On Sunday evening, the winners of the 24th Hong Kong Film Awards were named at the Hong Kong Coliseum. Stephen Chow's Kung Fu Hustle defeated New Police Story, starring Jackie Chan, to win the Best Film award while celluloid superstar Tony Leung Chiu Wai won his fifth Best Actor award for his role in Wong Kar Wai's 2046.
To mark the centennial anniversary of China's film industry, the ceremonies opened with the screening of a short film entitled A Hundred Years of Film Glory, depicting the sector's development on the mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
The Hollywood-financed comedy Kung Fu Hustle, about kung fu masters who battle gangsters in their neighborhood, came up with 16 nominations in 18 available categories, the highest number ever in the 24-year history of the awards. In addition to the Best Film award, Chow's box-office record setter garnered the cinematography, sound design and action choreography gongs.
Wong Kar Wai's artistic 2046, which was close behind with 12 nominations, won Best Actor and Best Actress thanks to the impressive performances by former Cannes winner Tony Leung Chiu Wai and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon star Zhang Ziyi.
The Best Director and Screenplay awards went to Derek Yee Tung Sing for his One Night in Mongkok, and Butterfly's leading actress Tian Yuan won Best New Performer. Tian was earlier nominated as the Best Newcomer in the Taiwan Golden Horse Awards.
Wong Ching Po said his gangster film Jiang Hu might have disappointed many moviegoers and critics, but the controversial work still won favor with the jury and earned him the Best New Director award in the Professional Recommendation section.
The Best Asian Film was taken by South Korea's Old Boy, defeating Zhang Yimou's hit House of Flying Daggers and A World Without Thieves, starring Hong Kong Canto-pop star Andy Lau. The film, directed by Park Chan-wook, also took the Grand Prix at the 2004 Cannes International Film Festival.
Veteran Yuen Wah won another award for Kung Fu Hustle when he was named Best Supporting Actor and Bai Ling captured the Best Supporting Actress award for her role in the horror flick Dumplings.
The late kung fu legend Bruce Lee was honored as the Star of the Century for his contribution to Chinese cinema. Professional spirit awards were presented to HK film historian Yu Mo Wan and action star Jackie Chan.
Hong Kong-based producer, director and actor Eric Tsang said he believes the HK film industry is in dire need of talented young actors, as the awards nominees and winners have all been the same in the past several years.
Winners:
Best Film: Kong Fu Hustle
Best Director: Derek Yee Tung Sing (One Night In Mongkok)
Best Screenplay: Derek Yee Tung Sing (One Night In Mongkok)
Best Actor: Tony Leung Chiu Wai (2046)
Best Actress: Zhang Ziyi (2046)
Best Supporting Actor: Yuen Wah (Kung Fu Hustle)
Best Supporting Actress: Bai Ling (Dumplings)
Best New Performer: Tian Yuan (Butterfly)
Best Cinematography: Christopher Doyle, Lai Yiu Fai & Kwan Pun Leung (2046)
Best Film Editing: Angie Lam (Kung Fu Hustle)
Best Art Direction: William Chang Suk Ping & Alfred Yau Wai Ming (2046)
Best Costume & Makeup Design: William Chang Suk Ping (2046)
Best Action Choreography: Yuen Wo Ping (Kung Fu Hustle)
Best Original Film Score: Peer Raben & Shigeru Umebayashi (2046)
Best Original Film Song: Gan Gan Gan (Mcdull, Prince De La Bun）
Best Sound Design: Steven Ticknor, Steve Burgess, Rob Mackenzie & Paul Pirola (Kung Fu Hustle)
Best Visual Effects: Frankie Chung, Don Ma, Tam Kai Kwan & Franco Hung (Kung Fu Hustle)
Best Asian Film: Old Boy
Best New Director: Wong Ching Po (Jiang Hu)
Star of the Century: Bruce Lee
Professional Spirit Award: Yu Mo Wan, Jackie Chan
(China.org.cn by Li Xiao, March 28, 2005)
