Gold House has unveiled its fifth annual Gold List with “Wicked” and “Moana 2” among the films being honored.
The list spotlights the most exceptional achievements in film by Asian Pacific creatives over the past year. It also serves as a guide for awards voters and celebrates a monumental year for Asian Pacific representation in cinema.
Since its launch five years ago, the Gold List has celebrated an emerging tide of increasing representation in film by honoring over 200 Asian Pacific films and creatives, with many proceeding to receive Academy Awards. Among those films are “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” “Minari,” “RRR,” “Parasite,” “The Boy and the Heron” and “The Elephant Whisperer.”
In a year when Asian Pacific creativity dominated the box office —”Moana 2″ and Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked” alone grossed over $1.2 billion globally — the Gold List celebrates these blockbusters alongside “All We Imagine As Light,” “Dìdi” and “Monkey Man.”
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“This past year is a testament to the talent, resilience, and diversity that continue to enrich the global film landscape. From big-budget films to independent projects, the talent on our 2025 Gold List proves that when Asian Pacific voices are given the space to create and stories are told with authenticity, they resonate universally and inspire audiences worldwide,” said Tiffany Chao, vice president of entertainment and media at Gold House.
Since its inception, Gold House has redefined narratives about the Asian Pacific diaspora through its pioneering initiatives in cultural consulting, research, and creative promotion on over 600 projects.
Last year, the company expanded its suite of career-changing accelerators for rising creatives, in partnership with global companies such as Netflix, Spotify, and Live Nation, to launch a new Creative Equity Fund to enable direct investments in the most promising Asian Pacific creatives and companies.
The Gold List spans 11 categories, voted on by prominent leaders from the Gold House Creative Advisory Board, Gold House Members, and entertainment industry heavyweights.
The full list of Gold List selections is below.
Best Picture
Winner: “All We Imagine As Light”
Honorable Mentions, “Dìdi,” “How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies”
Best Director
Winner: Jon M. Chu (“Wicked”)
Honorable Mentions: Payal Kapadia (“All We Imagine As Light”), Sean Wang (“Dìdi”)
Best Performance in a Leading Role
Winner: Dev Patel (“Monkey Man”)
Honorable Mentions: Awkwafina (“Jackpot”), Izaac Wang (“Dìdi”), Kani Kusruti (“All We Imagine As Light”), Naomi Scott (“Smile 2”), Putthipong Assaratanakul (“How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies”)
Best Performance in a Supporting Role
Winner: Joan Chen (“Dìdi”)
Honorable Mention: Bowen Yang (“Wicked”), Divya Prabha (“All We Imagine As Light”), Dolly De Leon (“Ghostlight”), Hong Chau (“Kinds of Kindness”), Michelle Yeoh (“Wicked”)
Best Animated Film
Winner: “Moana 2”
Honorable Mentions: “Kung Fu Panda 4,” “Ultraman: Rising”
Best Original Screenplay
Winner: Payal Kapadia (“All We Imagine As Light”)
Honorable Mentions: Sandhya Suri (“Santosh”), Sean Wang (“Dìdi”)
Best Adapted Screenplay
Winners: Dana Ledoux Miller, Jared Bush (“Moana 2”)
Honorable Mentions: Biplab Goswami, Sneha Desai, Divy Nidhi Sharma (“Lost Ladies”); Sam H. Freeman, Ng Choon Ping (“Femme”)
Best Documentary
Winner: “Black Box Diaries”
Honorable Mentions: “The Last of the Sea Women,” “Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa”
Best Documentary Short
Winner: “Instruments of a Beating Heart”
Honorable Mentions: “1 in 10: Redefining The Asian American Dream; Amma Ki Katha”
Best Live Action Short
Winner: “Anuja”
Honorable Mentions: “Blue Boy,” “First Night”
Best Animated Short
Winner: “Magic Candies”
Honorable Mentions: “Bottle George,” “Origami”