[2024.04.11] BEST NEW DIRECTOR NOMINEE JONATHAN LI HAS CONFIDENCE

DUST TO DUST director Jonathan Li and star Da Peng are nominated for Best New Director and Best Actor respectively.  Both says their nominations are already victories for them
courtesy of mingpao.com

Mainland actor Da Peng and director Jonathan Li Tsz Chun with DUST TO DUST (DAI BAK GOR YIM YI YUN) was nominated for the 42nd Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actor and New Director. Da Peng was seen as the dark horse, with the opportunity to knock down the favorite, THE GOLDFINGER (GUM SAU JI)'s Tony Leung Chiu Wai, A GUILTY CONSCIENCE's Dayo Wong Tze Wah, and IN BROAD DAYLIGHT (BAK YUT JI HA)'s Bowie Lam Bo Yi to win Best Actor. Influenced by Hong Kong film since childhood, he humbly said that being nominated with three idol class elders was already a victory for him. Even in defeat he would feel honored; Li Tsz Chung strongly supported Da Peng to win, and joked that he was full of confidence in himself too.

As a host, an actor, a director and a screenwriter, Da Peng has been in the business for over a decade. In the mainland he has already created many stories and characters. His first Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actor nomination felt like a dream. Before the race he has been immersed in gigantic joy, because he has yet to know when his next nomination would be. Not from around there, he had no idea how high he chances were. However he has already done his best. He thanked the director for choosing him to play this fully challenging character. "I have watched most of the other opponents' films, they are all very amazing. I have worked with Leung Chiu Wai three times. When I see Leung Chiu Wai I feel that he is the person in the film, none of the cameras exist. As long as you see him it is a movie. To be nominated with him for an award, I am already very excited and honored. I also like A GUILTY CONSCIENCE very much, when I was little I already watched Wong Tze Wah's stand up comedy. For awhile when I was hosting a talk show online, I learned from and imitated him. I know IN BROAD DAYLIGHT's Lam Bo Yi from TVB series. They are my idols, I am very happy to be nominated with them." Did he feel the glory in defeat? "No matter the result, I am already very happy at this moment." Director Li Tsz Chun praised Da Peng's very outstanding performance as the construction company boss Chen Shin in DUST TO DUST and would have a chance to knock down his opponents. "In my heart, he has already won. In the film his performance had a very precise grasp, and he also deliberately gained weight for the role and broke through his comedy performance limits." As for his Best New Director nomination, Li Tsz Chun did not dare to say how high his odds were. He said that his opponents Lawrence Kan Kwan Chun, Nick Cheuk Yim Him and Jacky Ng Wai Lun all have been his good friends of many years. The award show would be like a big party, they would celebrate together as the nomination was already a victory for him.

Da Peng agreed, "The Hong Kong Film Awards was founded in 1982, the year I was born so there is a special destiny. Hong Kong film has influenced me very deeply, I would take the opportunity to 'collect stamps'. I not only like to watch Hong Kong films, I also like to listen to Hong Kong songs; I especially like the band Beyond's songs. The movies I created before frequently used Beyond's music. The entire Hong Kong culture, not just Hong Kong film; including music and stars they all have influenced my generation of 'post 80s' people. I used to watch a lot of (Raymond) Wong Pak Ming and (Stephen) Chow Sing Chi's comedy, as well as Chow Yun Fat's hero films."

Da Peng had a music dream when he was little, instead he never thought about being an actor. Due to the internet, everyone through online programs knew him, he was discovered for the business and made movies. He revealed that he would like to work with Sing Yeh the most. "In 2014 I wrote and directed my first movie, I came to Hong Kong to invite Sing Yeh to perform. At the time Sing Yeh said, "I no longer perform', but each time I saw Sing Yeh I would ask, 'Would it be possible, for me to bring a script to move you to act?' Sing Yeh would soon start production his new film WOMEN'S SOCCER, if he would need me, I am always on call. Sing Yeh and I have a promise, if he asks me to play a tree, I would."