[2025.02.15] THE LAST DANCE RECEIVES 18 HONG KONG FILM AWARDS NOMINATIONS

Michelle Wai has a good chance to win Best Actress again

THE LAST DANCE has been a critical and commercial success, even sweeping up 18 Hong Kong Film Awards nominations

Raymond Lam

Michael Hui

Ian Chan

George Au, Yoyo Tse, Angela Yuen, Marf Yau and Derek Yee give away hearts together

While Marf Yau is announcing reading the nomination, she makes "art director" sound like "gourmet director"
courtesy of on.cc

THE LAST DANCE's Michelle Wai and Michael Hui are Best Actress and Best Actor favorites respectively

Louis Koo and Raymond Lam are nominated for the Hong Kong Film Awards with TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS: WALLED IN
courtesy singtao.com

Best Actress nominees: Natalie Hsu (LAST SONG FOR YOU), Chung Suet Ying (THE WAY WE TALK), Michelle Wai (THE LAST DANCE), Patra Au (ALL SHALL BE WELL), and Hedwig Tam (MONTAGES OF A MODERN MOTHERHOOD)

Best Actor nominees: Neo Yau (THE WAY WE TALK), Raymond Lam (TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS: WALLED IN), Michael Hui (THE LAST DANCE), Sean Lau (PAPA), Aaron Kwok (ROB N ROLL)

George Au, Yoyo Tse, Angela Yuen, Marf Yau and Derek Yee attend the Hong Kong Film Awards nomination announcement press conference

Manfred Wong
courtesy mingpao.com

The 43rd Hong Kong Film Awards held a press conference yesterday to announce its nominees, and the award ceremony will be held at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre on April 27th. Yesterday the event invited 4 new representatives of the film industry Angela Yuen Lai Lam, last year's Best New Performer Yoyo Tse Wing Yan, COLLAR member Marf Yau Yin Tung and P1X3L member George Au Chun Ho as special guests to announce the nominees for this year's 19 categories. Yet during the announcements they had plenty of flaws, especially Marf who kept tripping over her own tongue and turned "art director" into "gourment director". George also made THE STUNTMAN (MO TAI DOH)'s Chinese title sound like "didn't see it". Tse Wing Yan did not even know how to read Marf's Chinese name and needed help from George. All three said later that they made mistakes because they were too nervous. Marf said that when the names reached her hands she was so nervous that she did not even converse. George admitted that he needed to improve his pronunciation, and Tse Wing Yan pointed out that at the time she could not think of Marf's Chinese name in her mind.

THE LAST DANCE (POR. DEI YUK) received 18 nominations, making it the big winner of this year's nominations, followed by TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS: WALLED IN (GAU LUNG SING JAI JI WAI SING) and PAPA with 14 and 11 nominations respectively. With a box office of HK$160 million in Hong Kong and Macau and 18 nominations, THE LAST DANCE has a better chance of winning the "Best Film" category.

The most fierce competition at this year's Hong Kong Film Awards should be the race for the "Best Actor". The first Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actor Michael Hui Koon Man with his excellent acting in the Chinese language film Hong Kong box office record breaking THE LAST DANCE has become the favorite; three-time Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actor Sean Lau Ching Wan interpreted the abyss of human nature in PAPA; another Best Actor, Aaron Kwok Fu Sing played a robber in ROB N ROLL (LUM SI GIP ON). Quite an unusual performance, he really would have to say "thank you" if he would win the award; the Raymond Lam Fung starred movie TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS: WALLED IN received praises, and he even had the assist from Louis Koo Tin Lok's yielding "Best Actor" category application and was successfully nominated at first shot; and Neo Yau Hawk Sau was also nominated for the first time with THE WAY WE TALK.

In terms of "Best Actress", Michelle Wai Sze Nga has already won four Best Actress awards with THE LAST DANCE and became the favorite for this year's Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actress; however she would also have strong competitions from the stage Best Actress Patra Au Ga Man, who was also praised for ALL SHALL BE WELL (CHUNG GUM YI HAU); Chung Suet Ying and Hedwig Tam Sin Yin have also won the "Best Actress" award at different awards ceremonies for THE WAY WE TALK and MONTAGES OF A MODERN MOTHERHOOD (FU DUK BUT) respectively, which cannot be ignored. New actor Natalie Hsu (Hui Yan Yi) in LAST SONG FOR YOU (GAU BIT CHUNG FUNG) made her mark.

As for the two movies with over HK$ 10 million box office, THE LAST DANCE and TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS: WALLED IN were seen as the favorites and had the best chance of winning Best Film. THE LAST DANCE gave the audience an opportunity to let go and untie the knots in their hearts; TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS: WALLED IN took Hong Kong action movies to a new level that was pleasing to the eye. THE LAST DANCE received 18 nominations, and Emperor Motion Pictures took the opportunity to announce that the extended version of the film will be released on April 4th for the Ching Ming Festival. Nominated for Best Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay, Anselm Chan Mou Yin said, "We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the industry for their recognition of THE LAST DANCE and to continue the vitality and appeal of this work. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the global audience for their encouragement and support, so the team would be able to go even further." Nominated for Best Actor, Michael Hui Koon Man said, "I am very happy to receive the Hong Kong Film Awards nomination, and I am especially happy that THE LAST DANCE has received 18 nominations. From the beginning of the production to the release, this journey of THE LAST DANCE has gained far more than imagined. Thank you to the Hong Kong Film Awards voters and the audience for the recognition and support!"

Nominated for Best Actress, Michelle Wai Sze Nga also said happily, "I am very honored to be nominated and would like to express my sincere gratitude to the director, screenwriter, production team and every actor partner. I hope that there will be more opportunities to perform different roles in the future, thank you to the voters and the audience for their love and support. I will definitely continue to work hard!" Tommy Chu Pak Hong with a "Best Supporting Actor" nomination said, "Thank God for all the arrangements, and thank you to the audience who liked THE LAST DANCE and the role of Kwok Chi Bun. I am very grateful and very touched, I hope to have the opportunity on the stage to receive this award on behalf of those who always have been supporting me at that time." Nominated for Best Supporting Actress with co-star Rachel Leung Yung Ting, Rosa Velasco (Wai Law Sha) said, "I'm so excited, so happy, because THE LAST DANCE has been nominated for multiple nominations. I cried silently when I heard my name; I was so happy to be nominated with my friends in this film, which is more important than getting the affirmation myself. This film is full of love and passion, thank you to all the friends who voted." Talented musician Terence Lam Ka Him also with the LAST theme song THE LAST DANCE received his first Best Original Film Song nomination. "Thank you to the film team for achieving this good work together. I hope every unit of the team would have good performance!"

Recently a big hit in Japan, TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS: WALLED IN (GAU LUNG SING JAI JI WAI SING) received 14 Hong Kong Film Awards nominations. Nominated for the Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actor for the first time, Raymond Lam Fung responded, "First of all I would like to thank Director Cheang Pou Soi and Mr. (Louis) Koo Tin Lok for giving me the opportunity to play such a good role as 'Chan Lok Kwan', and I am also very grateful to the whole team of TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS for their help. I am really happy to have the opportunity to be a part of TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS! Thank you to every voter who voted for me, thank you! Happy Valentine's Day everyone!" Koo Tin Lok was only nominated for "Best Supporting Actor", but he was happy for the team. "I am very happy that the entire TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS team has received a number of nominations, which recognizes everyone's hard work. Thank you all for enjoying TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS, and I hope we can continue to get good results!" Also nominated for "Best Supporting Actor", Philip Ng Wan Lung said, "I am so surprised and happy. Seeing so many good actors who are also nominated, I will enjoy the process normally." The "Best Director" winner last year, Cheang Pou Soi was nominated again and had the opportunity to repeat. "I'm so glad that many colleagues have been nominated, and I hope everyone will reap the harvest in the end!" Commenting on the support of TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS from the industry, producer John Chong Ching said, "Thank you to director Cheang Pou Soi, Mr. Chan Law Chiu and every on and off screen members of the dream team! I hope that Hong Kong filmmakers will make persistent efforts to forge ahead bravely in the face of difficulties and create a better tomorrow!"

In addition, TWILIGHT since its release in Japan has exceeded 150 million yen at the box office and over 100,000 viewers have attended as the "Walled City Fever" arose there. On the 23rd this month, Cheang Pou Soi, Koo Tin Lok, Lam Fung and others would head to Tokyo to meet with almost 1,000 viewers there.

The film PAPA received 11 Hong Kong Film Awards nominations, and three-time Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actor Sean Lau Ching Wan would also compete for the prize again. "Three of the four PAPA family members were nominated, which is simply overjoyed." Playing Lau Ching Wan's wife, Jo Koo (Kok Cho Lam) was nominated for the "Best Supporting Actress" and said excitedly, "I suddenly receive the news that I have been nominated for Best Supporting Actress and I feel very happy. This is the most beautiful Valentine's Day gift for me and Kam Yin (her film character); there are so many people I want to thank, I hope to have the opportunity to personally tell you on stage: Thank you!" Co-starring with Lau Ching Wan as son and father in his first film, Dylan So Man To was nominated for the "Best New Actor" award. When he received the news, he was in class. He said excitedly, "I am very excited and grateful to be nominated for the 'Best New Actor'! It is already a great honor to be able to compete with so many excellent actors. This affirmation is not only for me personally, but also for the efforts of the entire team and my performance director. I am very grateful to those who voted for PAPA, and I will continue to work hard!"

In addition, Aaron Kwok Fu Sing was nominated for the Hong Kong Film Awards "Best Actor" with ROB N ROLL (LUM SI GIP ONG). "As an actor I try my best to play each role well. To being nominated for the Hong Kong Film Awards is certainly a happy thing, because it is absolutely an affirmation! I hope to share the happiness of this nomination with the ROB N ROLL team, thank you for your efforts to create 'Mui Lam Tin' together; and I really want to say: Thank you!"

It is worth mentioning that actress Ann Bridgewater (On Pak Nei)'s daughter Natalie Hsu (Hui Yan Yi) was nominated for "Best Actress". She admitted that she never thought she would be nominated, "Thank you very much everyone for liking this character, this story. This is already my greatest reward. I will continue to work hard. I hope everyone will continue to support Hong Kong films!" Chung Suet Ying and Tam Sin Yin could not hide their excitement when interviewed. Tam Sin Yin even stated that the news was too "heavyweight" that she wanted to properly digest it.

Stephy Tang Lai Yan was nominated for "Best Supporting Actress" with LOVE LIES (NGOR TAM DIK NAM CHEUNG LUEN OI) and said happily, "This is my first supporting actress nomination, and being nominated feels so special. LOVE LIES is a First Feature Film Initiative film. With the government supporting the Hong Kong film industry, it s a very encouraging thing for the industry. The entire production process is so happy and a lot of fun! Now that Hong Kong films are facing difficulties, I hope everyone would continue to support Hong Kong films. Everyone and I will continue to work hard and will definitely survive!"

MIRROR member Ian Chan Cheuk Yin with the film LAST SONG FOR YOU was nominated for Best New Performer. His film theme song duet with Dior Cheng Yi Kin was also nominated for Best Original Film Song. Also competing for the New Performer award would be Lau Wai Ming, Marco Ng Tsz Ho, Dylan So Man To and Marf Yau Yin Tung.

Nominated with the film THE WAY WE TALK, Ng Tsz Ho thanked the event and voters for the recognition. HE admitted that he was already very pleased with the nominated. "A very sincere thank you to everyone on and off screen for their contribution. Thank you Hong Kong Film Awards for the love, I have already received my Valentine's Day gift. Ultimately I can answer to myself and the director!"

In addition, Marf with the film BLOSSOM UNDER SOMEWHERE (GEI LIU YUT JING GOR CHUN TIN) was nominated for Best New Performer and with the film's theme song LAK1 KAK1 (LUT CUT) was nominated for "Best Original Film Song". She said that she was already very happy just to be nominated, and could not really react in time. She looked forward to walking the red carpet. Which award she would like to win more? She admitted that if she had to choose she would choose the song award, because she really liked this song. She believed that if it would win the behind the scene team would cry harder than she would.

The Chairman of the Hong Kong Film Awards Association Derek Yee Tung Sing said at the press conference, "Starting from the term of office of the current board of directors (2024-2026), the Hong Kong Film Awards Association is pleased to be joined by the Hong Kong Film Assistant Directors' Association, the Hong Kong Association for Pictures and Sound Production and the Hong Kong Visual Effects Association. The number of the Hong Kong Film Awards family of film professional member association has increased from 14 to 17, and the number of eligible first round voters of this year's Awards has increased to 2,050. It will not be lower than the Oscars, which will further enhance the professionalism, comprehensiveness and fairness of the awards, and at the same time mark the unity and development of the Hong Kong film industry, and further enhance the representativeness of the Hong Kong awards."

Yee Tung Sing also announced the 43rd Hong Kong Film Awards first round voting results. After verification by accountants, the number of valid votes was 1,313 with a turnout rate of 64.84%; the highest since the 40th edition in 2022. He urged "voters" to continue their enthusiastic support in the second round voting.

Yee Tung Sing continued, "A total of 46 Hong Kong-made films are eligible to compete for the 43rd Hong Kong Film Awards in 2024, which is slightly lower than the 50 films in 2023. The variety in film genres and the wide range of subjects, with the flood of on and off screen new talents in the domestic film industry in recent years, have injected even more vitality and topicality into Hong Kong films. It is gratifying to note that last year's two talked about films, TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS: WALLED in (GAU LUNG SING JAI JI WAI SING) and THE LAST DANCE (POR. DEI YUK) both exceeded HK$100 million at the box office. THE LAST DANCE even broke the all-time highest box office record set by last year's Hong Kong Film Awards Best Film A GUILTY CONSCIENCE (DUK SIT DAI JONG), and also set a new high of admission rate. This film has already become the most attended Hong Kong film in Hong Kong. In order to encourage more new directors to actively create and launch their works, the event also opened up the eligibility for the 'New Director' award to new co-directors to increase their chances of being nominated and competing." Yee Tung Sing stated that he of course would like the industry to have even more movies, the most ideal would be above 40. Even if the film production rate were to decline, the Hong Kong Film Awards would not disappear; its scale would only be smaller.

The Hong Kong Film Critics Society announced it awards winners earlier. The HK$160 million box office record breaking THE LAST DANCE did not win an award and was only selected as one of the 10 recommended films. Man Jun attended a press conference yesterday and talked about the Hong Kong Film Awards nominations, and THE LAST DANCE received 18 nominations to become the most nominated film. "It's not a slap to the results of the Film Critics Society in the face, I myself am a founding member of the Film Critics Society. Only that everyone's election mechanism is different, the Hong Kong Film Awards is one vote per person, and the Film Critics Society is more than 20 people; after in-depth discussions, nominees are eliminated one by one. I talked about why THE LAST DANCE got the cold shoulder, which wasn't to fight for any awards for THE LAST DANCE. When a movie has such a box office, and so many national discussions have reached the phenomenal level, why is the movies not taken seriously when more than 20 people in the Critics Society discuss it? It doesn't matter if the movie doesn't win the award after speaking, I spoke from the bottom of my heart because it is a good movie that is hard to come by." Man Jun also pointed out that THE LAST DANCE should thank the Hong Kong Film Awards voters, with 18 nominations their hard work was not in vain. Man Jun said, "Most of the people in the Critics Society also know that these turmoil will pass, and I hope that those who have adhered to the principles will continue to adhere to it. Everyone will have a piece of heaven over their heads; the Film Critics Society would do what the Film Critics Society would do, and the Hong Kong Film Awards would do what the Hong Kong Film Awards would do. Only then would the film industry be healthy, this is my opinion."

THE 43RD HONG KONG FILM AWARDS NOMINATIONS
http://hkfaa.com/winnerlist.html

BEST FILM
• TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS：WALLED IN
• PAPA
• THE WAY WE TALK
• THE LAST DANCE
• ALL SHALL BE WELL

BEST DIRECTOR
• Soi Cheang (TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS：WALLED IN)
• Philip Yung, Au Cheuk Man (PAPA)
• Adam Wong (THE WAY WE TALK)
• Chan Mou Yin Anselm (THE LAST DANCE)
• Ray Yeung (ALL SHALL BE WELL)

BEST SCREENPLAY
• Ho Miu Ki, Chan Hing Kai (LOVE LIES)
• Philip Yung (PAPA)
• Chan Mou Yin Anselm, Cheng Wai Kei (THE LAST DANCE)
• Ray Yeung (ALL SHALL BE WELL)
• Chan Wai Bun, Albert Mak Kai Kwong, Man Uen Ching (ROB N ROLL)

BEST ACTOR
• Raymond Lam (TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS：WALLED IN)
• Sean Lau (PAPA)
• Neo Yau Hawk Sau (THE WAY WE TALK)
• Michael Hui (THE LAST DANCE)
• Aaron Kwok (ROB N ROLL)

BEST ACTRESS
• Natalie Hsu (LAST SONG FOR YOU)
• Hedwig Tam (MONTAGES OF A MODERN MOTHERHOOD)
• Chung Suet Ying (THE WAY WE TALK)
• Michelle Wai (THE LAST DANCE)
• Patra Au Ga Man (ALL SHALL BE WELL)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
• Louis Koo (TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS：WALLED IN)
• Philip Ng (TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS：WALLED IN)
• Lo Chun Yip (MONTAGES OF A MODERN MOTHERHOOD)
• Tommy Chu (THE LAST DANCE)
• Paul Chun Pui (THE LAST DANCE)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
• Stephy Tang (LOVE LIES)
• Jo Koo (PAPA)
• Rachel Leung (THE LAST DANCE)
• Rosa Maria Velasco (THE LAST DANCE)
• Maggie Li Lin Lin (ALL SHALL BE WELL)

BEST NEW PERFORMER
• Lau Wai Ming (TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS：WALLED IN)
• Ian Chan (LAST SONG FOR YOU)
• Dylan So (PAPA)
• Ng Tsz Ho Marco (THE WAY WE TALK)
• Marf Yau (BLOSSOMS UNDER SOMEWHERE)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
• Cheng Siu Keung (TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS：WALLED IN)
• Lau Oliver Kuan Lok (LAST SONG FOR YOU)
• Chin Ting Chang, Leung Yau Cheong (PAPA)
• Anthony Pun (THE LAST DANCE)
• Anthony Pun (CESIUM FALLOUT)

BEST FILM EDITING
• Cheung Ka Fai (TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS：WALLED IN)
• Jojo Shek (PAPA)
• Robin Lee (FOUR TRAILS)
• William Chang Suk Ping, Curran Pang (THE LAST DANCE)
• Li Ka Wing (THE PROSECUTOR)

BEST ART DIRECTION
• Mak Kwok Keung, Chau Sai Hung Ambrose (TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS：WALLED IN)
• Lee Kin Wai (CESIUM FALLOUT)
• Twiggy Tang (LAST SONG FOR YOU)
• Mak Tsz Kwan Ida (PAPA)
• Yiu Hon Man (THE LAST DANCE)

BEST COSTUME AND MAKE UP DESIGN
• Bruce Yu, Karen Yip (TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS：WALLED IN)
• Dora Ng, ShaSha Law (LOVE LIES)
• Dora Ng, Kayden Chan (PAPA)
• Lee Pik Kwan (THE LAST DANCE)
• Man Lim Chung, Kwok In Wai (ROB N ROLL)

BEST ACTION CHOREOGRAPHY
• Tanigaki Kenji (TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS：WALLED IN)
• Kong Tao Hai, Tommy Leung (STUNTMAN)
• Jack Wong Wai Leung (THE LAST DANCE)
• Jack Wong Wai Leung (CESIUM FALLOUT)
• Takahito Ouchi (THE PROSECUTOR)

BEST ORIGINAL FILM SCORE
• Kenji Kawai (TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS：WALLED IN)
• Chan Kwong Wing, Kay Chan (LAST SONG FOR YOU)
• Day Tai (LOVE LIES)
• Ding Ke (PAPA)
• Wan Pin Chu (THE LAST DANCE)

BEST ORIGINAL FILM SONG
• LAST SONG FOR YOU (LAST SONG FOR YOU)
  Composer：Chan Kwong Wing
  Lyricist：Oscar
  Vocal Artist： Ekin Cheng, Ian Chan
• PEN PALS (LOVE LIES)
  Composer：Day Tai
  Lyricist： Leung Pak Kin, Ho Miu Ki
  Vocal Artist：MC Cheung Tin Fu
• WHAT IF (THE WAY WE TALK)
  Composer：Day Tai
  Lyricist：ChungSaid
  Vocal Artist：Panther Chan
• THE LAST DANCE (THE LAST DANCE)
  Composer, Lyricist, Vocal Artist：Terence Lam
• LAK1 KAK1 (BLOSSOMS UNDER SOMEWHERE)
  Composer：Sara Fung
  Lyricist：Wong Lok Yee Yvette, Chow Yiu Fai
  Vocal Artist：Marf Yau

BEST SOUND DESIGN
• Yiu Chun Hin, Cheung Man Hoi, To Burnard Davy (TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS：WALLED IN)
• Cyrus Tang, Mandy Kwan (THE WAY WE TALK)
• Yiu Chun Hin (THE LAST DANCE)
• Tu Duu Chih, Chiang Yi Chen (CESIUM FALLOUT)
• Lee Yiu Keung George (THE PROSECUTOR)

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
• Lin Chun Yue Jules, Ma Siu Fu, Garrett K Lam, Yee Kwok Leung (TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS：WALLED IN)
• Wong Sum Yin, Lin Chun Yue Jules, Loki Ho, Yee Kwok Leung (CUSTOMS FRONTLINE)
• Chan Tik Hoi Water (THE LAST DANCE)
• Dennis Yeung, Adrian Chan, Dennis Yeung (CESIUM FALLOUT)
• Ng Ka Lung, Yeung Hey Chiu, Wave Cheung Yiu Ho (THE MOON THIEVES)

BEST NEW DIRECTOR
• Jill Lai Yin Leung (LAST SONG FOR YOU)
• Ho Miu Ki (LOVE LIES)
• Albert Leung, Herbert Leung (STUNTMAN)
• Robin Lee (FOUR TRAILS)
• Thomas Lee, Daniel Ho (AN ABANDONED TEAM)

BEST ASIAN CHINESE LANGUAGE FILM
• OLD FOX
• BLACK DOG
• DEAD TALENTS SOCIETY
• ARTICLE 20
• YOLO