[2025.03.11] MICHAEL HUI, MICHELLE WAI WIN HONG KONG FILM DIRECTORS' GUILD AWARDS

Michael Hui and Michelle Wai with THE LAST DANCE win Best Actor and Best Actress again

Tommy Chu

Lin Minchen avoids the subject of MIRROR

MIRROR
courtesy of on.cc

Michelle Wai with THE LAST DANCE wins Directors' Guild Best Actress and cannot be more emotional
courtesy of singtao.com

Michael Hui wins Best Actor again after 43 years. Michelle Wai wins Best Actress and thanks all directors who have worked with her over the past 17 years

At her moment of victory, Michelle Wai immediately holds "father" Michael Hui tightly and cries

Tommy Chu with THE LAST DANCE wins Film Directors' Guild Best Supporting Actor.

PAPA's "son and mother" both win. Dylan So wins Best New Actor and Jo Koo Best Supporting Actress

Soi Cheang with TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS: WALLED IN wins the Film Directors' Guild Best Director

Chow Yun Fat presents the Executive Committee Special Prize to FOUR TRAILS director Robin Lee.

Wong Kar Wai receives the Honorary Award and his thank you video is played

Louis Cheung and wife Kay Tse attend the annual dinner

ERROR's Dee Ho and MIRROR's Anson Kong, Tiger Yau, Lokman Yeung, Alton Wong and Frankie Chan appear

Lin Minchen has been busy with a commercial shoot in Hong Kong and would have to fly to Taiwan and Malaysia for work.
courtesy of mingpao.com

The Hong Kong Film Directors' Guild Annual Dinner and Annual Awards Ceremony were held at a hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui last night with 35 tables that night. Many filmmakers attended, and the scene was star- studded. Michael Hui Koon Man and Michelle Wai Sze Nga were crowned the Best Actor and Actress together for THE LAST DANCE, and Tommy Chu Pak Hong was also awarded the "Best Supporting Actor". THE LAST DANCE's Kwok family had three winners in one house! As for the Supporting Actress, Jo Koo (Kok Cho Lam) of PAPA won; Soi Cheang Pou Soi won the "Best Director" for TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS: WALLED IN (GAU LUNG SING JAI JI WAI SING), and the film also won the "Best Film"; Director Wong Kar wai was awarded the "Honorary Award".

Last night Chow Yun Fat (Fat Gor) and his wife, Hui Koon Man (Michael), Sammo Hung Kam Bo and his wife, Louis Koo Tin Lok (Goo Jai), Soi Cheang Pou Soi, Joe Cheung Tung CHo, Ng See Yuen, Andrew Lau Wai Keung, Ann Hui On Wah, Wong Jing, John Chiang Dai Wai (Brother John) and his wife, Kara Hui Ying Hung (Sister Siu Hung), Simon Yam Tat Wah, Richie Jen (Yam Yin Chai), Philip Ng Wan Lung, Ray Lui Leung Wai, Irene Wan Bik Ha, Chrissie Chau Sau Na, Catherine Chau Ka Yee, Hedwig Tam Sin Yee, Michelle Wai Sze Nga, Fish Liew Chi Yu, Lin Minchen, Ko Cho Lam, Philip Keung Ho Man, Tony Wu Tsz Tung, Tommy Chu Pak Hong, Natalie Hsu (Hui Yan Yee), Chung Suet Ying, Louis Cheung Kai Chung, Rosa Velasco (Wai Law Sha), Rachel Leung Yung Ting, Cloud Wan Ho Ying, Feanne Wong Suk Man, five members of MIRROR and ERROR's Dee Ho Kai Wah attended the award ceremony, and the scene was star-studded.

Ten awards were presented at the event, including "Best Film" for TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS: WALLED IN (GAU LUNG SING JAI JI WAI SING). This film's director Cheang Pou Soi also won Best Director with the film. Both "Best Actor and Actress" went to THE LAST DANCE (POR. DEI YUK)'s young actor Dylan So Man To. "New Director" winner was LAST SONG FOR YOU (GAU BIT CHUNG FUNG)'s Leung Lai Yin. The "Executive Committee Special Prize" winner was FOUR TRAILS' director Robin Lee. The Honorary Award winner was director Wong Kar Wai, but due to work he was unable to attend. Cheang Pou Soi and Cheung Tung Cho accepted it on his behalf. He also shot a thank you video. Wong Kar Wai not only thanked the Guild but also urged new directors that in the age of AI, movies were not absolutely rational. They must remember that there would be people when there would be lights.

The event also made special arrangement for the first Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actress Kara Wai Ying Hung to present the first Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actor Michael, who said on stage, "Everyone after 43 years don't know what to say, but tonight getting the award is very special. I am very happy, because for the first time when a film company asked me to make this movie it made it clear that from the beginning to the end there would be no laughter and it is about funeral parlor. In addition the lead would have many scenes, almost having to play Ne Zha. I have to tumble, which to me I have no confidence in; so the Directors' Guild award to me proves that I have gambled successfully. I feel so accomplished because Hong Kong right now is very difficult, directors have such a hard time so they have to take a gamble. Plenty of people are better in acting than me, so I took a gamble. I am not good at math, the audience is smarter than me; so I have to do something new. The future days (film industry) would be very difficult too, Hong Kong has always had to take a gamble. It has to start over anew." He also thanked director Chan Mou Yin for making such an interesting and enlightening movie. He felt that the director was very sharp. He also lamented that life was so short, you must get off the ride. So the goal was not important, you should enjoy the scenery, people and things along the way. Tonight's award must be one of the most beautiful scenery along the way for him. Would Hui Koon Man want the family of three to win again at the Hong Kong Film Awards next month? He said, "The girl definitely will not lose, the boy has been trained in authentic performing art training and is very sharp. He probably can. I myself have no confidence."

When Wai Sze Nga was announced as the winner, the entire audience cheered. She was excited after receiving the award from Yam Tak Wah, and in a shaky voice she thanked the Directors' Guild, her company Emperor, the film team and the director Anselm Chan Mou Yin for his courage to use her, her on screen Papa Michael, brother Chu Pak Hong, Dayo Wong Tze Wah and Elaine Jin (Kam Yin Ling) because the effort of the entire team made the character successful. She also said, "I have been in the industry for 17 years, and I would like to thank the directing staff who are willing to use me on my acting journey. I feel very lucky to have everyone's advice. All those drips and drops made me what I am today." She did not forget to take the opportunity to promote herself, and said that she would continue to be a humble actor. In an interview after winning the award, she said that she still has not calmed down, and she was very happy to see a family of three in the film winning awards.

Brother John was responsible for presenting the "Best Supporting Actor". Before the winner was announced, Brother John even joked, "This person has hit me, and in the film I even lost to him." Later Chu Pak Hong was announced as the winner. When he came to the stage, others told him to cry first. Chu Pak Hong said, "Cry? Let's not, it's so embarrassing." In the end he still could not help but turn his face and cry. He said that winning the award felt very special, "Everyone at the Directors' Guild are spoiling me. Most of the time in my life has been spent to please directors, so I feel very, very honored."

Kok Cho Lam won the newly added "Best Supporting Actress" award this year for PAPA, and Louis Cheung Kai Chung presented the award. Kok Cho Lam said that she did not expect to win the award beforehand, and joked that it was good to be the first Directors' Guild supporting actress as she could become an icon. She wanted to thank the people who voted for her, and Director Philip Yung Tsz Kwong for boldly asking her to play the role.

Fat Gor presented the "Special Award of the Executive Committee" to the FOUR TRAILS director Robin Lee. After presenting the award, Fat Gor and Robin Lee took a selfie with the guests on stage. Fat Gor said that he did not know why the event asked him to present the award at first, but when the winner was announced, he understood why. He said that he had seen the award-winning film and strongly praised it. "It is very touching and inspiring. I am a hiker, and then I go for a run. I have been to the locations in the film, and every protagonist in the film has inspired me a lot. Everyone has set a goal, and they have to achieve it until they die. It is a very inspiring movie."

Goo Jai presented the New Director award to LAST SONG FOR YOU (GAU BIT CHUNG FUNG)'s director Leung Lai Ying. As soon as Goo Jai came on stage, some people in the audience yelled for Goo Jai to sing a song. Goo Jai replied, "What, Lau Wai Keung? I can't just sing, I have to dance too."

Siu Chai was responsible for presenting the "Best New Actor" award, and the winner was PAPA's young actor Dylan So Man To. On the stage Siu Chai joked that he was already longing for this award now, but he could not get it. So Man To in his acceptance speech said that he was very embarrassed, saying that he was an amateur who was very shy. However he still thanked the director Philip Yung Tsz Kwong, his on screen Papa Sean Lau Ching Wan, Ma and SIs. The family of four had quite a connection and felt very right.

Sister Siu Hung made a special trip from Shanghai to Hong Kong to attend the Directors' Guild spring banquet and served as a guest presenter to present the "Best Actor" award. She was a little nervous. Speaking of the recent success of several Hong Kong movies, Sister Siu Hung said, "I have watched them all, even NE ZHA 2. I am in the film industry, of course I would support all movies." Sister Siu Hung said that she would have to go back to Shanghai to continue filming dramas and fashion shows. What co-stars would be in her new drama? She said that because she signed a confidentiality agreement, she would not be able to reveal it until two or three months later. The only thing that could be revealed was that a Hong Kong director would make it. She has not made a movie in Hong Kong for more than four years. She said that she has been very busy in the mainland, and she has always been unable to fit that into her schedule. Although several scripts has approached her, but she felt that they were not suitable. She was waiting for a good script. If she would only make a five day cameo she did not want to, but she very much wanted to support Hong Kong movies.

Malaysian goddess Lin Minchen appeared at the Hong Kong Film Directors' Guild event last night, along with members of her rumored girlfriend Edan Lui Cheuk On's group MIRROR Anson Kong, Lokman Yeung, Tiger Yau, Frankie Chan and Alton Wong. They even brushed by each other. Minchen revealed that she would return to Malaysia in April to shoot a horror film, and was expected to stay for a month. Would she not have the time to date? She pleaded to be spared. Referring to being at the same event with MIRROR members, she confessed, "I don't know them at all, so I wouldn't go out of my way to say hello."

As for the MIRROR members, when asked if Edan was not in Hong Kong would they help take care of "sister-in-law"? They pretended not to understand at first, but Lokman later revealed that they did not know each other. Speaking of appearing at the Directors' Guild, did they want to look for jobs? Lokman admitted, "From the bottom of my heart I came to look for jobs, but during chatting I wouldn't be so gross. I would only say that we are very free lately. (The film industry has been sluggish in recent years, would you cut your salary?) Of course we would! Good movies and good scripts are hard to find." He also revealed that he secretly made a movie that would wrap up production soon.

HONG KONG DIRECTORS' GUILD AWARDS

Best Film: TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS: WALLED IN
Best Director: Soi Cheang (TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS: WALLED IN)
New Director: Jill Leung(LAST SONG FOR YOU)
Best Actor: Michael Hui (THE LAST DANCE)
Best Actress: Michelle Wai (THE LAST DANCE)
Best Supporting Actor: Tommy Chu (THE LAST DANCE)
Best Supporting Actress: Jo Koo (PAPA)
Best New Actor: Dylan So (PAPA)
Special Award of the Executive Committee: Robin Lee, (FOUR TRAILS)
Honorary Award: Director Wong Kar-wai