26th Hong Kong Film Awards

The 26th Hong Kong Film Awards were held the other evening. The nominees were what you would expect, but most of the winners were a surprise. Patrick Tam was the big winner with his film After This Our Exile winning Best Film and Best Director. After This Our Exile, Tam's first film in over 15 years, was an art-house Hong Kong anomaly that did rather poorly at the box office. Superstar Johnny To got nixed for director and picture (Election 2 and Exiled was up in both of those catagories.)

Other surprises included Lau Ching Wan winning against Aaron Kwok, Tony Leung, Chow Yun Fat anf Jet Li; Zhang Yimou's sentimental Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles won Best Asian Film in an odd group of nominees (The Host, I Not Stupid Too, Crazy Stone and Death Note.) Daniel Wu deservedly won Best New Director for his psudo-documentary Heavenly Kings, and Gong Li won Best Actress for her over-the-top portrayal of a matriarch in Curse of the Golden Flower. Overall the nominees and the awards represent a pretty interesting year in Hong Kong film.

Full list of nominees and winners:

Best Film
After This Our Exile
Exiled
Election 2 / Triad Election
Curse of the Golden Flower
Fearless

Best Asian Film
I Not Stupid Too Singapore
Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles China
Death Note Japan
Crazy Stone China
The Host Korea

Best Director
Patrick Tam Ka Ming (After This Our Exile)
Johnnie To Kei Fung (Exiled)
Johnnie To Kei Fung (Election 2 / Triad Election)
Zhang Yimou (Curse of the Golden Flower)
Jacob Cheung Chi Leung (A Battle of Wits)

Best New Director
Law Wing Cheong (2 Become 1)
Daniel Wu (The Heavenly Kings)
Patrick Kong (Duk ga si oi / Marriage with a Fool)

Best Actor
Aaron Kwok (After This Our Exile)
Lau Ching Wan (My Name is Fame)
Tony Leung Chiu Wai (Confession of Pain)
Chow Yun Fat (Curse of the Golden Flower)
Jet Li (Fearless)

Best Actress
Teresa Mo Shun Kwan (Men Suddenly in Black 2)
Rene Liu (Happy Birthday)
Isabella Leong (Isabella)
Angelica Lee Sin Je (Re-Cycle)
Gong Li (Curse of the Golden Flower)

Best Supporting Actor
Gouw Ian Iskandar (After This Our Exile)
Simon Yam (Election 2 / Triad Election)
Nick Cheung Ka Fai (Election 2 / Triad Election)
Jay Chou (Curse of the Golden Flower)
Liu Ye (Curse of the Golden Flower)

Best Supporting Actress
Kelly Lin (After This Our Exile)
Isabella Leong (Diary)
Candice Yu (My Name Is Fame)
Zhou Xun (The Banquet)
Kristal Tin Yui Lee (The Mother Is a Belly Dancer)

Best New Performer
Gouw Ian Iskandar (After This Our Exile)
Huo Si Yan (My Name Is Fame)
Pei Pei (Dog Bite Dog)
Sun Li (Fearless)
Matthew Medvedev (Rob·B·Hood)

Best Screenplay
Patrick Tam Ka Ming & Tian Koi Leong (After This Our Exile)
Sylvia Chang, Mathias Woo & Theresa Tang (Happy Birthday)
James Yuen Sai Sang, Jessica Fong & Lo Yiu Fai (My Name Is Fame)
Yau Nai Hoi & Yip Tin Shing (Election 2 / Triad Election)
Felix Chong & Alan Mak (Confession of Pain)

Best Cinematography
Mark Lee Ping Bing (After This Our Exile)
Charlie Lam (Isabella)
Cheng Siu Keung (Exiled)
Andrew Lau Wai Keung & Lai Yiu Fai (Confession of Pain)
Zhao Xiaoding (Curse of the Golden Flower)

Best Film Editing
Patrick Tam Ka Ming (After This Our Exile)
David Richardson (Exiled)
Azrael Chung Wai Chiu (Confession of Pain)
Eric Kong Chi Leung (A Battle of Wits)
Virginia Katz & Richard Learoyd (Fearless)

Best Original Film Score
Peter Kam Pui Tat (Isabella)
Tan Dun (The Banquet)
Chan Kwong Wing (Confession of Pain)
Shigeru Umebayashi (Curse of the Golden Flower)
Kenji Kawai (A Battle of Wits)

Best Original Film Song
“Heavenly Kings” (The Heavenly Kings)
Composer Davy Chan
Lyric Li Jin Yi
Sung by Alive

“Sun yat fai lok / Happy Birthday” (Happy Birthday)
Composer Chan Fai Yeung
Lyric Lin Xi
Sung by Rene Liu

“Only for Love” (The Banquet)
Composer Tan Dun m
Lyric Fan Xueyi
Sung by Zhang Liangying

“Ju Hua Tai” (Curse of the Golden Flower)
Composer Jay Chou
Lyric Vincent Fang Wen Shan
Sung by Jay Chou

“Huo Yuan Jia / Fearless” (Fearless)
Composer Jay Chou
Lyric Vincent Fang Wen Shan
Sung by Jay Chou

Best Art Direction
Patrick Tam Ka Ming & Cyrus Ho Kim Hung (After This Our Exile)
Man Lim Chung (Isabella)
Tim Yip (The Banquet)
Man Lim Chung (Confession of Pain)
Huo Tingxiao (Curse of the Golden Flower)

Best Costume Design / Make Up
Stephanie Wong (Isabella)
Tim Yip (The Banquet)
Man Lim Chung (Confession of Pain)
Yee Chung Man (Curse of the Golden Flower)
Tong Huamiao ( A Battle of Wits)

Best Action Choreography
Tony Ching Siu Tung (Curse of the Golden Flower)
Stephen Tung Wai (A Battle of Wits)
Yuen Wo Ping (Fearless)
Donnie Yen (Dragon Tiger Gate)
Jackie Chan, Li Chung Chi & JC Stunt Team (Rob·B·Hood)

Best Visual Effects
Jiang Yanming (The Banquet)
Ng Yuen Fai, Chas Chau Chi Shing, Emil Yee Kwok Leung, Alex Lim Hung Fung (Re-Cycle)
Angela Barson, Frankie Chung Chi Hang, John Leonti & Sze Cheuk Wah (Curse of the Golden Flower)
Clement Cheng, Victor Wong & Eddy Wong (A Battle of Wits)
Koan Hui (Dragon Tiger Gate)

Best Sound Design
Wang Danrong (Ye yan / The Banquet)
Nakom Kositpaisal (Re-Cycle)
Tao Jing & Roger Savage (Man cheng jin dai huang jin jia / Curse of the Golden Flower)
Steve Burgess & He Wei (Muk gong / A Battle of Wits)
Richard E. Yawn (Huo Yuan Jia / Fearless)

Century Achievement Award: Producer and studio head Run Run Shaw

Professional Spirit Award: Makeup artist Sis Chun