[2010.04.19] 29TH ANNUAL HONG KONG FILM AWARDS

The 29th Annual Hong Kong Film Award took place last night. After years in film Simon Yam Tat Wa finally got a taste of the Best Actor award. With ECHOES OF THE RAINBOW (SHUI YUET SUN TAU) he won the prize as the favorite. Best Actress was also the favorite Wai Ying Hung with AT THE END OF DAYBREAK (SUM MOR). Both truly deserved the awards. The big winner of the evening was BODYGUARDS AND ASSASSINS (SUP YUET WAI SING), which won eight awards including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor. Nicholas Tse Ting Fung after the Asian Film Award won Best Supporting Actor as the favorite. He was also Best Dressed. Michelle Ye (Yip Shuen) with ACCIDENT (YI OI) was the surprised Best Supporting Actress. ECHOES OF THE RAINBOW won four awards.

When fresh out of the oven Best Actor Brother Wa gave his speech he said, "The first one I have to thank is Kwan Yu, without her family rate we couldn't have made this film, thank you director for giving me the good character of a kind father. I thank my two girlfriends. Thank you Qi Qi. She wakes up and has no idea where in the world I am, and the younger girlfriend constantly asks her where is Daddy. Thank you very much for your understanding and support over the years." Qi Qi was moved to tears.

"Half of the word shoe is hard, but without that half is good. I wish to share this award with people who are disappointed, dreams come truly only who you constantly strive to be better." Later he was asked whether the award came late. He said no, only because he used to play either cop or crook. Thus he thanked the director for giving him a very lively and simple character. He hoped that all friend could continue to enjoy life. After winning the first Best Actress, Siu Hung 28 years later again won Best Actress. When she accepted the award she was already in tears. She honestly said that she wanted the award very badly and that back then he did not know why after the award she fell into an abyss, as no one approached her with roles. Luckily her friends never abandoned her. "I just took my medicine, as I was afraid my heart would beat too fast, I hope whether win or lose it wouldn't pound too fast. I really want to win this award, after the first time I was brilliant for a dozen or so years, somehow later I fell into an abyss, no one approached me. I went to a dead end to hide. Luckily a group of friends never abandoned me, thank you Chung Wai Bing, Lam Kin Ming and others for keeping me company. I also have to thank TVB's Lok Yi Ling, Tsang Lai Chun, Lee Tim Sing for getting me to return to TVB and giving me a chance, telling me that I have to be confident, also Tsang Chi Wai for teaching me how to act and the AT THE END OF DAYBREAK team. I have given up on myself for 4 years, I am not ashamed to tell you, I even gave up my life. I don't know how the future will be, but now I know I am an actor, whether for 1 day, 2 days, I will play the characters well."

The Peter Chan Ho Sun produced BODYGUARDS AND ASSASSINS won Best Picture. His wife Sandra Ng Kwan Yu was very moved. Chan Ho Sun on stage said that film was created with a lot of hard work from on and off screen.

Ting Fung and Ho Wan Si won the Best Dressed awards, each received 80,000 yuan RMB jewelry. Ho Wan Si said that she was very happy to win with Ting Fung because they were artists who cared about how they dressed the least. Ah Si received diamond jewelry while Ting Fung received jade. He also said that he did not know about this award so he had to thank his assistant for helping him with the fashion sponsorship and saving him a lot of money. As for Best Supporting Actor, Ting Fung continued to thank his wife on stage. Because he spent less time with her he was ashamed. He also expressed that because this morning he had to take an early flight, he would not celebrate last night. His wife however has already sent him a text message on the spot and asked him whether he had any jewelry to give. Will he march toward Best Actor? he said, "It doesn't matter, of course I am happy to win but even if I didn't it doesn't mean I didn't perform with an effort. I act for acting, not for awards. Even without an award next time I will still perform with an effort. (Will you continue to wear red at the next award show?) That's not related, last time I wore black. (Will you ask for a raise?) Adding four zeroes I wouldn't. Now is not like it was before. Today has Tse Ting Fung, tomorrow will have another Tse Ting Fung."

When Yip Shuen won she broke down in the excitement. She honestly said that winning this award was the biggest surprise in her life. A director friend once told her that no one would ask Yip Shuen to be the female lead. This comment was depressing but also needed to be thanked. She also thanked Peter Lam Kin Ngok for bringing her into the film industry to fulfill her film dream and TVB for cultivating her, without TVB she would not be standing here, and Johnnie To Kei Fung for giving her a chance and ACCIDENT lead Louis Koo Tin Lok for making the film popular. When she thanked TVB, the camera pointed at TVB executive Elaine Lok Yi Ling, ATV's Wu King Ying, presenters Miriam Yeung Chin Wa and Shawn Yue Man Lok kept laughing behind her back. Back stage she continued to cry and said that at first when she made movies everyone suspected her abilities, but her mentor To Kei Fung and good friend Koo Tin Lok gave her a lot of encouragement. Unfortunately they were not present last night, but she would always remember them. She also said that in the future whether the role was lead, supporting or small character, she would feel just as fortunate.

Araif Lee Chi Ting with ECHOES OF THE RAINBOW won Best New Artist. "First I want to thank Law Kai Yui and Cheung Yuen Ting for giving me this incredible chance. At first my manager told me to make it, I said I was singing. He said that it was a good chance, so I daftly went to make it and daftly came on stage." His on screen little brother Buzz Chung Siu To was also nominated. He was originally full of smiles when he conversed with guest presenter Tsang Chi Wai and Chin Kar Lok. When he learned that he lost he pouted and did not say a word. Lee Chi Ting had to hold his hand and thank him.

Back stage he continued to thank Mabel Cheung Yuen Ting and Alex Law Kai Yui and described his feeling was like a dream. He also said that he would hand the prize to his parents because his father helped him a lot with the film's hurdling scenes. He defeated his on screen little brother Buzz Chung Siu To, who looked unhappy. He said, "I haven't talked to him yet, but he is very confident. (Will you comfort him?) He doesn't need to be, he is very confident. After a meal he will be fine." Law Kai Yui who won Best Screenplay with ECHOES expressed that he was very happy and very appreciative because at first he only made this film in memory of his brother. He never thought that it would win awards and have good box office, as well as preserving a street.

In addition, the Lifetime Achievement Award winner Lau Kar Leung came on stage with his wife Yung Ching Ching. The entire venue gave him a standing ovation. Master Lau claimed to be not much of a talker and only knew about kung fu. When he talked about his past film production experience, because he was going on and on from studying martial art to being Wong Fei Hung's fourth generation successor, to being an extra to directing, his wife could not help but interpret him. Although he was interrupted, Master Lau did not mind. "Sorry, I forgot someone was next to me. Sorry, that's it for now. She will speak now." Yung Ching Ching smiled at Master Lau and said, "You have to present the next award, do you know that?" . During an interview before the award show, due to Master Lau's poor hearing, his wife responded on his behalf. Their daughters did not appear because the older one is a lawyer in Singapore while the younger one is studying in England. Once they return to Hong Kong they may return to celebrate in Guangzhou. How is Master Lau's health? She expressed that earlier they went on a vacation in Langkawi, perhaps due to a cold he had pneumonia and was hospitalized for three weeks. Now he was fine. Because everyday he would practice martial art for two hours, he recovered very quickly. Did earlier rumors affect her? She said that she would not talk about that but their love was beyond any suspicion. At this time Master Lau also expressed that he was not such an old fashioned person. At the end of the ceremony, Hong Kong Film Award Association chair Gordon Chan Ka Seung represented all the affiliated organizations and announced that due to the severe Qinghai earthquake after the show they have decided to launch a fund raising event as soon as possible.

In addition, during the ceremony, the event invited Kay Tse On Kay to perform STARLIGHT ACCOMPANIES MY HEART (SING GUONG BOON NGOR SUM) for its late artist memorial segment. Unfortunately when Kay tried to hit the low notes she still went off key. This year was the late kung fu superstar Bruce Lee's 70th birthday, a segment also commemorated the occasion.