[2015.02.06] THE 34TH HONG KONG FILM AWARD NOMINATIONS ARE ANNOUNCED

courtesy of singtao.com

Sean Lau does not disappoint with his OVERHEARD 3 performance

INSANITY's character is an acting challenge, thus it is also Sean Lau's preference to bring him an award 

Daniel Wu has drastic emotional upheaval in THAT DEMON WITHIN, and his performance catches voters' eyes

Eddie Peng's Wong Fei Hung fights his way to a nomination

Huang Bo's even handed performance in DEAREST brings him a nomination

Sandra Ng brings Ivana Wong to GOLDEN CHICKEN SSS and creates a chemical reaction, as both receive nominations

Vicki Zhao receives praises for her DEAREST performance

THE GOLDEN ERA's Tang Wei

Charlene Choi's performance in SARA opens many people's eyes

Zhou Xun's WOMEN WHO FLIRT performance is different from before

Lam Suet is a good actor, as he again with THE MIDNIGHT AFTER is nominated for Best Supporting Actor

Ng Man Tat's ABERDEEN performance received a lot of good reviews

DELETE MY LOVE

Nick Cheung and Lo Hoi Pang have no nomination but are happy for Nina Paw
courtesy of mingpao.com

Will Ah Sa win Best Actress with her second Hong Kong Film Award nomination?

Charlene Choi in SARA protects a Thai child prostitute 

Zhou Xun

Sandra Ng

Tang Wei

Ivana Wong

Kara Wai

Nick Cheung, Lo Hoi Pang and Nina Paw announce the Hong Kong Film Award nominations
courtesy of on.cc

The 34th Hong Kong Film Award will take place on April 19th at the Cultural Center. Yesterday the event held a press conference to announce its nominations. OVERHEARD 3 (SIT TING FUNG WON 3) led 11 nominations. As for the Best Actor and Best Actress categories Sean Lau Ching Wan received two nominations; the Best Actress competition was even more fierce, as Sandra Ng Kwan Yu and Charlene Choi Cheuk Yin challenged three Mainland Best Actresses Vicki Zhao Wei, Tang Wei and Zhou Xun. Ivana Wong Yuen Chi this year received five nominations and broke the record.

In recent years co-productions have occupied a lot of the market, but this year Hong Kong film performance was decent as many Hong Kong films received nominations. Best Film nominees included THE MIDNIGHT AFTER (NA YEH LING SUN, NGOR JOR SEUNG LIU WONG GOK HOI WONG DAI PO DIK HUNG VAN), ABERDEEN (HEUNG GONG JAI), THE GOLDEN ERA, DEAREST and OVERHEARD 3.

As for Best Actor, Lau Ching Wan was nominated for OVERHEARD 3 and INSANITY (BO FUNG YU) and would compete with fellow Best Actor Huang Bo. Two younger actors, THAT DEMON WITHIN (MOR GAING)'s Daniel Wu (Ng Yin Cho) and RISE OF THE LEGEND (WONG FEI HUNG ji YING HUNG YAU MUNG)'s Eddie Peng Yu-Yen seemed to have slimmer chances. About his double nominations, Ching Wan only said, "Thank you." First time Hong Kong Film Award Best Actor nominee Peng Yu-Yen said, "Thank you Hong Kong Film Award for recognizing my performance in RISE OF THE LEGEND. Playing a heroic figure who truly existed, I not only had to study martial art and change my appearance, but also had a lot of acting challenges. I am very happy to have walked Wong Fei Hung's road of dream chasing and thus am grateful for the chance to perform this time. Thank you producers (Bill) Kong Chi Keung and Ho Wan Ming's confidence. Also thank you director (Roy) Chow Hin Yeung, screen writer) To Chi Long for giving me this chance, and thank you Big Brother (Corey) Yuen Kwai and Master (Sammo) Hung Kam Bo for your instruction. Thank you to everyone who has helped me on the road. I hope on this road I can encourage even more friends with dreams to persist and work hard, you will definitely have results." Huang Bo said, "Thank you voters, for your recognition of our serious and sincere effort we smile a warm smile."

In Best Actress, nominees are all Best Actresses like SARA (CHOR GEI)'s Choi Cheuk Yin, GOLDEN CHICKEN SSS (GUM GAI SSS)'s Ng Kwan Yu, THE GOLDEN ERA's Tang Wei, DEAREST's Vicki Zhao Wei and WOMEN WHO FLIRT's Zhou Xun. Zhou Xun said, "I am truly very happy to be nominated, I want to give a special thanks to everyone who like WOMEN WHO FLIRT. This is a happy and warm film, I wish every viewer can have a beautiful love. Thank you everyone." Zhao Wei earlier already received the Hong Kong Film Critic Society Best Actress for DEAREST. She said about this nomination, "Thank you voters for your recognition of DEAREST. To have a chance to be nominated with director (Peter) Chan Ho Sun, Huang Bo, screen writer Zhang Ji, I feel very warm. Thank you to all voters who like this film."

Choi Cheuk Yin was nominated for the Hong Kong Film Award Best Actress. She said, "I am very happy, truly very happy! The previous nomination was in 2007, pure domestic production films already have a lot of risks on their own. Such a good performance is truly very rare. I really have to thank Emperor Motion Pictures and Fox International Channels for investing in this film, as well as a group of super sincere and passionate cast and crew. The nomination is already a recognition." Tang Wei said, "Thank you very much to the Hong Kong viewers and the Hong Kong Film Award for recognizing this character of Xiao Hong, thank you director (Ann) Hui On Wa and screen writer Li Qiang, also thank you to Mr. Tan Hong for his support of THE GOLDEN ERA. During the five months of production, we had some rewards and some regrets. No matter what, as an actor, I am very lucky to have experienced a female writer's short yet legendary life." Ng Kwan Yu joked, "I am very confident, (Ivana) Wong Yuen Chi probably can't......lose. As for me it doesn't matter whether I win or not. At this moment however I am very excited and happy. In my heart is always the Golden Chicken spirit. 'Ah Kam Is Hard Working, Ah Kam can make a living!' I hope everyone would support Hong Kong film, Yeah!"

Wong Yuen Chi this year broke the record with five nominations. She with GOLDEN CHICKEN SSS, DELETE MY LOVE and BREAK UP 100 received Best New Performer nominations, also with GOLDEN CHICKEN SSS received the Best Supporting Actress and with BREAK UP 100 theme song NEVER SAY BREAK UP AGAIN received the Best Original Film Song nominations. With so many nominations, she was very happy. "For a new actor, when everyone welcome me to the film world with this much support I feel very warm. I am also very touched that last year three films can be nominated together, they also brought me a lot of beautiful memories and great meaning. The Year of the Sheep has just started and already it is very warm, like a big family we are very united and have a beautiful start. In the future aside from music I also have an actor identity. I hope to be able to be an all purpose artist. I am very happy, now I am going to call Mom and Dad." Wong Yuen Chi thanked Kwan Yu for her support and encouragement, which gave her a lot of strength to start this film road. She also had to thank the company and her colleagues, as well as family and her love. Everyone have given her creative space so she was able to accept different and new attempts with this strength and courage.

Kara Wai Ying Hung with THE MIDNIGHT AFTER was nominated for Best Supporting Actress. She said that she just returned to Hong Kong when she got the good news. It was a huge present, as earlier she just celebrated her birthday. Now it was like having someone giving her a belated birthday gift. She was the happiest that Nina Paw Hee Ching was nominated as well and picked her to win.

Nick Cheung Ka Fai, Paw Hee Ching and Lo Hoi Pang yesterday attended the Hong Kong Film Award press conference to announce the nominations. Originally Sister Bau picked Ka Fai to be nominated for Best New Director with HUNGRY GHOST RITUAL (YU LAN SUN GUNG), but he was not nominated.

Ka Fai said that he is preparing for his second horror film. He felt that in the first film he did not do his best. If everyone felt that his next film would be sincere, he hoped to be nominated then. He also felt that this award should be saved for the younger generation of directors. If he was nominated or won, it would not be particularly encouraging. He admitted that he has never been so happy to not to be nominated.

As for his Best Actor pick, Ka Fai pointed out that actually he did not have too much screen time in THAT DEMON WITHIN. However the film company applied for the Best Actor nomination for him, which was somewhat wishful thinking. As for the other nominated actors, Ka Fai said that Eddie Peng Yu-Yen was a very hard working actor, Ng Yin Cho's performance also had breakthrough, Ching Wan in OVERHEARD 3 performed well as usual, but he has not seen INSANITY and Huang Bo's DEAREST yet.

As for Best Actress, he said that Kwan Yu went all out for GOLDEN CHICKEN SSS. In the recent 12 GOLDEN DUCKS (12 GUM NGAP) she also followed his lead and "trained" for several packs of abdominal muscles. He joked that she was very serious about her sex trade operations and hoped that she would keep them going. He has not seen Tang Wei's THE GOLDEN ERA, Choi Cheuk Yin's SARA and Vicki Zhao Wei's DEAREST, but he was selfish and hoped a Hong Kong actress could win as it would be even more encouraging. Ka Fai said, since co-production films began they often cast Mainland actresses. The market for Hong Kong actress has shrunk and lost more people as well.

Sister Bau was nominated for Best Supporting Actress with INSANITY. She said that she was already very happy about the nomination, as the nomination was already her ultimate goal. She joked, "Although I was nominated, I don't make much." Speaking of her being nominated seemingly for every film role she has had, Sister Bau joked that the 100% accuracy was amazing. She picked Wong Yuen Chi and thought that this kid was amazing. When she watched GOLDEN CHICKEN SSS she was in tears from laughing so hard. She felt that Wong Yuen Chi's performance was very natural, focused yet wild. Sister Bau said that Wong Yuen Chi should have no competition. She also was happy for her friend Alex Fong Chung Shun's Best Supporting Actor nomination. They have already planned to meet for dinner to celebrate.

Brother Pang said that this year's nominations were not lopsided, so it was very hard to predict. However the Best New Performer would definitely be Wong Yuen Chi. He has worked with her before and thought that her performance was very wild. Did Wong Yuen Chi asked him for acting advice? Brother Pang joked that she did not need to, instead he asked her to teach him how to sing.

THE 34TH HONG KONG FILM AWARDS NOMINATIONS
http://www.hkfaa.com/winnerlist.html

BEST FILM
THE MIDNIGHT AFTER
ABERDEEN
THE GOLDEN ERA
DEAREST
OVERHEARD 3

BEST DIRECTOR
Fruit Chan (THE MIDNIGHT AFTER)
Ann Hui (THE GOLDEN ERA)
Peter Chan (DEAREST)
Dante Lam (THAT DEMON WITHIN)
Alan Mak, Felix Chong (OVERHEARD 3)

BEST SCREENPLAY
Chan Fai Hung, Kong Ho Yan, Fruit Chan (THE MIDNIGHT AFTER)
Pang Ho Cheung (ABERDEEN)
Li Qiang (THE GOLDEN ERA)
Zhang Ji (DEAREST)
Alan Mak, Felix Chong (OVERHEARD 3)

BEST ACTOR
Eddie Peng (RISE OF THE LEGEND)
Sean Lau Ching Wan (INSANITY)
Huang Bo (DEAREST)
Daniel Wu (THAT DEMON WITHIN)
Sean Lau Ching Wan (OVERHEARD 3)

BEST ACTRESS
Sandra Ng (GOLDEN CHICKENSSS)
Tang Wei (THE GOLDEN ERA)
Zhou Xun (WOMEN WHO FLIRT)
Vicki Zhao Wei (DEAREST)
Charlene Choi (SARA)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Wang Baoqiang (KUNG FU JUNGLE)
Lam Suet (THE MIDNIGHT AFTER)
Ng Man Tat (ABERDEEN)
Alex Fong Chung Shun (OVERHEARD 3)
Kenneth Tsang (OVERHEARD 3)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Kara Wai Ying Hung (THE MIDNIGHT AFTER)
Ivana Wong (GOLDEN CHICKENSSS)
Hao Lei (THE GOLDEN ERA)
Fiona Sit (GIRLS)
Nina Paw Hee Ching (INSANITY)

BEST NEW PERFORMER
Ivana Wong (DELETE MY LOVE)
Ivana Wong (BREAK UP 100)
Ivana Wong (GOLDEN CHICKENSSS)
Jacky Cai (ABERDEEN)
Candy Cheung (DOT 2 DOT)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Zhao Fei (THE CROSSING I)
Lam Wah Tsuen (THE MIDNIGHT AFTER)
Wang Yu (THE GOLDEN ERA)
Ng Kai Ming (THE LEGEND RISES)
Anthony Pun (OVERHEARD 3)

BEST FILM EDITING
David Wu (THE CROSSING I)
Manda Wai (THE GOLDEN ERA)
Cheung Ka Fai, Tang Man To (RISE OF THE LEGEND)
Patrick Tam, Curran Pang (THAT DEMON WITHIN)
Curran Pang (OVERHEARD 3)

BEST ART DIRECTION
Horace Ma (THE CROSSING I)
Man Lim Chung (ABERDEEN)
Zhao Hai (THE GOLDEN ERA)
Pater Wong (RISE OF THE LEGEND)
Man Lim Chung (OVERHEARD 3)

BEST COSTUME AND MAKE UP DESIGN
Chen Tongxun (THE CROSSING I)
William Chang, Kenneth Yee Chung Man, Guo Pei, Lee Pik Kwan (THE MONKEY KING)
Man Lim Chung (THE GOLDEN ERA)
Boey Wong (RISE OF THE LEGEND)
Man Lim Chung (OVERHEARD 3)

BEST ACTION CHOREOGRAPHY
Donnie Yen, Stephen Tung, Yuen Bun, Yan Hua (KUNG FU JUNGLE)
Ku Huen Chiu (THE FOUR 3)
Stephen Tung (THE WHITE HAIRED WITCH OF THE LUNAR KINGDOM)
Yuen Wo Ping (ONCE UPON A TIME IN SHANGHAI)
Corey Yuen (RISE OF THE LEGEND)

BEST ORIGINAL FILM SCORE
Ellen Loo, Veronica Lee (THE MIDNIGHT AFTER)
Taro Iwashiro (THE CROSSING I)
Peter Kam (ABERDEEN)
Eli Marshall (THE GOLDEN ERA)
Shigeru Umebayashi (RISE OF THE LEGEND)

BEST ORIGINAL FILM SONG
NEVER SAY BREAK UP AGAIN (BREAK UP 100)
BRAND NEW HONG KONG (GOLDEN CHICKEN SSS)
DESTINATION (ABERDEEN)
YOUR LEGEND (RISE OF THE LEGEND)
THE QUIET STORM (INSANITY)

BEST SOUND DESIGN
Kinson Tsang, George Lee Yiu Keung (KUNG FU JUNGLE)
Tu Duu Chih (THE CROSSING I)
Kinson Tsang, George Lee Yiu Keung, Yiu Chun Hin, Steve Chan (RISE OF THE LEGEND)
Phyllis Cheng, Ip Siu Kei (THAT DEMON WITHIN)
Kinson Tsang (OVERHEARD 3)

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Enoch Chang (KUNG FU JUNGLE)
David Ebner, Kevin Rafferty, Ding Li Bo (THE MONKEY KING)
TongKa Wai, Ken Law, Lucky Tracy Hannah (THE MIDNIGHT AFTER)
Victor Wong, Bryan Cheung (RISE OF THE LEGEND)
Alex Lim Hun Fung, Lin Chun Yue, Yee Kwok Leung (THAT DEMON WITHIN)

BEST NEW DIRECTOR
Ruby Yang (MY VOICE, MY LIFE)
David Lee Kwong Yiu (INSANITY)
Amos Why (DOT 2 DOT)

BEST FILM MAINLAND AND TAIWAN
BLACK COAL, THIN ICE
PARADISE IN SERVICE
NO MAN'S LAND
CAFE. WAITING. LOVE.
COMING HOME