Martial arts epic The Grandmaster scoops 12 prizes at Hong Kong Film Awards
PUBLISHED : Monday, 14 April, 2014, 6:21am
UPDATED : Monday, 14 April, 2014, 10:35am
Johnny Tam [email protected]
Zhang Ziyi and Nick Cheung Ka-fai pose with their prizes at the Hong Kong Film Awards. Zhang was named best actress for her role in Wong Kar-wai's The Grandmaster. Cheung took the best actor prize for the second year in a row for his performance in Unbeatable. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Director Wong Kar-wai dominated the Hong Kong Film Awards last night, with his martial arts epic The Grandmaster scooping 12 prizes - including best film, best director and best actress.
The film is inspired by the life of Ip Man - the mentor of legendary kung fu star Bruce Lee.
But it missed out on the best actor award, which went to Nick Cheung Ka-fai for his role in Unbeatable. It was the second time Cheung had taken the title. He won in 2009 for his role in The Beast Stalker. In Unbeatable, directed by Dante Lam, Cheung plays a mixed martial arts fighter in a tale that's all about conquering life's hardships.
Hong Kong actor Nick Cheung Ka-Fai (left) pats actor Tony Leung Chiu-Wai's face after Cheung won the Best Actor award for his work in the movie "Unbeatable". Photo: Reuters
The Grandmaster also missed out on the award for best visual effects, which went to Enoch Chan for Rigor Mortis.
It was Wong's third best director gong at the awards.
"I am very proud to be part of Hong Kong's cinema industry. I also owe my success to my crew members. Without their contribution, the film couldn't have been so successful," he said.
Hong Kong actor Babyjohn Choi (centreleft) and actress Cherry Ngan (centre right) perform at the Hong Kong Film Awards. Photo: Reuters
Wong added that he was optimistic about the future of the film industry in Hong Kong. "Film-making is like kung fu. We should have faith in it," he said.
Mainland star Zhang Ziyi took the best actress award for her role in The Grandmaster, after winning the same title at last month's Asian Film Awards in Macau.
From right, Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai and his wife Esther, Taiwan actor Chang Chen, Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi, Chinese actor Max Zhang and his wife Hong Kong actress Ada Choi, Hong Kong actor Tony Leung and his wife actress Carina Lau, pose on the red carpet. Photo: AP
The film also won titles for best supporting actor (Zhang Jin); best cinematography (Philippe Le Sourd); best editing (William Chang Suk-ping, Benjamin Courtiness and Poon Hung-yiu); best art direction (William Chang Suk-ping and Alfred Yau Wai-ming); best costume and make-up design (William Chang Suk-ping); best screenplay (Zou Jingzhi, Xu Haofeng and Wong Kar-wai); best sound design (Robert Mackenzie and Traithep Wongpaiboon); best original film score (Shigeru Umebayashi and Nathaniel Mechaly); and best action choreography (Yuen Wo-ping).
The best supporting actress award went to Kara Wai Ying-hung for her role in Rigor Mortis.
(From left to right) Hong Kong actor Miriam Yeung, Shawn Yue, Nick Cheung, Malaysian actress Crystal Lee, Taiwanese actor Eddie Peng, Hong Kong actor Philip Keung, and Hong Kong Actress Sammi Cheng. Photos: Reuters, AP
The Way We Dance, made with the support of the government's Film Development Fund, also caught the eye of critics. Adam Wong Sau-ping was best new director. And Babyjohn Choi won the best new performer award. Its theme song won the best original film song award.
Additional reporting by Ng Kang-chung
