"Ocean Of Pearls" - directed by probably one of the only Sikh directors in America - won the Jury Prize "hands down"; meanwhile, actor Jimmy Tsai scrambled up on stage astonished to snatch up the "Best Newcomer" award, virtually tongued-tied by his good fortune.
Yes, that was the tone of an evening full of surprises and good humor, as the 24th Annual Asian Pacific Festival wound down after record attendances this year.
Indeed, Sunday afternoon there was barely standing room at the DGA, as filmgoers jostled amid leading-edge filmmakers in the brimming-to-capacity lobby.
Today, the anxious throngs were anxious to nab good seats at two of the sold-out offerings - "The Sensei" and "Kissing Cousins" - respectively.
The season for the unprecedented success of the Asian Film Festival this year?
Well - it was obviously due to the fact there was something on the program to appeal to every taste - whether it was an insightful documentary, sizzlin' hilarious short, or captivating drama crafted to transport the audience into a mesmerizing world of make-believe.
The Aratani/Japan Theatre was a lovely setting for the closing night festivities.
A sly breeze wafted across the open square as well-heeled film enthusiasts sipped on exotic cocktails and mingled below an expansive cloudless sky.
And, within shouting distance, the breathtaking lights of a handful of office buildings beyond - scraped the sky - and hinted at the promise to come.
Once everyone was seated indoors for the gala event, Abe Ferrer - one of the directors of the popular annual event - started off by excitedly noting a couple of facts for the record.
"The entries this year were wide-ranging, all excellent in quality."
Consequently, when it was time to hand out awards to honor filmmakers for their artistic visions, it amounted to a tight race in all the prestigious categories.
There was one exception, though, in respect to the Jury Award.
"Ocean of Pearls" - a film that was ten years in the making by first-time director Sarab Neelam - effortlessly nabbed the coveted prize.The Festival officials commended Neelam for his integrity, amazing story-telling techniques, and for crafting a film that not only appealed on a personal level but on a universal one, as well.
When the red-turbaned director humbly strolled up on the stage, he was quick to thank God for the blessing.
The director of - "Oh, Saigon" - was lauded by the Festival Officials for incorporating spell-binding story-telling elements such as - intrigue, betrayal, and denial - which kept audiences riveted to the edge of their seats.
"Difficult to resist," noted one Judge, who handed over the Grand Jury Prize to Director Doan Hoang.
In a highly-charged emotional moment, one of the Judges noted that the Special Jury Award was going to the film, "Up the Yangtze".
Describing the feature as - "Love Boat meets Apocalypse Now" - a presenter poignantly noted that in this instant case there was a shining example of "life going on beyond the film."
Director Yung Chang was applauded for remaining in touch with the subjects of the project long after he lensed the footage.
Festival officials proudly noted that "Up the Yangtze" also won the Best Film Award this year at the San Francisco Film Festival.
So, there were special kudos all around.
When an Achievement Award went to charming Christine Choy for - "Long Story Short" - she dashed up to the stage, ecstatic.
"I'm overwhelmed", she cried out, as she gasped for breath in what must have been a very surreal, Oscar-style moment for a young filmmaker.
"This film was rejected by every non-Asian Film Festival. Welcome to my life," she nervously giggled.
She thanked the Visual Communications Center and Festival Staff for their support, and for providing a forum for Asian American Filmmakers to "tell their stories".
Likewise, when the Director Richard Wong won for "Best Technical Artistry", he strode up to the stage and expressed disbelief at his good fortune, too.
"This project came from a very dark place. So, I am surprised."
Although he felt his work - "Option 3" - was too off-beat and off-the-wall to be recognized as a stand-out entry in the fest, Judges noted that - on the contrary - more films should "look" and "sound" like this project did.
Best 1st Film prize went to "Always be Boyz", which was five years in the making.
One judge noted the honor was snatched from the jaws of the competition partly due to some kick-ass dancing and original lensing.
The New Director award was nabbed by Director Na Hong Jin for his well-received project, Sweat.
Honorable Mention went to Postcard, amid a lot of applause from the audience, who obviously favorited it.
And, the Golden Reel trophy went to "Tailor-Made" which was directed by Leonard Lee and Marsha Newberry.
In a parting commentary, Abe Ferrer noted the importance of Short Films, which were in abundance this year at the Festival.
"They are the backbone of the Festival. For an Asian director, the short film programs are the future."
It is usually from this ever-growing medium that directors often get noticed - at which point - their careers are often launched into the feature film arena.
In closing, Ferrer asked the audience, sponsors, and film enthusiasts present, to make a good faith effort to get the word out about the celluloid art pieces they took in.
"So the festival won't have been just a week of dead-end films".
A handful of the high-caliber projects I screened, are currently without distribution, and deserve to be ushered onto the wide-screen for mass consumption around the nation.
Yes, 2008 produced a bumper crop of films.
Indeed, for the Asian Film Festival, there's no looking back.
Home Song Stories
(closing Night Film starring Joan Chen)