[2014.04.12] THE GRANDMASTER IS THE FAVORITE TO WIN BIG

Best Actor nominee: Anthony Wong (IP MAN THE FINAL FIGHT)

Best Actor nominee: Sean Lau (THE WHITE STORM)

Best Actor nominee: Nick Cheung (UNBEATABLE)

Best Actor nominee: Tony Leung Chiu Wai (THE GRANDMASTER)

Best Actor nominee: Louis Koo (THE WHITE STORM)

Best Actress nominee: Tang Wei (FINDING MR. RIGHT)

Best Actress nominee: Cherry Ngan (THE WAY WE DANCE)

Best Actress nominee: Nina Paw (RIGOR MORTIS)

Best Actress nominee: Zhang Ziyi (THE GRANDMASTER)

Best Actress nominee: Sammi Cheng (THE BLIND DETECTIVE)

Chapman To

Nick Cheung
courtesy of mingpao.com

The 33rd Hong Kong Film Award will take place tomorrow. Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director and Best Film will be presented, among them favorite Zhang Ziyi with THE GRANDMASTER (YUT DOI JUNG SI)'s Gong Er will compete for her ninth Best Actress that seems to be almost certain. Famous directors Andrew Lau Wai Keung, Fruit Chan Gor and Best Actors Nick Cheung Ka Fai and Chapman To Man Chak predict the four major awards and agree that this year THE GRANDMASTER will become the big winner.

This year for Best Actress everyone picks Zhang Ziyi's Gong Er in THE GRANDMASTER. Sister Bau Nina Paw Hee Ching's performance in RIGOR MORTIS also receives many praises and is the second favorite. In the Mainland romantic film symbol FINDING MR. RIGHT, Tang Wei's performance is innovative; in the same way Sammi Cheng Sau Man in THE BLIND DETECTIVE (MAN TAM) puts in a lot of hard work, unfortunately she runs into strong rivals to be the only dark horse; the least experienced Cherry Ngan Cheuk Ling in THE WAY WE DANCE (KONG MO PAI) gives a refreshing performance, but with four good actresses she can only try to keep up.

Chan Gor, Lau Wai Keung and To Man Jat all pick "Gong Er" Zhang Ziyi to win Best Actress with THE GRANDMASTER. Lau Wai Keung says, "I choose Zhang Ziyi because the feeling is good, her performance is very different from the average actress. Her martial art action comes from within, I admire her layered performance. It is very hard to play, she has to be in character. Many actors who have to work for 5 years would truly walk! She completely didn't as she insisted on playing the character 'Gong Er'." Chan Gor also says that Best Actress definitely will be Zhang Ziyi. "Although Sister Bau performs very well, her role is not major. If she competes for Best Supporting Actress she will definitely win. I have told her that. She says that being nominated for Best Actress is good too." Best Actor nominee Nick Cheung Ka Fai instead picks Sister Bau, "Sister Bau's performance indeed is decent, but International Zhang (Zhang Ziyi)'s presence is truly too strong. Zhang Ziyi's performance in THE GRANDMASTER is high quality, so the competition is very strong. I personally still lean toward Sister Bau."

As for Best Actor, UNBEATABLE's Cheung Ka Fai is seen as a favorite but THE GRANDMASTER's Tony Leung Chiu Wai does not fade in comparison either. Another Ip Man Anthony Wong Chau Sun in IP MAN THE FINAL FIGHT (IP MAN JUNG GIK YUT JIN) is a dark horse. As for Sean Lau Ching Wan and Louis Koo Tin Lok both are nominated with THE WHITE STORM (SO DUK) but both only have an outside chance as well.

Director Lau Wai Keung feels, "For Best Actor, I choose Cheung Ka Fai because his character requires a lot. He goes from no figure, not even muscle, trains himself into a body full of muscles. In addition the role also has to have acting, which is not simple at all." Chan Gor also says, "Every nominee is strong, Cheung Ka Fai has the edge. Training himself into such a shape isn't simple. He has both figure and acting, Cheung Ka Fai has better chances. Leung Chiu Wai's role is not minor, his silence is done very well. Actually everyone is good, it's very hard to choose; but Cheung Ka Fai has the edge. He completely changes his entire person and puts in hard work."

To Man Chak's opinion differs. He picks THE GRANDMASTER's Leung Chiu Wai. Ah Jat says, "Many people believe UNBEATABLE's Cheung Ka Fai is the favorite, but I like THE GRANDMASTER's Leung Chiu Wai more. I will talk about their individually. Koo Tin Lok should have been Best Actor a long time ago, if he does it shouldn't be for this one. It should have been him with ELECTION 2 (HAK SEH WUI YI WOR WAI GWAI). It's very unfair to him. Lau Ching Wan has won before, Chau Sun has won many times. As for Cheung Ka Fai and Leung Chiu Wai most people are talking about them, I like Leung Chiu Wai more. Although Cheung Ka Fai would get more points for working hard on his training, if I bet with money I would wager on Cheung Ka Fai, but Leung Chiu Wai's acting is better. He does not fight for screen time because of lead actress Zhang Ziyi's role. Instead he displays the manner than a male lead should have. In this aspect, Cheung Ka Fai actually has quite an edge because he has no scene with others. The entire film seems to be his one man show, but Leung Chiu Wai's co-star is Zhang Ziyi. So as an actor I feel Leung Chiu Wai's character is harder to play."