The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society organized 5TH ASIAN FILM AWARDS took place last night at the Convention center. Korean films became the big winners with five awards. Lee Chang-Dong's POETRY won Best Director and Best Screenplay, Best Actor and Best Actress went to Korean film THE YELLOW SEA's Ha Jung-Woo and AFTER SHOCK's Xu Fan. As for Best Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress they went to IP MAN 2's Sammo Hung Kam Bo and Korean film THE HOUSEMAID's Yoon Yeo-Jeong. Best Newcomer went to MONGA's Mark Chao Yu-Ting. The only Hong Kong actor to win was Sammo. Although both Best Actor Chow Yun Fat and Carina Lau Ka Ling lost, they graciously maintained their smiles and applauded for the winners.
The award ceremony was scheduled to start at 8PM but was delayed by half a hour. The event first announced the live audience selected PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD Best Actor and Best Actress, which went to LET THE BULLETS FLY's Chow Yun Fat and THE HOUSEMAID's Jeon Do-Yeon. Because Jeon Do-Yeon was absent, Fat Gor first thanked the audience for its support. He also said that in recent years he rarely participated in Hong Kong film and looked forward to soon make more Hong Kong films. Then Fat Gor along with Wong Ying Wai, So Jat Kwong and others host the opening ceremony. Director Feng Xiaogang's AFTER SHOCK won the Highest Box office award. He said that AFTER was not a commercial film so he never expected such a high box office for it. He even announced that AFTER will donated 500,000 RMB to Japan disaster relief, a Tokyo Film Festival representative accepted the check.
Korean actor Ha Jung-Woo with THE YELLOW SEA defeated Fat Gor and Ge You for the Best Actor award. He accepted the award from Lau Ka Ling then said that was very honored to receive this award. He described this award as a good time. He also thanked the team but said that he was not too nervous. Because two nights ago he had a toothache, his mind was treating it so he never thought about winning. Thus he did not think about who to thank in his speech. As for Feng Xiaogang's wife Xu Fan, she embraced her husband after winning. When she received the award from Fat Gor she thanked the director, film investors and others for choosing her for this character. She gave a special thanks to her own daughter, because only with a daughter did she learn to miss and enable her to play well the good mother role in the film. She also said that missing someone would be tough on people but also feel very warm.
When Best Supporting Actor Sammo accepted the award, he first apologized to co-star Huang Xiaoming and asked, "Is this a mistake? I really feel you did quite well, I wanted you to win. You can only keep on going." Sammo honestly said that he never thought about winning because of so many opponents with potential. When he was announced he was truly surprised and excited. He said, "In my film life, I can say I don't care but I care a lot. I seem unexcited but am very excited. Although I don't care about winning an award or not, but winning an award is a little more exciting." Best Supporting Actress Yoon Yeo-Jeong felt very happy to receive an award. She said that she came to visit Hong Kong ten years ago. She never thought that ten years later she would come to Hong Kong to accept an award, which to her was a very big pleasant surprise. Chao Yu-Ting with MONGA won Best Newcomer. He even hug his director Doze Niu Chen-Zer who presented the award to him. Chao Yu-Ting honestly said that he longed for the award because it increased his acting confidence very much and thought that his acting also had room for improvement. He said that he always thought about winning. He said, "Before the result was announced I thought I would be relaxed, but actually I really was very nervous. The director also had fun at my expense and made me think I lost, in the end I had to ask Director whether it was true."
5TH ASIAN FILM AWARDS
BEST PICTURE: UNCLE BOONMEE WHO CAN RECALL HIS PAST LIVES
BEST DIRECTOR: Lee Chang-Dong (POETRY)
BEST SCREENPLAY: Lee Chang-Dong (POETRY)
BEST ACTOR: Ha Jung-Woo (THE YELLOW SEA)
BEST ACTRESS: Xu Fan (AFTER SHOCK)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Sammo Hung Kam Bo (IP MAN 2)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Yoon Yeo-Jeong (THE HOUSEMAID)
BEST NEWCOMER: Mark Chao Yu-Ting, (MONGA)
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: Mark Lee Ping-Bin (NORWEGIAN WOOD)
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN: Yuji Hayashida (13 ASSASSINS)
BEST MUSIC SCORE: Indian Ocean (PEEPLI LIVE)
BEST EDITING: Nam Na-Young (I SAW THE DEVIL)
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS: Phil Jones (AFTERSHOCK)
BEST COSTUME DESIGN: William Chang Suk Ping (LET THE BULLETS FLY)
