Cover Sammi Cheng wins Best Actress at Hong Kong Film Awards 2023 (Photo: Instagram/@hongkongfilmawards)
Sammi Cheng wins Best Actress at Hong Kong Film Awards 2023 (Photo: Instagram/@hongkongfilmawards)
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From Michelle Yeoh’s return to the first southeast Asian actor winning Best Supporting Actor, the 41st Hong Kong Film Awards was a roaring success
The Hong Kong Film Awards returned in all its glory last night at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, and marked the ceremony’s first fully physical event since 2020 by being the biggest it’s been in HKFA history. Quite literally, it was spatially the largest Hong Kong Film Awards ever, and with the stars’ arrival on the red carpet taking place in the outdoor area overlooking Victoria Harbour. Fans of local boyband Mirror cheered on the members—Edan Lui and Jer Lau—who were both nominated in the Best New Performer category this year from the promenade along the red carpet, as well as on a yacht in the harbour.
The evening only got more exciting from there. Kicking off the awards ceremony was a captivating performance by Hong Kong singers Terence Lam Ka-him and Serrini. Followed by other artists, like Keung To and Kung Ka Ho, who gave a live rendition of their songs that are nominated in this year’s Best Original Film Song category.
Don’t miss: Mirror star Edan Lui receives two Hong Kong Film Award nominations for best new performer
Best Actress winner at this year’s Oscars Michelle Yeoh returned to the city to attend the HKFA as its special guest, and to present the Best Supporting Actor award to Sahal Zaman, an 11-year-old actor who played a Pakistani refugee child in Hong Kong whose world crumbles when his father dies in a car crash caused by a taxi driver (played by Anthony Wong) in The Sunny Side of the Street. Zaman is the first southeast Asian actor to win in this category and Yeoh, who is Malaysian and who was nominated for her first award at the HKFA in 1986, used her time on stage to also encourage filmmakers to pursue their creative career paths despite challenges the industry presents. “Don’t give up,” she said. “Dreams do come true.”
Later in the evening, Andy Lau presented Sammi Cheng her first Best Actress award for her touching performance as a foster mother in Lost Love. Cheng has been nominated in the Best Actress category six other times prior to last night, and had also been nominated three times in other categories by the HKFA. “My father loved the arts,” she said as she tearfully accepted her award. “My career is almost like completing his life’s dream. [Winning Best Actress] is like another piece to the puzzle, [and] this award is dedicated to people who have dreams and push through challenges to realise them. Today, I finally crossed the finishing line.”
The Best Actor award followed after, with Hong Kong actor and director Francis Ng Chun-yu presenting it to Sean Lau for his role in Detectives vs. Sleuths. This is Lau’s third time winning in this category.
Finally, Wai Ka-fai received the Best Director award for his film, Detective VS. Sleuths, marking Wai’s third win in this category. To wrap up the ceremony, martial artist and actor Sammo Hung presented Best Film to To My Nineteen-Year-Old Self, a documentary by Hong Kong director Mabel Cheung Yuen-ting that follows the coming-of-age story of six Ying Wa Girls’ School students over the course of 10 years, and which sparked controversy earlier this year when her subjects complained of infringement of their privacy.
Read more: Mabel Cheung’s award-winning documentary on the coming-of-age stories of Hong Kong school girls
Perhaps one of the most memorable moments of the ceremony was when 91-year-old actor Bowie Woo, who has been in the industry for seven decades since he was 21 years old, was recognised with the Lifetime Achievement Award. He told the audience that while he was honoured to win the award, he takes pride in not being overly competitive and in maintaining good relationships with his peers throughout his career.
Full list of winners
Best Actor
Sean Lau (Detective VS. Sleuths)
Mak Pui Tung (The Sparring Partner)
Yeung Wai Lun (The Sparring Partner)
Anthony Wong (The Sunny Side Of The Street)
Louis Cheung Kai Chung (The Narrow Road)
Best Actress
Sammi Cheng (Lost Love)
Louisa So (The Sparring Partner)
Teresa Mo (Mama’s Affair)
Angela Yuen (The Narrow Road)
Sylvia Chang (A Light Never Goes Out)
Best Supporting Actor
Michael Hui (Where the Wind Blows)
Jan Lamb (The Sparring Partner)
Law Wing Cheong (Mama’s Affair)
Louis Cheung Kai Chung (Table For Six)
Peter Chan Charm Man (Table For Six)
Best Supporting Actress
Ivana Wong (Table For Six)
Harriet Yeung (The Sparring Partner)
Patra Au (The Narrow Road)
Lin Min Chen (Table For Six)
Jennifer Yu (Far Far Away)
Best Director
Wai Ka Fai (Detective VS. Sleuths)
Ho Cheuk Tin (The Sparring Partner)
Lam Sum (The Narrow Road)
Mabel Cheung, William Kwok (To My Nineteen-Year-Old Self)
Sunny Chan (Table For Six)
Best Film
To My Nineteen-Year-Old Self
The Sparring Partner
Warriors of the Future
Detective VS. Sleuths
The Narrow Road
Best Screenplay
Wai Ka Fai, Ryker Chan, Mak Tin Shu (Detective VS. Sleuths)
Frankie Tam Kwong Yuen, Oliver Yip, Thomas Leung (The Sparring Partner)
Lau Kok Rui (The Sunny Side Of The Street)
Fean Chung Chu Fung (The Narrow Road)
Sunny Chan (Table For Six)
Best New Performer
Sahal Zaman (The Sunny Side Of The Street)
Jer Lau (Mama’s Affair)
Edan Lui (Hong Kong Family)
Henick Chou (A Light Never Goes Out)
Edan Lui (Chilli Laugh Story)
Best Cinematography
Cheng Siu Keung (Detective vs. Sleuths)
Leung Yau Cheong (The Sparring Partner)
Ng King Ming (Warriors of Future)
Chin Ting Chang, Meng Qing, Tsui Siu Kong (Where the Wind Blows)
Meteor Cheung Yu Hon (The Narrow Road)
Best Film Editing
J. Him Lee, Zhang Zhao, Jojo Shek (The Sparring Partner)
Wong Hoi, Kenny Luk (Warriors of Future)
David Richardson, Allen Leung (Detective vs. Sleuths)
William Kwok, Nose Chan (To My Nineteen-Year-Old Self)
Cheung Ka Fai, Cheng Wai Lun (Table for Six)
Best Art Direction
Andrew Wong, Bill Lui (Where the Wind Blows)
Ida Mak (The Sparring Partner)
Alex Mok, Lam Wai Kin (Warriors of Future)
Jean Tsoi (Detective vs. Sleuths)
Irving Cheung, Leung Tsz Yin (Table for Six)
Best Costume and Makeup Design
Dora Ng, Petra Kwok (Where the Wind Blows)
Cheung Siu Hong (Warriors of Future)
Man Lim Chung, Kwok In Wai Vann (Lost Love)
Stanley Cheung, Pat Tang (Detective vs. Sleuths)
Bonnie Ho (The Narrow Road)
Best Action Choreography
Jack Wong Wai Leung (Warriors of Future)
Sammo Hung, Jimmy Hung, Yuen Wo Ping (Septet: The Story of Hong Kong)
Lin Feng, Stephen Tung Wai (The Battle at Lake Changjin II)
Wong Chi Man (Where the Wind Blows)
Wong Wai Leung (Detective vs. Sleuths)
Best Original Film Score
Wong Hin Yan (The Narrow Road)
Sara Fung Chi Han (The Sparring Partner)
Chan Kwong Wing (Warriors of Future)
Ding Ke, Sara Fung Chi Han (Where the Wind Blows)
Alan Wong Ngai Lun, Janet Yung Wai Yung (Table for Six)
Best Original Film Song
Live a Life (Lost Love), composed by Hans Wing, lyrics by Lin Ruo Ning, performed by Sammi Cheng
Twisted Fate (The Sparring Partner), composed by Sara Fung Chi Han, Kenny Wong, lyrics by Morgan Cheung, performed by Hung Ka Ho
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow (Warriors of Future), composed by Chan Kwong Wing, lyrics by Oscar, performed by Ansonbean, local girl group Collar member Winka
Forever (Mama’s Affair), composed by Alan Wong Ngai Lun, Janet Yung Wai Ying, lyrics by Chan Wing Him, performed by Keung To
Hate Love Hate Love You (Table for Six), composed by Ivana Wong, lyrics by Sunny Chan, performed by Ivana Wong
Best Sound Design
Nopawat Likitwong, Stan Yau, Sarunyu Nurnsai, Dhanarat Dhitirojana (Warriors of Future)
Tu Duu Cnih, Chiang Yi Chen (The Sparring Partner)
Steve Burgess, Wang Danrong, Yin Jie (The Battle at Lake Changjin II)
Tuu Duu Cnih, Wu Shu Yao (Where the Wind Blows)
Thomas Cheng, Vincent Tam, Chill Yang (Detective vs. Sleuths)
Best Visual Effects
Chas Chau Chi Shing, Leung Wai Kit, Kwok Tai, Law May (Warriors of Future)
Shigeharu Tomotoshi (The Sparring Partner)
Tsui Hark, Dennis Yeung, Wang Lei (The Battle at Lake Changjin II)
Shigeharu Tomotoshi (Where the Wind Blows)
Don Ma, Chan Wah, Specta Wong, Jacky Chung (Detective vs. Sleuths)
Best Asian Chinese Language Film
In Search of Lost Time
Goddamned Asura
Moon Man
Lifetime Achievement Award
Bowie Woo
Zabrina is the Senior Editor, Arts and Culture of Tatler Hong Kong. She specialises in performing arts, visual art and film. Her wanderlust was first fuelled by the Mighty Rovers Antarctica Expedition 2010. Over the years, she has interviewed A-list artists and filmmakers, including Oscar winners Chlóe Zhao and Tim Yip, Golden Horse winner Sylvia Chang, In the Mood for Love cinematographer Christopher Doyle, Pachinko author Min Jin Lee, and Coachella’s first Chinese solo singer Jackson Wang. She won gold at the WAN-IFRA Asian Media Awards for her 2021 feature on the waves of hate crimes targeting Asian Americans.
