Ex-ICAC man steals limelight in Hong Kong Film Awards nominations
Former graft-buster is in the running for a newcomer's prize in city's premier film awards
Crime thriller Cold War is going head to head with mystery drama The Bullet Vanishes in the Hong Kong Film Awards in April, each with 12 nominations.
But the biggest surprise in the run-up to the local version of Hollywood's Oscars is the appearance of a 65-year-old former anti-corruption official. Alex Tsui Ka-kit, who used to be deputy head of operations for the Independent Commission Against Corruption, has been nominated for best new performer for his role in Cold War.
"This is a big surprise. At this stage of my acting or artistic career, I didn't expect to get any recognition," said Tsui, who was sacked from the ICAC 20 years ago for reasons yet to be fully explained.
"I enjoyed filming, every minute of it," he said of his role, which reprises his past career as a top graft-buster investigating two policemen played by Aaron Kwok Fu-shing and Tony Leung Ka-fai, a nominee for best actor.
"It was a difficult role. I was stuck with two policemen and didn't know which one was the good guy. I hope people liked it."
It was a difficult role. I was stuck with two policemen and didn't know which one was the good guy. I hope people liked it
Cold War, directed by Longman Leung and Sunny Luk Kim-ching, competes with Lo Chi-leung's The Bullet Vanishes in the best film category.