[2009.12.19] NICK CHEUNG WINS BEST ACTOR AGAIN

The First Annual Quality Chinese Film Award took place yesterday at the Hong Kong Film Archive. Hong Kong Film magazine organized this award with assistance from the Mainland magazine Watch Movie. Near 100 film critics from three lands on both sides of the straits selected the winners. The recent Golden Horse Best Actor Nick Cheung Ka Fai again won Best Actor with BEAST STALKER (JING YUN), his five Best Actor award. THE WAY WE ARE (TIN SHUI WAI DIK YUT YU YEH)'s Paw Hee Ching and AND THE SPRING COMES' Jiang Wenli won Best Actress honors.

Ann Hui On Wa received Best Director with THE WAY WE ARE. The Hong Kong Film Award Best Supporting Actress Chan Lai-Wun with THE WAY WE ARE won Best Supporting Actress. THE WAY WE ARE also won Best Screenplay. FOREVER ENTHRALLED (MUI LAN FONG)'s Wang Xueqi won Best Supporting Actor. His co-star Yu Shaoqun won Best New Actor while CJ7 (CHEUNG GONG CHUT HO)'s Xu Jiao won Best New Actress. THE WAY WE ARE was also named one of the Top Ten Quality Chinese Films.

Cheung Ka Fai earlier won prizes at the Taiwan Golden Horse, the Hong Kong Film Award, the Hong Kong Film Critic Society, and the Pusan Film Festival. He felt this award was the most meaningful because it represented industry insider recognition. "I am not sure whether this is

the fifth award, it probably is. This is this award's first year, it's very meaningful." As for a perfect ending, he said, "Not yet, tomorrow I will go to Kuohsiang, Taiwan for the Asia Pacific Film Festival. Of course I hope to win Asia Pacific Best Actor with BEAST STALKER again."

As for his five awards, he said that he was only lucky to run into a good director, script, and colleagues. Did he have more pressure after becoming Best Actor? "No, after another award I can retire. If I keep reminding myself it will be over."

Ka Fai also said, "BEAST STALKER director (Dante) Lam Chiu Yin said that he was almost done with action films. After THE STOOL PIGEON (SIN YUN) he would like to make women film. His knife was so sharp in BEAST STALKER, he and I have built such a trust and relationship that are so rare it seems like a waste!"

THE WAY WE ARE yesterday won four awards. Sister Bau felt that this year was the biggest harvest year of her life and was considered a perfect end. She was happy and thankful. Earlier ATV was interested in making a series about Tin Shui Wai, Sister Bau said that it was still

unconfirmed. As for the recent ATV management change, she thought it was a good thing. Artists however would be worse off because without work they could not demonstrate their abilities even if they were capable. Fellow Best Actress Jiang Wenli won with Sister Bau. Did she feel the award was split? She said that she did not because Hong Kong people did not recognize her. Fortunately Mainland film critics chose her for the award. She also said that earlier at the Golden Rooster Hundred Flower award, she also shared the prize with Zhou Xun. She did not mind as she humbly said, "Everyone has seen Instructor Paw's acting, I feel very honored to be able to win with her. (Would you like to make Hong Kong films?) (Peter) Chan Ho Sun back then approached me with COMRADES ALMOST A LOVE STORY (TIM MUK MUK) but I couldn't comply, which was somewhat regretful. In adding to acting I have also directed. My film has won a prize at the Pusan Film Festival, but acting still suits me more."

Best Director Hui On Wa said that there was no such thing as too many awards as they were all encouragement. She was very happy to win this award again, which she considered an answer to everyone. "THE WAY WE ARE already won 18 awards. I have already said everything sincere and new. I can only say thank you." As for her future projects, she revealed that she became interested in turning the Buddhist 7 day zen study into a movie. "I am worried about finding investors, maybe I will work with Wong Jing again."

In addition, one of the top ten quality Chinese film, WHAT ON EARTH HAVE I DONE WRONG's director Niu Chen-Zer has been busy with the film MONGA. He praised the two male lead Ethan Ruan (Yuen King Tin) and Mark Chao (Chiu Yau Ting) as professionals who enjoyed their jobs. They had a lot of star potential. He even praised them as absolutely qualified to succeed Andy Lau Tak Wa and Tony Leung Chiu Wai. "They both can reach the audience. I may drag them to work with Wai Jai, the budget shouldn't be a problem."

THE FIRST ANNUAL QUALITY CHINESE FILM AWARD

BEST DIRECTOR: Ann Hui (THE WAY WE ARE)

BEST SCREENPLAY: Ivy Ho (Ong Sai) (CLAUSTROPHIA), Lui Hee-Ching (THE WAY WE ARE)

BEST ACTOR: Nick Cheung Ka Fai (BEAST STALKER)

BEST ACTRESS: Paw Hee Ching (THE WAY WE ARE ARE), Jiang Wenli (AND THE SPRING COMES)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Wang Xueqi (FOREVER ENTHRALLED)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Chan Lai-Wun (THE WAY WE ARE)

BEST NEW ACTOR: Yu Shaoqun (FOREVER ENTHRALLED)

BEST NEW ACTRESS: Xu Jiao (CJ7)