HONG KONG (AP) — The thrilling cop film “Breakthrough” won best picture and three other awards at the Hong Kong Film Awards, beating out a film about the late Cantonese pop star Anita Mui.
The 40th Hong Kong Film Awards was held on July 17 after the awards were postponed three times from April due to the biggest COVID-19 outbreak in Hong Kong. This is also the first time the awards have been held in person since 2019.
In “Burning Fire,” action star Donnie Yen plays an honest police officer who ends up going head-to-head with a former student, played by Nicholas Tse, who wants revenge after Donnie Yen’s character imprisoned him.
The film is a swan song from director Benny Chen, who died of cancer in August 2020 while the film was still in post-production.
Jackie Chan posthumously awarded the Best Director Award. Fire also won Best Editing and Best Action Choreography.
The film that won the most awards of the night was Anita, a biographical film about May.
Anita is the highest-grossing Hong Kong film of 2021, taking home five awards for Best Costume & Design, Best Visual Effects and Best Sound Design.
The film topped the Hong Kong box-office charts upon release, eventually grossing $18.5 million. It topped the Hong Kong box office when it premiered, taking about HK$61 million ($7.8 million) in about seven weeks.
“Anita” also grossed more than 10 million yuan ($1.48 million) on its opening day in China.
Louise Wong, who plays May in the film, won the Best Newcomer award.
“Honestly, I didn’t play the role of Anita in a day (or) overnight,” Wong said.
“I thank the team for their support and encouragement.”
“They helped me get to know Anita and the character gradually,” she said. “I’m grateful to experience her life.”
Malaysian actor Liu Yu, who plays Mei’s sister Mei An, won best supporting actress.
Another big winner of the award was the crime thriller “Limbo,” based on Chinese author Remy’s novel Wisdom Teeth. The film tells the story of two police officers hunting down a serial killer.
The film won best screenplay, best art direction and best cinematography.
Cya Liu, a drug addict who plays the target of a serial killer, won Best Actress for her portrayal of the character.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to perform in this film and for the trust and recognition of director Soi Cheang,” Liu said.
“With his encouragement, I can fully immerse myself in the role and the performance. For the first time in my life…I feel recognized as an actor.”
Meanwhile, Patrick Tse, 85, won best actor for his performance in the movie “Time,” which centers on the city’s neglected elderly population.
He gave a standing ovation when he accepted the award.
Comedian and actor Hui Zhiming also received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the comedy genre of the Hong Kong film industry.
