[2016.04.05] DEREK YEE BLASTS "POLITICAL HIJACKING"

TEN YEARS
courtesy of singtao.com

Derek Yee objects to either religion or politics being in a movie

TEN YEARS producer celebrate with the team
courtesy of on.cc

The 35th Hong Kong Film Award two nights ago ended in controversy when TEN YEARS won Best Film. Film investor Peter Lam Kin Ngok said that he would respect the jury's choice but would not agree with the result. Some even felt that TEN YEARS' victory was a tragedy for the Hong Kong film industry. Because the film did not receive any other nomination and was not the highest grossing, it has been proven that it was not qualified to be Best Film but still won. It was unfair to filmmakers and politics even kidnapped professionalism. As the Hong Kong Film Award Association chair Derek Yee Tung Sing two nights ago attended the celebration he criticized this time the jury voted with emotions and was not professional enough. If the Hong Kong Film Award would become politicized again he might resign. He said, "I only hope Hong Kong film doesn't change its nature!"

Yee Tung Sing two nights ago at the Hong Kong Film Award celebration stated that when TEN YEARS was nominated the Hong Kong Film Award had no internal controversy. The entire program deliberately wanted to introduce the Hong Kong Film Award standards to young viewers who did not know. They also took the opportunity of the Hong Kong Film Award's 35th anniversary to make everyone understand this standard. Thus next year the voters will be increased to 1,200 people. Even when controversial films will be nominated they will not be interfered with.

Siu Bo said on the stage that the Hong Kong Film Award screen writers asked him should they avoid the words TEN YEARS. Siu Bo said that he was just joking, it was a type of humor. Actually this year's entire award show creativity coordinated with the social climate. Even the appearance of this film was because of the social climate. From a personal standpoint, he felt that religion and politics should not be mixed with film.

Siu Bo frowned and said, "I personally am very worried, I also know that this year will have many different genres of films. More are emotional than professional. This year TEN YEARS reached the stage. Maybe it has yet to reach the target, but the jury appreciated its courage. Perhaps you can say it is a type of encouragement. Yet many who have seen this film would feel that in terms of quality it might not be the Best Film." Yet the Hong Kong Film Award was still presented, was it a power struggle? Siu Bo admitted that this was not the first time that it happened, but the film in the past did not need to be mentioned. Otherwise some would feel that he did not agree with that film. Siu Bo continued, "I am a creator myself, I understand creators are sentimental and can very easily be affected by others emotionally. The Hong Kong Film Award standards have no problem. It's a people problem. Everyone voted with emotions. I too am afraid that if the situation persists, Hong Kong Film Award would give people the impression of being unprofessional."

Siu Bo said that earlier due to low voting rate he asked everyone to vote. Even when they did not watch the film they went to vote, which was already voting with emotions. The attitude there was already a problem. As the chair, his function was wanting improvement. Would he worry that next year's Hong Kong Film Award would be affected the same way? He said probably not, no one needed to be too pessimistic, he was certain that films like these would not have been released because of rules that prohibited affecting neighboring regions. Now who would dare to say with certainty?

When he announced the award he was accused of announcing it with a less than conducive tone. Siu Bo admitted, "I only want to make movies. If you ask me to play politics I don't have the time. If it keeps on politicizing, I will resign. You can play all you want on your own, I am fine with just making movies!" he stressed that he has always objected to injecting politics and religion into film. In the past the most political Hong Kong film was Hui On Wa's ORDINARY PEOPLE (CHIN YIN MAN YU), Hong Kong film has never excelled in this area. Siu Bo said, "I only hope Hong Kong film doesn't change its nature!" He pointed out that he would meet with Hong Kong Film Award Association members and believed that next year everyone will be more sensible. This year everyone's passionate response was unexpected, he believed it was due to the social climate. Siu Bo added that the TEN YEARS team agreed that they were lacking professionally and technically. Winning Best Film like that, if not due to emotions then what? Everyone thus should be a little more objective.

TVB was rumored to have purchased TEN YEARS' television rights. TVB's Tsang Sing Ming clarified. "TVB has not purchased TEN YEARS' television rights! The film's producer also said that the film would not be sold to TVB."

Meanwhile, TEN YEARS' producer Choi Lim Ming and Ng Ka Leung led the five directors to celebrate in Tsim Sha Tsui. The film organizer and one of the directors Ng Ka Leung said that TVB contacted them about buying the film's television rights, but another director Jevons Au Man Kit said it did not. He said that the company already has reached an agreement with another television station, so the report definitely was incorrect. As for accusations that TEN YEARS won "more for politics than technique" and "underqualified", Au Man Kit said that they were not in control of whether the film would be able to win. If some felt that they did not deserve this award, they should ask the Hong Kong Film Award jury. He also said that TEN YEARS technically would not be a great film because its production budget and expense were very low. Yet from another angle, when a low budget production was able to be released on the big screen and the audience was able to relate to it, which was already where the value of the film lay.