[2025.01.21] THE HONG KONG FILM CRITICS SOCIETY DENIES MISTREAMENT OF THE LAST DANCE

The Hong Kong Film Critics Society's Chan Chi Wah said that Michael Hui and Michelle Wai did not win Best Actor and Best Actress because their roles were thinned out

The Hong Kong Film Critics Society held a public forum in a Mongkok book store to explain its voting process

Sean Lau in PAPA works with non professional actor Dylan So an is praised for his eye opening changes

The Film Critics Society founding member and veteran filmmaker Manfred Wong feels THE LAST DANCE got the cold shoulder from the Film Critics Society
courtesy of mingpao.com

The 31st Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards announced the winners last week. The highest grossing Chinese film THE LAST DANCE POR. DEI YUK) only received one of the recommended films, and was not even nominated for Best Film, which surprised many people. They criticized the Awards as a clique election. Founding member of the Film Critics Society and veteran filmmaker Manfred Wong (Man Jun) also commented on his online program, thinking that THE LAST DANCE was given a cold shoulder by the Film Critics Society. The day before yesterday (19th), the Film Critics Society held a public forum in a bookstore in Mong Kok. Speakers Cheung Wai Hung, Matthew Cheng Ching Hang, Tsang Siu Hung, Anna and Lee Cheuk Lun explained the selection process. They revealed that there were many different opinions and differences in the process. They disagree that they gave the cold shoulder to THE LAST DANCE, nor do they deliberately attempt to prop up or step on a certain movie. They take the middle point through communication. Society director Chan Chi Wah says that the best actor and actress nominees all perform well, Hui Koon Man and Wai Sze Nga lost because their roles are thinned.

THE LAST DANCE failed to win any award except for one of the top ten recommended films. The Hong Kong Film Critics Society believes that whether the film has been treated badly, whether the Society will become a historical sinner, it is not determined now because it is of little significance. They should wait for 10 years and 20 years before talking about that, now it is all a war of words. Recommended film is also very important, and one of the awards. As for whether it is absolutely fair, the Society can only say that there are principles for voting, and there are strict rules to determine the selection of awards.

A group of speakers talked about the online reviews of THE LAST DANCE were not overwhelmingly good after its release, with both positive and negative reviews. In the first round of voting, most people affirmed that THE LAST DANCE's Wai Sze Nga was the Best Actress and she was at the top of the first round of voting. With only one award, there was only trade-off. In the end MONTAGES OF A MODERN MOTHERHOOD (FU DUK BUT)'s Hedwig Tam Sin Yin became the Best Actress. The Film Critics Society Awards are not necessarily everyone's favorite, but are based on rigorous discussion and voting by members. Some people think that Wai Sze Nga is just unlucky this time. Running into many good actors, her result was third in the end. In second was THE WAY WE TALK (HONG NGOR GUM TIN JUM MOR SUET)'s Chung Suet Ying, because both she and Tam Sin Yin had bigger roles. They said that in the past, it was common for actors to win awards but for their movies not to be selected for recommended films. There also has been no best actresses, which was not surprising at all. This year MONTAGES OF A MODERN MOTHERHOOD's Tam Sin Yin won Best Actress, but the film was not one of the recommended films. In the past that has happened in 8 years.

At the 8th Awards Lau Ching Wan and Sammi Cheng Sau Man won the best actor and actress respectively for LA BRASSIERE (JUET SAI HO BRA) and WU YAN (CHUNG MO YIM), and neither film was included in the top ten recommended movies. MONTAGES OF A MODERN MOTHERHOOD (FU DUK BUT) is a so-called false start movie, not officially released but has been screened for 5 screenings to be eligible. As for Lau Ching Wan winning the Best Actor in PAPA, the members put forward their opinions and say that Lau Ching Wan worked with non-professional actor Dylan So Man To this time. Lau Ching Wan was inspired to perform in different ways, and the changes were impressive. They deeply admired Lau's performance.

At the end of the forum, a director of the Film Critics Society Chan Chi Wah spoke to the press. Regarding the commercial and critical success THE LAST DANCE that attracted the attention of the whole city in the end was only selected as one of the top ten recommended films, he emphasized that the recommended films are all awards, and they will be invited to attend the award ceremony to receive the award and give speeches. "Don't think that the Film Critics Society didn't give it any award."

When asked why Hui Koon Man and Wong Tze Wah lost to Lau Ching Wan, and what are the shortcomings? Chan Chi Wah said, "The nominated actors have all performed well, and what disadvantage did Hui Koon Man have? Truly the role is thinned out; he and Wong Tze Wah are both leads, and the roles are naturally a little bit less than Lau Ching Wan's that leads from the beginning to the end. The most important thing is the problem of the role size, Wai Sze Nga has the problem of the role size as well. Their performance is very good, there is absolutely no problem. Hui Koon Man is a comedic actor, he is still very entertaining even without laughter. He plays a father with good spirits, and his relationship with his daughter and son is very entertaining. Maybe because he film had to talk about the Hong Kong funeral industry as well, the roles are very regrettably split. This year the competition is too strong, and the sizes of the roles enormous. I am so happy to see Hui Koon Man, Wong Tze Wah also putting down the comedy. I very much look forward to Wong Tze Wah to have even more performance. In recent years he has performed many stage plays, all of which have different attempts. From earlier ONE LAST GIFT to THE TRUTH ABOUT LYING now, they are very far from his previous image. I look forward to seeing this side of him on film."

Speaking of Manfred Wong (Man Jun)'s public criticism of the Film Critics Society's unreasonable results, Chan Chi Wah thanked the him for his advice. Not only Man Jun, but also supporters different movies have said that they are unreasonable. For example, some people like PAPA, but why is it not the best movie. Some people think that they treat ALL SHALL BE WELL (CHUNG GUM YI HAU) coldly. Ultimately there is only one award for each award, and you believe the result when you go to vote. When more members like this film and think it is the best, and there is nothing the others can do. "Thank you Man Jun for reminding us, don't ignore some movies that the audience likes very much. Actually we didn't ignore it, we all said before that THE LAST DANCE almost entered the top five."

As for the alleged clique election, Chan Chi Wah said, "It is true that there are mainly 20 or 30 members to vote, and it is always a jury system. The Golden Horse Awards only has 17 judges, so the group selection will be easy to be labeled as a clique, and the so-called clique also has its advantages. I hope to pay attention to some films that may be ignored by the public, which is the purpose of the Film Critics Society. Maybe everyone has great expectations for the Film Critics Society Awards. It is always a club with its own orientation, and it will watch from the perspective of film critics and done by the discussion mechanism." With so many voices this year, will the mechanism be reviewed? He said: "I am very happy, it is rare that two movies have broken 100 million, and there are many people who have not gone to the movies and then gone to see THE LAST DANCE or TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS: WALLED IN. The audience is so intense, I fully understand."