[2014.03.07] FILM CRITIC SOCIETY BEST ACTOR NICK CHEUNG KISSES UP TO HIS ASSISTANTS

Nick Cheung and Zhang Ziyi make the trophies "hold hands"

Juno Mak receives a RECOMMENDED FILM award for his directing debut RIGOR MORTIS
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Nick Cheung Ka Fai with the film UNBEATABLE (GIK JIN) won two Best Actor awards. Yesterday he and 7 Best Actress award winning Zhang Ziyi attended the Film Critic Society Awards. Speaking of competing for the Hong Kong Film Award Best Actor with the Hong Kong Film Director's Guild Best Actor Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Ka Fai changed his "campaigning for an award wouldn't be something to be proud of" comment and joked that if he could win he would be willing to strip for vote; he also revealed on the set he often went nuts and he had to apologize to his victim his assistant.

Earlier already announcing its winners, the 20th Hong Kong Film Critic Society Awards were presented yesterday at the Hong Kong Film Archives. Veteran filmmaker Raymond Chow Man Wai was the guest presenter. Best Actor and Best Actress went to UNBEATABLE's Cheung Ka Fai and THE GRANDMASTER (YUT DOI JUNG SI)'s Zhang Ziyi. The Wong Kar Wai directed THE GRANDMASTER won Best Picture. Best Screenplay went to DRUG WAR (DUK JIN)'s Wai Ka Fai, Yau Nai Hoi, Chan Wai Bun and Yu Hei; Best Director, DRUG WAR's Johnnie To Kei Fung was busy with a film in Guangzhou and did not accept the award in person. The Society recommended six films, including DRUG WAR, UNBEATABLE, IP MAN THE FINAL FIGHT (IP MAN JUNG GIK YUT JIN), THE WAY WE DANCE (KONG MO PAI), BLIND DETECTIVE (MAN TAM) and RIGOR MORTIS (GEUNG SI).

Winning two Best Actor awards with UNBEATABLE, Cheung Ka Fai was excited. As for breaking even with THE GRANDMASTER's Leung Chiu Wai, who the Director's Guild Best Actor, Ka Fai said, "You can't count like this!" Speaking of their Hong Kong Film Award Best Actor Award battle, he said, "Earlier report said that I thought campaigning for votes to win an award wouldn't be something to be proud of, if there is a way to campaign for votes and win an award, I would swallow swords and strip! Actually many factors can affect the award. I wouldn't put too much importance on it. In the future I would continue to face it with ease." Ka Fai mentioned again that for the film he had to train and broke his finger while taking care of a lot of business. He often went nuts and his assistants became his victims. He wanted to take the chance to apologize. Has his wife Esther Kwan Wing Ho been his victim then? He said, "She's the old lady, how would I dare! She has been very supportive of me. She knew that I had to get in shape and needed beef to replenish protein, so she bought the best beef. When she cooked meat she also secretly added flavor so it was easy for me to eat."

Zhang Ziyi looked back at ten years ago when she won the Hong Kong Film Critic Society Best Actress with the Wong Kar Wai directed 2046, it was like yesterday. When she accepted the award she excitedly said, "Ten years ago I ran into you (the award) and thought I still had time; 10 years later I run into you again, I am still waiting for you. I still have time." She said that as an actress, it was very hard to run into a classic character and receive the recognition from different levels. She hoped to challenge even more different characters in the future.

Director Wong Kar Wai recalled 20 years ago his film ASHES OF TIME (DUNG CHE SAI DUK) received the event's support despite all the controversy. He was very happy to win again and hoped the event would continue this independent spirit and maintain the conversation with Hong Kong film.

20TH HONG KONG FILM CRITIC SOCIETY AWARDS
BEST PICTURE: THE GRANDMASTER
BEST ACTOR: Nick Cheung Ka Fai (UNBEATABLE)
BEST ACTRESS: Zhang Ziyi (THE GRANDMASTER)
BEST SCREENPLAY: Wai Ka Fai, Yau Nai Hoi, Chan Wai Bun, Yu Hei (DRUG WAR)
RECOMMENDED FILMS: RIGOR MORTIS, UNBEATABLE, IP MAN THE FINAL FIGHT, BLIND DETECTIVE, DRUG WAR, THE WAY WE DANCE