LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Filipino film `` Himala '' has been awarded the CNN APSA Viewers Choice Award for Best Asia-Pacific Film of all Time . `` The Screening Room '' presenter Myleene Klass arrives at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards in Queensland , Australia . Thousands of CNN viewers voted on `` The Screening Room '' Web site to honor Ishmael Bernal 's 1982 film with the accolade , which is jointly awarded by CNN and the region 's prestigious Asia Pacific Screen Awards -LRB- APSA -RRB- . `` The Screening Room 's '' Myleene Klass presented the award Tuesday in front of a crowd of over 700 film industry figures at a special ceremony on the Gold Coast , Queensland , Australia . Bernal 's austere tale of a young woman who goes on a healing crusade after seeing a vision of the Virgin Mary , which stars Filipino actress Nora Aunor , took the prize with 32 percent of the vote . It came in ahead of ahead of more widely known films like Japanese Akira Kurosawa 's `` Shichinin no samurai '' -LRB- `` Seven Samurai '' -RRB- , which took second place and `` Wo hu cang long '' -LRB- `` Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon '' -RRB- by Taiwan 's Ang Lee , which snared third . Other films in the shortlist included Chan-wook Park 's `` Oldboy '' from South Korea and Japanese animation master Hayao Miyazaki 's animated film `` Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi '' -LRB- `` Spirited Away '' -RRB- . `` Whatever the reason , I do feel we deserve this award , '' said `` Himala '' producer Bibsy Carballo , `` If only as a tribute to our people who in once a great while decide to come together as one , forget their petty squabbles and divisiveness , and make a declaration of support for this troubled nation , and its tremendously talented and good-hearted if unfortunate population . Long live ` Himala ! ' '' When it was first released in 1982 , `` Himala '' was picked for the official selection at Berlin International Film Festival , as well as a number of other festivals , and Nora Aunor was nominated for Best Actress . A total of 32 films representing 17 countries from Kazakhstan to Korea and the Islamic Republic of Iran to India were finalists at this year 's Asia Pacific Screen Awards . Kazakh picture `` Tulpan , '' by director Sergei Dvortsevoy , which tells the story of a family of sheep and goat herders , took home the main feature prize . Other winners included Israeli director Ari Folman 's animated feature `` Waltz with Bashir , '' which took Best Animated Feature . Best Documentary was given to South Korea 's `` 63 Years On '' by Dong-won Kim and Achievement in Directing was awarded to Turkish filmmaker Nuri Bilge Ceylan for '' Üç maymun '' -LRB- `` Three Monkeys '' -RRB- . The 2008 APSA International jury which presided over the shortlisted films was led by veteran Australian director , Bruce Beresford known for films like `` Driving Miss Daisy . '' Asia Pacific Screen Awards Chairman Des Power said : `` There is a growing fascination and respect for films from this diverse region . `` It is a tribute to the filmmakers that they now have a globally recognised award and the broadcast reach of CNN International to promote their work . '' Watch `` The Screening Room 's '' Asia Pacific Screen Awards show at the following times : Wednesday 26 November : 0930 , 1830 , Saturday 29 November : 0830 , 1900 , Sunday 30 November : 1730 , 1830 , Monday 1 December : 0400 -LRB- all times GMT -RRB-