bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sponsorType

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Wynna Wong

The city’s highest-grossing Chinese-language movie, The Last Dance, emerged as a big winner at the 43rd Hong Kong Film Awards on Sunday evening, while kung fu smash hit Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In took the top prize.
The ceremony culminated in Twilight of the Warriors claiming the award for best film, while the best actor and actress prizes went to Sean Lau Ching-wan and Michelle Wai Sze-nga.
Soi Cheang Pou-soi, 52, was named best director, for Twilight, for the second year in a row after taking the prize for Mad Fate in 2024.
“Twilight may not have been my most sought-after theme [for a movie], but when I received the order, I tried my very best,” he told the audience at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui.
“I still believe in Hong Kong filmmakers, and that they will be able to continue making unique films with local flair.”

The film depicts a young man’s accidental entry into the notorious Kowloon Walled City in 1980s Hong Kong.
Amid its chaotic yet unique order, he befriends other young residents and, under the guidance of a respected figure, they band together to resist external threats to their unconventional home.
The film grossed HK$107 million (US$13.7 million), and also enjoyed some success abroad, especially in Japan.
The Last Dance, meanwhile, took the awards for best original film score, best screenplay, best original film song, best supporting actor and best actress.
The best actor award was 61-year-old Lau’s fourth win, this time for his role in Papa.

The film tells the story of a cha chaan teng boss, played by Lau, who dwells on the memory of his deceased wife and young daughter, who were killed by his eldest son one night. Simultaneously, he struggles to maintain his role as a father and navigate his relationship with his son, which is both familial and hostile.
Wai, 40, took on the role of Yuet in The Last Dance, a paramedic and the strong-willed daughter of a Taoist priest, Master Man.

She portrayed a character who clashed with her father’s traditional, misogynistic views on Taoism while navigating her own path.
“This is encouragement for me to keep going … I won’t let [this award] down,” she said in her speech.

Earlier, Chu Pak-hong was named best supporting actor while Jo Koo Cho-lam took the prize in the women’s category.
The actor, 42, starred in the The Last Dance as Ben, the son of Taoist priest Master Man, who follows in his father’s footsteps.
Chu brought to life Ben’s struggles with his father’s traditional expectations and the realisation that his own desires lay outside the family’s funeral business, as he grappled with feelings of inadequacy and envy over his sister’s freedom.
Choking back tears during his acceptance speech, Chu thanked God, his family and his late father.
“I was writing this speech until 5am this morning … Add oil to Hong Kong films,” he said.

Koo, 47, earned the award for best supporting actress for her role as a slain wife and mother in Papa. It was Koo’s first win, after being nominated twice before in the best newcomer and original film song categories.
“The thing I want to do the most is go to the after-party for drinks. I’ve been thinking about it for a month,” she said.
Earlier, Dylan So, who was just 16 when he played the role of a killer son in Papa, scooped the prize for best newcomer.

In a speech after receiving his award from veteran actor Tony Leung Chiu-wai, So thanked his family and film producers for giving him the opportunity, and also his movie “parents”, Lau and “mum” Koo.
“I really want to tackle youthful, school drama next,” So told reporters after his win, when asked about the role he wanted to play next.

The award for best new director went to Robin Lee for the documentary Four Trails. The film, about a gruelling Hong Kong ultra-marathon across four trails, showcases human endurance, stunning landscapes and the brutal reality of extreme self-sufficiency.
“I put everything I had into making this film without the knowledge of what I would need to put into it,” Lee said after his win.
“But … there are highs and there are lows – I just continued to go forward because I knew that if I didn’t try, I would never do it.”


How Hong Kong documentary Never Too Late shows the healing power of the city’s nature

Chow Yun-fat’s mainland Chinese films, from Confucius to Let the Bullets Fly

Struggles of emigrating from Hong Kong and returning to it depicted in short film

Under Current movie review: Aaron Kwok, Francis Ng seek justice in fun but silly thriller

Hong Kong entertainment

Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In takes top prize at Hong Kong Film Awards

Cast and crew members of Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In celebrate the best film win. Photo: Eugene Lee

Director Soi Cheang says he tried his “very best” with the film. Photo: Eugene Lee

It was the fourth award for veteran actor Sean Lau. Photo: Eugene Lee

Michelle Wai says the award is encouragement for her to keep going. Photo: Eugene Lee

Jo Koo shows off the best supporting actress award for her role as a slain wife and mother in Papa. Photo: Sam Tsang

Actor Chu Pak-hong takes the best supporting actor award. Photo: Eugene Lee

Dylan So (left) receives the best newcomer award from actor Tony Leung on Sunday evening. Photo: Eugene Lee

Robin Lee displays the award for best new director. Photo: Sam Tsang

Gaming icon Hideo Kojima hails Hong Kong Kowloon Walled City film as ‘phenomenal’

Hideo Kojima has said one of his favourite aspects of the film is that Louis Koo’s (pictured) character runs a barbershop. Photo: Handout

Metal Gear video game series creator, Hideo Kojima, has said there is ‘no end’ to the things he loved about Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In. Photo: AFP

Why are Hong Kong cinemas closing despite box office hits?

Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

The strong performance of blockbusters such as Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In has failed to arrest the wave of cinema closures in Hong Kong. Photo: Entertaining Power Co Limited

Golden Harvest announced the closure of its Nam Cheong theatre in December last year, bringing the total number of its cinemas to cease operations in 2024 to eight. Photo: May Tse

An exhibition in Causeway Bay displays posters, props and film stills of box office hit The Last Dance in December last year. Photo: Sun Yeung

Hong Kong Film Awards 2025 predictions: Twilight of the Warriors, The Last Dance and more

(From left) Terrance Lau Chun-him, Louis Koo Tin-lok and Philip Ng Wan-lung in a still from Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, a top contender at the Hong Kong Film Awards 2025.

Raymond Lam Fung in a still from Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In. Photo: Media Asia Films

Michael Hui Koon-man (left) and Dayo Wong Tze-wah in a still from The Last Dance. Photo: Emperor Motion Pictures

(From left) German Cheung Man-kit, Terrance Lau Chun-him and Tony Wu Tsz-tung in a still from Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In. Photo: Media Asia Films

Marco Ng (left) and Chung Suet-ying in a still from The Way We Talk.

Dylan So (left) and Lau Ching-wan in a still from Papa. Photo: Golden Scene

Michelle Wai in a still from The Last Dance. Photo: Emperor Motion Pictures

Chu Pak-hong in a still from The Last Dance. Photo: Emperor Motion Pictures

Lau Ching-wan (left) and Jo Koo in a still from Papa. Photo: Golden Scene

Maggie Li Lin-lin (left) and Patra Au Ga-man in a still from All Shall Be Well. Photo: Mise en Scene Film Production

Ian Chan Cheuk-yin (left) and Natalie Hsu En-yi in a still from Last Song for You. Photo: Mei Ah Entertainment Group

Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In takes top prize at Hong Kong Film Awards

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Best actor and actress awards go to Sean Lau and Michelle Wai

Best actor and actress awards go to Sean Lau and Michelle Wai