[2010.09.04] JOHN WOO BECOMES THE FIRST CHINESE DIRECTOR TO WIN THE VENICE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

courtesy of singtao.com

courtesy of takungpao.com

International renowned director John Woo (Ng Yu Sum) at the 67th Venice Film Festival received the Lifetime Achievement Golden Lion Prize, a recognition of his lifelong contribution to world film. He was even the first Chinese director to receive such a honor.

At the night of the presentation, Ng Yu Sum arrived with his daughter Ng Fei Ha. The event even arranged for this film festival competition jury chair Quentin Tarantino and Hong Kong director Tsui Hark to present. Before the presentation the event first screened a fast pace short film that gathered the exciting highlight from Ng Yu Sum's several decade long career. Then Tarantino and Tsui Hark appeared. In a cowboy hat and sunglasses Tarantino stated that if he had to talk about Ng Yu Sum he could talk "all night". Tsui Hark quoted a line from A BETTER TOMORROW (YING HUNG BOON SIK) to express Ng Yu Sum's state of mind. He said, "After so many years, I don't want to prove how great I am. I only want to get what I deserve!"

When Ng Yu Sum accepted the glittering Golden Lion prize, all the guests gave several minute long passionate and rhythmic standing ovation. Teary eyed Ng Yu Sum bowed several times in appreciation. In his speech he sincerely thanked all the family and friends who have supported him and helped time. "When I was little film was only my crazy dream, I never imagined that it would come true today. I have been lucky......Mother's words often echoes in my ear, if you firmly believe in something, you must persist to the end."

At the earlier press conference, Ng Yu Sum expressed that when the film festival chair Marco Muller notified him that the film festival committee decided to present him with the Lifetime Achievement Award, he could not believe it and thought he was joking. Muller felt that Ng Yu Sum's movies were perfect mergers of Chinese traditions and forward thinking. Thus the committee decided to present the Lifetime Achievement Award to him. Ng Yu Sum also hoped that he would become the bridge for cultural exchanges between the East and the West, through his years of experience in Hollywood and with the help of the young generation of filmmakers bring Chinese cultures that the Western audience has yet to understand to the silver screen. He said, "The Western audience in general would mention kung fu films whenever Chinese culture and Chinese films were mentioned. This is just a small of Chinese traditions." He also said that he was very happy to be able to return to China to make movies. In addition he would not be restricted in the past or the present. As long as the story was good he wanted to tell it, if the subject was good then he would make it.