Venice 2020: Ann Hui on saving the Hong Kong film industry, and her Golden Lion for lifetime achievement

She worries about Covid-19’s impact on the Hong Kong film industry, saying ‘I never had time to help others. I’ve barely survived! But now I can and I will’

Filmmaker praises the camerawork of cinematographer Christopher Doyle – his use of vibrant colours, the way he captures nuance – in her new film Love After Love

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The 77th Venice Film Festival – Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement Award ceremony – Venice, Italy, September 8, 2020 – Director Ann Hui holds the Golden Lion award for lifetime achievement. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane

Published: 9:30pm, 10 Sep 2020Updated: 9:30pm, 10 Sep 2020

Sitting on the terrace at the Venice Film Festival’s “Hollywood Celebrities Lounge” – a converted space at the local tennis club – is Hong Kong filmmaker Ann Hui On-wah. She is in Venice for a showing of her latest film, Love After Love – out of competition – and to be presented with a lifetime achievement Golden Lion from the festival.

“I’m very happy to get the prize,” she tells the Post after the presentation on Tuesday. “But I think my friends are even more happy than I am. Today I received 15 messages of congratulation.”

This is not her first appearance at the Venice festival; her 2011 film A Simple Life played in competition and won its star, Deanie Ip Tak-han, the best actress award. This is different, though.

“After getting this prize, if I get to be more well known, I will hope to use this influence to work more for the Hong Kong film industry,” Hui says. “Now is an unprecedented low. There is no investment and people are at a loss as to what to do. Younger filmmakers are having a very, very difficult time. And if I can help to raise money for them, I will try to do that.”

Hui joined past winners of the lifetime achievement award including David Cronenberg, Robert Redford and Bertrand Tavernier, but is the first female director to be honoured with it. Not that this has overwhelmed her after a career that stretches back four decades.