The Grandmaster and Unbeatable lead the way in Hong Kong Film Awards race

Published on February 5, 2014 in The South China Morning Post

By Amy Nip

Kung fu epic bags 14 nominations, including for best film, while Dante Lam's boxer drama secures 11

Wong Kar-wai’s kung fu epic The Grandmaster leads the way with 14 nominations for this year's Hong Kong Film Awards, followed by Dante Lam Chiu-yin’s boxer drama Unbeatable which secured 11 nominations.

Both films are represented in the race for all the top awards including best film, director, actor and actress.

Unusually, two stars have been nominated for the best actor award after playing the same role in two different movies. Tony Leung Chiu-wai played kung fu master Ip Man in The Grandmaster, while Anthony Wong Chau-sang took on the role for Ip Man – The Final Fight.

Also recognised in the best actor category are Louis Koo Tin-lok and Sean Lau Ching-wan, both from cop drama The White Storm. And Nick Cheung Ka-fai got some reward for the hellish training regime he underwent to pile on the muscle for Unbeatable, as he bagged the final best actor nomination.

Zhang Ziyi is recognised for her work in The Grandmaster with a best actress nomination, as is Tang Wei for her role in the romantic comedy Finding Mr. Right. Sammi Cheng Sau-man, for Blind Detective, and Nina Paw Hee-ching, for the unsettling Rigor Mortis, are also nominated. Cherry Ngan, who played a dancer in The Way We Dance, is a surprising final inclusion in the list of nominees.

The awards will be dished out at a ceremony expected to take place on April 13, 2014.

http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1421459/grandmaster-and-unbeatable-lead-way-hong-kong-film-awards-race