.
“Each year, these awards remind us just how much talent, ambition and originality exists in our region,” McGarvey said.
She noted that narratives originating from the Asia-Pacific region are turning out to be “more confident, more distinctive and more influential,” resonating strongly with both local and global audiences.
According to organizers, submission numbers matched 2025 levels, resulting in what the academy described as the largest showcase of Asia-Pacific content in the world. The judging panel featured industry experts from 38 countries, spanning public broadcasters, streaming platforms, production studios, and distributors.
The National Winners will now compete in the final international round, culminating in the Grand Awards Gala and Red Carpet event on December 3 at the Capitol Theatre.