UNDISPUTED 3, 14 BLADES and MERANTAU Win At Action Fest 2010. Chuck Norris Declines Lifetime Achievement Award!

The inaugural Action Fest came to an end last night with an awards ceremony held before a packed house. Picking up the film prizes were Daniel Lee's 14 Blades for Best Fight Scene, Undisputed 3 for both Best Director (Isaac Florentine) and Best Choreography (Larnell Stovall), while Best Film went to Gareth Evans' Merantau. It's worth noting here that Undisputed 3 was not initially on the list of competition films given to the jurors but that all of us, as a group, felt so strongly about the film that we insisted on awarding it anyway.

Following the film awards a series of achievement awards were given to some of the biggest names in the stunt industry. First Marko Zaror (Undisputed 3, Mandrill) was awarded as an emerging star, then lifetime achievement awards were given to Jeff Habberstad, Kinnie Gibson, and Paul Weston. All three were present for the entire festival, all three were incredibly friendly and approachable and all three have simply stunning resumes. Weston, in particular, is responsible for far too many key moments of my childhood as Roger Moore's double on seven James Bond films, Christopher Reeve's double in the original Superman films. Throw in Aliens, Return of the Jedi, An American Werewolf In London, Raiders of the Lost Ark ... well, you get the point.

And then, in the surprise of the night, Chuck Norris took the stage to receive his lifetime achievement award and - in a remarkably classy move - after delivering a speech detailing how any action hero's success really rests on the quality stunt men who make them look good through their career, turned down the award, instead giving it to his frequent stunt double, stunt coordinator, director and brother Aaron Norris, who clearly had no clue what was about to happen.

And now, get ready for Action Fest 2011, people. This is one quality event.