‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’ Awarded Best Youth Film at the APSA

Big Girls Don’t Cry, co-edited by Cushla Dillon (DEGANZ), won the Best Youth Film Award at the prestigious Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA) on Friday, 30 October 2026.

Often referred to as the Asia-Pacific Oscars, the ASPA is an international cultural initiative and the region’s highest film accolade. This year, it acknowledged cinematic excellence from a whopping 78 countries.

Big Girls Don’t Cry is a coming-of-age tale set in a beach town north of Auckland. It follows 14-year-old Sid exploring her sexual curiosity, shame, and the painful, messy realities of growing up. 

Before its APSA victory, Big Girls Don’t Cry enjoyed a standout festival run. It opened the 2026 Whānau Mārama New Zealand International Film Festival after earning a Sundance World Cinema Dramatic nomination and taking home the Grand Prix at France’s Biarritz Film Festival Nouvelles Vagues.

Congratulations to Cushla and the Big Girls Don’t Cry team on the film’s ongoing success!

Last updated on 5 November 2026