[2023.04.13] 1ST HONG KONG FILM AWARDS BEST ACTOR MICHAEL HUI IS THE BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR FAVORITE

Ivana Wong says that her character seems nothing out of the ordinary, but she has added a lot of delicate and minor expression changes to make the role stand out.

Jennifer Yu says that if she wins she would definitely thank co-star Kaki Sham

Lin Minchen is nominated for Best Supporting Actress for the first time, but concedes due to the strong competition

Michael Hui is the 1st Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actor.  His acting is beyond any doubt

Jan Lamb puts away his smile to play a lawyer in THE SPARRING PARTNER and fully masters the role

Excel in comedy, Harriet Yeung in THE SPARRING PARTNER plays the second defendant Tong Man Kei (Mak Pui Tung)'s older sister and gives a rather outstanding performance.

Peter Chan (left) and Louis Cheung (right) are both nominated for Best Supporting Actor with TABLE FOR SIX

Law Wing Cheong in MAMA'S AFFAIR plays Keung To's father.  Despite having little screen time, his performance touches people's hearts
courtesy of mingpao.com

The 41st Hong Kong Film Awards would take place Sunday (the 16th) at the Cultural Center in Tsim Sha Tsui. In the Best Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress nominations, Ivana Wong Yuen Chi, Lin Minchen, Louis Cheung Kai Chung and Peter Chan Charm Man with the Sunny Chan Wing Sun directed TABLE FOR SIX (FAN HEI GUNG SUM) were all nominated. Wong Yuen Chi aside from wrestling with co-star Lin Minchen would also face FAR FAR AWAY (YUEN LO SHAN KA LA)'s Jennifer Yu Heung Ying, THE NARROW ROAD (JAK LO MEI CHUN)'s substance actress Patra Au Ka Man and THE SPARRING PARTNER (JING YI WUI LONG)'s Harriet Yeung Sze Man. Wong Yuen Chi and Yu Heung Ying proclaimed themselves to be dark horses. First time Supporting Actress nominee "Malaysian Goddess" Lin Minchen never thought about winning. At the war of Best Supporting Actors each nominees held his own, the 1st Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actor Michael Hui Koon Man with WHERE THE WIND BLOWS (FUNG JOI HEI SI) was nominated and seen as the favorite. Jan Lamb Hoi Fung in THE SPARRING PARTNER put away his smile and his serious performance opened people's eyes; MAMA'S AFFAIR (AH MA YAU GOR DAI YI GOR)'s Law Wing Cheong did not have a lot of screen time but his performance touched people's hearts.

TABLE FOR SIX and THE SPARRING PARTNER were both big box office hits. Wong Yuen Chi, Lin Minchen and Shrimp Head's excellent performance has also caught attention. Yu Heung Ying in FAR FAR AWAY also won a lot of word of mouth; having won the Hong Kong Film Awards Best Supporting Actress with SUK SUK, Patra Au Ka Man's performance left no room for doubt. However her role in THE NARROW ROAD was somewhat small, who knows whether that would affect her votes.

Yu Heung Ying admired Wong Yuen Chi and Shrimp Head's performance, saying that their characters had bigger emotional swings. Her character in comparison had less emotional upheaval. "I especially like Wong Yuen Chi. On one hand her performance is very funny, but during the break up scene she can be very moving. It's very rare. Lin Minchen in the film is super cute, not only guys like her. After watching even I became her fan. Au Ka Man in THE NARROW ROAD played Mama, she didn't have a lot of screen time but her scenes all touched people's hearts."

Lin Minchen had no confidence to win, because the competition was too strong. "I feel the nomination is already very fantastic. I have already discussed with the image designer, I would be super sexy when attending the award ceremony. I would have to fight for the spotlight with Shrimp Head and compete for Best Dressed."

Wong Yuen Chi was very happy to be nominated with good friends Lin Minchen and Shrimp Head. "When I was nominated before, I would think 'It would be the best if I win'. Now I don't think like that. I am very happy that TABLE FOR SIX got 11 nominations, like it has become a big event for the whole family." As for her pick, Wong Yuen Chi joked that it would be quite a headache so she could only choose herself. "My character seems to be nothing out of the ordinary, actually I have added delicate and trivial expression changes. That proposal scene wasn't easy to perform, I feel it's worth bonus points."

As for Best Supporting Actor, stand up comedy performers Hui Koon Man and Lamb Hoi Fung in WHERE THE WIND BLOWS and THE SPARRING PARTNER respectively held back their smiles. Their serious performance opened the eyes of many. Hui Koon Man in WHERE played the Independent Commission Against Corruption special official. The 5 minute all English monologue at the end left many in awe. Actually Hui Koon Man with SECURITY UNLIMITED (MOR DUN BO BIU) won the 1st Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actor. His acting has long been recognized. After 40 years, who knows whether he would get another taste of victory.

Lamb Hoi Fung in THE SPARRING PARTNER played a lawyer and fully mastered the role. With some humorous performance method, he brought some lightness to the serious atmosphere. Director Law Wing Cheong in recent years have transitioned to onscreen, playing Keung To's Papa in MAMA'S AFFAIR. He did not have a lot of screen time but his performance touched the hearts of many. In the film he told Teresa Mo Shun Kwan that he felt guilty about their father and son dispute. His emotional upheaval while watching his son's concert became the tear jerking spot. TABLE FOR SIX's two brothers Cheung Kai Chung and Chan Charm Man brought tears within laughter in their performance. In addition the film made a mad HK$ 77 million, they could be the dark horses.

(The 41st Hong Kong Film Awards Pre Race Prediction)