[2014.04.12] WONG KAR WAI AND THE GRANDMASTER HAVE THE BEST CHANCE

Best Picture nominee: THE GRANDMASTER

Best Film nominee: UNBEATABLE

Best Film nominee: THE WAY WE DANCE

Best Film nominee: THE WHITE STORM

Best Film: JOURNEY TO THE WEST CONQUERING THE DEMONS

Best Director nominee: Wong Kar Wai (THE GRANDMASTER)

Best Director nominee; Johnnie To (DRUG WAR)

Best Director nominee: Benny Chan (THE WHITE STORM)

Best Director nominee: Derek Kwok (AS THE LIGHTS GO OUT)

Best Director nominee: Dante Lam (UNBEATABLE)
courtesy of mingpao.com

Wong Kar Wai since winning the 14th Hong Kong Film Award Best Director in 1995 with CHUNG KING EXPRESS (CHUNG HING SUM LUM) again has the best chance to win Best Director and Best Film 19 years later with THE GRANDMASTER (YUT DOI JUNG SI); so far only UNBEATABLE's Dante Lam Chiu Yin can threaten Wong Kar Wai. For Best Film only THE WAY WE DANCE can compete with THE GRANDMASTER.

For Best Director THE GRANDMASTER's Wong Kar Wai is the favorite. UNBEATABLE's Lam Chiu Yin is the second favorite with is commercial and critical success. DRUG WAR (DUK JIN)'s Johnnie To Kei Fung, THE WHITE STORM (SO DUK)'s Benny Chan Muk Sing and AS THE LIGHTS GO OUT (GAU FOR YING HUNG)'s Derek Kwok Chi Kin have many supporters as well. However, according to Chapman To Man Chak, Fruit Chan Gor and Andrew Lau Wai Keung's analysis, THE GRANDMASTER's Wong Kar Wai overwhelms the other nominees as all three agree THE GRANDMASTER will win. Chan Gor says, "I haven't seen Kwok Chi Kin's AS THE LIGHTS GO OUT; Chan Muk Sing's THE WHITE STORM is a little flawed. Cheung Ka Fai jumps off a cliff and comes back to life, leaving people confused. Some people don't like THE GRANDMASTER on a certain level because its writing is unusual. People who loves to watch traditions may not like his style, but it truly is very charming. To Sir's DRUG WAR actually is already a rare piece of work just for being made. Lam Chiu Wai's UNBEATABLE is also decent, but I still choose THE GRANDMASTER. I like how Wong Kar Wai is not greedy. I don't care about all the shooting and editing before, but in the end he is very controlled. It is a very tough production, something very hard to persist. As a director who takes for 5 or 6 years to make a movie, he needs a lot of persistence, a lot of self confidence to be able to achieve such a performance." Ah Jat also says, "Wong Kar Wai is the best with every aspect like actors, art and cinematography, he achieves the true spirit of a co-production. I admire the most the northern and southern style kung fu duels, in comparison to other director's work he is much more excellent."

Best Film is also seen as already in THE GRANDMASTER's pocket, only the dance subject THE WAY WE DANCE dares to challenge it. UNBEATABLE becomes the dark horse. The other two nominees are JOURNEY TO THE WEST CONQUERING THE DEMONS and THE WHITE STORM. Out of the five films, To Man Chak analyzes, "For Best Film I choose THE GRANDMASTER because it embodies the real co-production spirit. I admire the Northern and Southern style kung fu duels, it truly accomplishes the reason for co-production. Many times co-productions in order to land even more investment would force China Hong Kong relationships into the story that actually doesn't. This film senses this point and needs to be the co-production role model. Thus I also choose Wong Kar Wai for Best Director. Because he does the best in every aspect like actors, art and cinematography. He truly does a great job. In comparison to other directors' work, he is much more excellent."

Seen as Wong Kar Wai's rival, Lam Chiu Yin faces his UNBEATABLE nomination normally. He says, "The previous few times I was very tense too. This time instead I am not nervous. Maybe everyone's recognition of this film has already satisfied me, making it much more relaxed."