[2015.04.17] ALAN MAK PICKS SEAN LAU

Best Actor nominees

Best Actress nominees
courtesy of mingpao.com

Sean Lau (INSANITY)
courtesy of singtao.com

With double nominations, Sean Lau's chances is already seen as higher

Alan Mak

Eddie Peng

Daniel Wu

OVERHEARD 3

Dante Lam tailored THAT DEMON WITHIN for Daniel Wu

Peter Chan

Dante Lam
courtesy of on.cc

Sean Lau Ching Wan, Daniel Wu (Ng Yin Cho), Eddie Peng Yu-Yan and Huang Bo will compete for this year's Hong Kong Film Award Best Actor. With over 30 years in show business, Lau Ching Wan's acting was beyond any doubt. Over the years he has only won Best Actor in 2007 with MY NAME IS FAME (NGOR YIU SING MING). This year he was nominated with two films and increased his chances! Mainland actor Huang Bo has won the Golden Horse Award Best Actor. Ng Yin Cho also won the Golden Horse Award Best Supporting Actor. The 33 year old film industry rising star Peng Yu-Yan was nominated for Best Actor for the first time and his abilities should not be overlooked.

Veteran director Alan Mak Siu Fai felt that it would be a battle between Ching Wan and Huang Bo, but he picked Ching Wan's excellent performance as a land baron thug in the film OVERHEARD 3 (SIT TING FUNG WON 3). He said that although he was the OVERHEARD 3 director, he was not biased at all. "Ching Wan's performance in all three films varied, from the first time as a cop to this time as a land baron the layers became more and more difficult. He was nominated for Best Actor with the two previous films but didn't win. This time a victory would be perfect!"

He revealed that Ching Wan was suspicious about the character during the OVERHEARD 3 production but still completed it with more to spare. "He said that the character was a thug. Since he could rape Zhou Xun, why did he want spiritual romance? We felt the need was there in terms of the creation. Ching Wan had this knot. At first he was in disagreement but tried to perform as much as he could. He did very well!" Actually aside from the director, many colleagues also picked Ching Wan. Ching Wan replied, "Thank you for your support. (Are you confident?) It's been like this for years, whether I win or not I let it happen naturally. I feel normal."

Speaking of Huang Bo, Mak Siu Fai felt that his acting was good but he had obstacles if he wanted to win Best Actor. "Mainland actors would perform certain characters with set formats. Because they were too well honed, they felt like they were handing in handwork. Yet this time Huang Bo was very natural, very human, the role was hard to play but he played it well! The Hong Kong Film Award has two rounds of voting with many industry insiders, they are fair but the voters have a sense of unity. They tend to lean toward domestic actors, which put him in a natural disadvantage."

Mak Siu Fai also said that Ng Yin Cho's performance was not the best. "As a minority Chinese actor he has choices, his native tongue were English and Putonghua. He could go to Hollywood. Yet if he stays in Hong Kong, he must work hard on his Cantonese. Lately I felt his Cantonese has regressed, which would discount his acting." He also praised Peng Yu-Yan for his likable appearance that had a lot of potential, but he needed to work had for a few more years.

Mak Siu Fai and Felix Chong Man Keung's film OVERHEARD 3 was nominated for Best Picture, Director and Screenplay, he said that all three films have received several key nominations and felt honored!

In comparison to past Hong Kong Film Award Best Director nominees, Dante Lam Chiu Yin admitted that this year the THAT DEMON WITHIN (MOR GAING) nomination came much more relaxed and carefree. He felt that it would rational for him to lose. "I really don't have any pressure. I instead would recommend (Ann) Hui On Wa. She put in all of her effort this time, all of the details were handled very well. It is very hard to achieve such a result with a biography."

Lam Chiu Yin stated that when he first made DEMON, he only did it for lead actor Daniel Wu (Ng Yin Cho). "Around 10 years ago we worked together, I felt that at the time I didn't do my best and owed him something. This time I thoroughly tailored this film for him. The matter has already come to an end. The nomination is already a bonus." Even so, Lam Chiu Yin would still try to attend and express his support for the industry.