Hong Kong movies fail to make cut in top two categories at the Asian Film Awards
City has no nominations for best film or director after a year in which box receipts surged 20 per cent and there were more productions
Hong Kong films failed to earn major artistic recognition in regional awards founded in the city despite a growing number of projects and rising box office receipts last year.
Mainland dramas Mountains May Depart, directed by Jia Zhangke, and Guan Hu’s Mr. Six will go head to head with Taiwan’s Hou Hsiao-hsien’s highly stylised martial arts epic The Assassin for best film at the Asian Film Awards, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.
The Assassin has already claimed major prizes – best film and best director at the Golden Horse Film Awards in Taiwan last year and best director again for Hou at the Cannes Film Festival. The film also bagged nine other nominations, including best leading actress for Shu Qi.
Hong Kong has no nominations for best film or director.
Last year Hong Kong’s box office totalled nearly HK$1.9 billion, almost 20 per cent up from 2014. There were 59 productions, up from 51 in 2014.
Wilfred Wong Ying-wai, chairman of the Asian Film Awards Academy, said there were a lot of variables involved in award nominations.