Going into Sunday night’s Hong Kong Film Awards Wong Kar Wai’s The Grandmaster had 14 nods. It left with all but two having won, outperforming Cold War’s impressive nine wins last year.
Over the last month the Wong Kar Wai title has won 13 gongs at three other awards bashes. In Macau at the Asian Film Awards it took seven awards, including Best Film, Director and Actress (Zhang Ziyi). In Hong Kong, it took Best Film, Director, Actor (Tony Leung Chiu-wai) and Actress at the Hong Kong’s Directors’ Guild Awards as well as Best Picture and Best Actress wins at the Hong Kong Film Critic Society Awards.
The Grandmaster: You don’t mess with the Zi, Han
Including the HKFA Zhang Ziyi has won nine Best Actress awards for her performance in The Grandmaster.
For Wong, named Best Director, the win completes a hat-trick of Best Director Gongs – although it’s been a while between drinks. Numbers one (Days of Being Wild) and two (Chungking Express) came in 1990 and 1994 respectively.
In the technical categories, five 2013 winners returned as nominees this year. None were nominated for The Grandmaster, and all went home empty-handed.
Ahead of the HKFA the results were announced for the Golden Plums, Hong Kong’s vox pop equivalent of the Razzies and – for foreigners – a useful guide of where not to start a tour of the territory’s rich cinematic offering.
The Plums are presented for Most Rotten Actor, Actress, Director, Scene and Film.
In 2013 Cecilia Cheung (Dangerous Liaisons, Speed Angels, Legendary Amazons) took a well-publicised year off, making at least one Plum nomination more than usual available to other actresses who play in the shallow end of the talent pool.
Kate Tsui took the “honour” while William Chan took the Actor’s gong for Hardcore Comedy, a title which delivered two lies for the price of one.
All three remaining went to director Jay Sun and his disastrous disaster film Switch, of which one Hong Kong reviewer said its ability to fail on so many levels simultaneously a feat “as rare as pink nipples”.
Back in the more positive territory of the HKFA, the handing out of the gongs also marked the conclusion of Hong Kong’s Entertainment Expo. The umbrealla event began in late March with the opening of the Hong Kong International Film Festival, FILMART and project market HAF.
The 2014 HKFA winners were (marked ***):
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 Kei Fung, Drug War
Benny Chan, The White Storm
Derek Kwok Tsz Kin, As The Light Goes Out
Dante Lam Chiu Yin, 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 Chiu Yin, Unbeatable
Best Actor
Tony Leung Chiu Wai, The Grandmaster
Louis Koo, The White Storm
Sean Lau Ching Wan, The White Storm
Anthony Wong, Ip Man-The Final Fight
***Nick Cheung Ka Fai, Unbeatable
Best Actress
***Zhang Ziyi, The Grandmaster
Tang Wei, Finding Mr. Right
Cherry Ngan, The Way We Dance
Sammi Cheng, Blind Detective
Nina Paw Hee Ching, 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 “Friend” 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 Wai Ying Hung, 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
***Benjamin Courtines, William Chang Suk Ping, 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 Suk Ping & Alfred Yau Wai Ming, 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 & Make Up Design
***William Chang Suk Ping, The Grandmaster
Dora Ng Li Lo, 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
Kittichon Kunratchol, Miggy Cheng , Phoebe Wong, Kittichon Kunratchol, Rigor Mortis
Best Action Choreography
***Yuen Wo 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
***Nathaniel Mechaly, 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
Young And Dangerous: Reloaded
***Let’s Dance from The Way We Dance
Love Is Blind from Blind Detective
The White Storm
Ai Zui Da from As The Light Goes Out
Best Sound Design
***Robert Mackenzie, Traithep Wongpaiboon, The Grandmaster
Kinson Tang, 狄仁傑之神都龍王
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 And Taiwan
Rock Me To The Moon
Lost In Thailand
The Last Supper
Touch Of The Light
***So Young
Lifetime Achievement Award
Cheung Yam Yim
