WONG KAR-WAI BACK IN FAVOUR WITH HONG KONG AWARDS BODY

Wong Kar-Wai’s epic, intimate fusion of intrigue and action, The Grandmaster (pictured, below), has dominated the 33^rd annual Hong Kong Film Awards, held overnight at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre.

The front-runner for top honours with 14 nominations, Wong’s most celebrated movie in years took home Best Film and Best Director honours. The gongs add to an awards season tally that has seen the film earn similar kudos from the Asian Film Awards, Shanghai Film Critics Awards and Hong Kong Film Critics Awards.

“I remember it was 1994 when I was last here,” said the director (pictured, right) in his winner’s speech, referring to his last trophy from the prestigious body, for Chungking Express. “It was a short walk from the podium to the stage, but it took me 20 years to come back to this spot.” Prior to that, he had won the directing category for 1990’s Days of Being Wild.

The Grandmaster’s 2014 haul would total 12 trophies, including Zhang Jin’s Best Supporting Actor win, Cinematography and Costume (the categories that earned the film Oscar nominations earlier this year), as well as Makeup, Original Score, Action Choreography, Art Direction, Editing and Sound Design.

None proved more popular than Zhang Ziyi’s Best Actress triumph (pictured, left; with her award) for her role as dynastic martial arts leader Gong Er. It is the sixth major trophy she has snared and crowns a tumultuous period for the Chinese actor, who has seen her private life become gossip fodder and box office might wane in recent years. In an emotional speech, the actress said “I shed a lot of tears. I’m worked up not because I feel wronged but because I feel grateful.”

The Best Actor category went to Nick Cheung for his role in Dante Lam’s MMA crowd-pleaser Unbeatable; horror opus Rigor Mortis earned Best Supporting Actress honours for Kara Wai and tech kudos for its visual effects; and, Adam Wong’s drama The Way We Dance won the young filmmaker the coveted Best New Director award, as well as Best Newcomer (Babyjohn Choi) and original song. The directorial debut of actress Zhao Wei, the college-set romantic drama So Young, was awarded the Cross-Straits Best Film Award, celebrating works from mainland China and Taiwan.

The Hong Kong Film Awards ceremony represents a glamorous end to the 10^th annual Entertainment Expo, a three week celebration of the region’s visual arts industry. International contingents from the film, television, music and new media sectors converged on the harbour city to attend such events as the International Film and TV Market (FILMART), the Hong Kong International Film Festival, the Asian Visual Effects and Digital Entertainment Summits, the Asian Film Financing Forum (HAF) and Asian-Pop Music Festival.

Here is the full list of 2014 Hong Kong Film awards nominees; winners are highlighted.

Best Film:
 The Grandmaster - Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons
- The Way We Dance
- The White Storm
- Unbeatable

Best Director:
 Wong Kar Wai (The Grandmaster) - Johnnie To (Drug War)
- Benny Chan (The White Storm)
- Derek Kwok (As the Light Goes Out)
- Dante Lam (Unbeatable)

Best Screenplay:
 Zou Jingzhi, Xu Haofeng, Wong Kar Wai (The Grandmaster) - Zhou Zhiyong, Zhang Ji, Aubrey Lam (American Dreams in China)
- Xue Xiaolu (Finding Mr. Right)
- Wai Ka Fai, Yau Nai Hoi, Ryker Chan, Yu Xi (Blind Detective)
- Jack Ng, Fung Chi Fung, Dante Lam (Unbeatable)

Best Actor:
 Tony Leung (The Grandmaster)
- Louis Koo (The White Storm)
- Sean Lau (The White Storm)
- Anthony Wong (Ip Man: The Final Fight)
- Nick Cheung (Unbeatable)

Best Actress:
 Zhang Ziyi (The Grandmaster) - Tang Wei (Finding Mr. Right)
- Cherry Ngan (The Way We Dance)
- Sammi Cheng (Blind Detective)
- Nina Paw (Rigor Mortis)

Best Supporting Actor:
 Zhang Jin (The Grandmaster) - Tong Dawei (American Dreams in China)
- Huang Bo (Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons)
- Eddie Peng (Unbeatable)
- Antony Chan (Rigor Mortis)

Best Supporting Actress:
 Du Juan (American Dreams in China)
- Carina Lau (Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon)
- Law Lan (The White Storm)
- Crystal Lee (Unbeatable)
- Kara Hui (Rigor Mortis)

Best New Performer:
 Du Juan (American Dreams in China)
- Fish Liew (Doomsday Party)
- Lin Gengxin (Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon)
- Babyjohn Choi (The Way We Dance) - Angel Chiang (A Secret Between Us)

Best Cinematography:
 Philippe Le Sourd (The Grandmaster) - Anthony Pun (The White Storm)
- Jason Kwan (As the Light Goes Out)
- Kenny Tse (Unbeatable)
- Ng Kai Ming (Rigor Mortis)

Best Film Editing:
 William Chang, Benjamin Courtines, Poon Hung Yiu (The Grandmaster) - Kwong Chi Leung, Ron Chan (Firestorm)
- Yau Chi Wai (The White Storm)
- Wong Hoi (As the Light Goes Out)
- Azrael Chung (Unbeatable)

Best Art Direction:
 William Chang, Alfred Yau (The Grandmaster) - Eric Lam (Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons)
- Ken Mak (Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon)
- Eric Lam (As the Light Goes Out)
- Irving Cheung (Rigor Mortis)

Best Costume & Makeup Design:
 William Chang (The Grandmaster) - Dora Ng (American Dreams in China)
- Lee Pik Kwan, Bruce Yu (Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons)
- Lee Pik Kwan, Bruce Yu (Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon)
- Miggy Cheng, Phoebe Wong, Kittichon Kunratchol (Rigor Mortis)

Best Action Choreography:
 Yuen Woo Ping (The Grandmaster) - Yuen Bun (Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon)
- Chin Ka Lok (Firestorm)
- Donnie Yen (Special ID)
- Ling Chi Wah (Unbeatable)

Best Original Film Score:
 Shigeru Umebayashi, Nathaniel Mechaly (The Grandmaster) - Kenji Kawai (Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon)
- Day Tai, Afuc Chan (The Way We Dance)
- Teddy Robin, Tomy Wai (As the Light Goes Out)
- Henry Lai (Unbeatable)

Best Original Film Song:
 “New Order” (from Young and Dangerous: Reloaded)
- “Let’s Dance Crazily” (from The Way We Dance) - “Blind Love” (from Blind Detective)
- “Lifelong Sympathy” (from The White Storm)
- “Love is the Greatest” (from As the Light Goes Out)

Best Sound Design:
 Robert Mackenzie, Traithep Wongpaiboon (The Grandmaster) - Kinson Tsang (Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon)
- Phyllis Cheng (As the Light Goes Out)
- Phyllis Cheng (Unbeatable)
- Benny Chu, Steve Miller (Rigor Mortis)

Best Visual Effects:
 Pierre Buffin (The Grandmaster)
- Wook Kim (Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon)
- Yee Kwok Leung, Lai Man Chun, Ho Kwan Yeung, Garrett K. Lam (Firestorm)
- Henri Wong, Hugo Kwan, Walter Wong (As the Light Goes Out)
- Enoch Chan (Rigor Mortis)

Best New Director:
 Adam Wong (The Way We Dance) - Alan Yuen (Firestorm)
- Juno Mak (Rigor Mortis)

Best Film from Mainland China and Taiwan:
 Rock Me to the Moon (Taiwan)
- Lost in Thailand (China)
- The Last Supper (China)
- Touch of the Light (Taiwan)
- So Young (China)