Action-packed police thriller "Raging Fire" won best film and three other awards at the Hong Kong Film Awards Sunday, beating out a crowd favorite film about late Cantopop singer Anita Mui.
The 40th Hong Kong Film Awards took place Sunday, after it was postponed thrice from April following the city's biggest COVID-19 outbreak. It was also the first time that the awards were held in-person since 2019.
"Raging Fire" sees action star Donnie Yen play an incorruptible policeman who ends up going head-to-head with a former mentee played by Nicholas Tse, who wants revenge after Yen's character put him in prison.
The movie is a swansong by director Benny Chan, who died of cancer in August 2020 while the movie was still in post-production.
Chan posthumously won the Best Director Award on Sunday. "Raging Fire" also won for Best Editing as well as Best Action Choreography.
The film that took home the most awards for the night was "Anita," a biographical drama film about Mui.
"Anita," which was the highest-grossing Hong Kong film in 2021, bagged a total of five awards for Best Costume and Design, Best Visual Effects as well as Best Sound Design.
The film topped the box office in Hong Kong upon release, eventually grossing $18.5 million in total box office sales. It topped the Hong Kong box office upon debut, grossing some 61 million Hong Kong dollars ($7.8 million) in about seven weeks.
"Anita" also earned more than 10 million yuan ($1.48 million) on its opening day at the Chinese box office.
Louise Wong, who played Mui in the film, won Best New Performer.
"Honestly, it wasn't a day (or) overnight that I could play the role Anita," said Wong. "I'm grateful for the team's support and encouragement."
"They helped me gradually understand Anita and the role," she said. "I'm very grateful that I could experience her life."
Malaysian actor Fish Liew, who played Mui's sister Ann Mui, won Best Supporting Actress.
Another big winner at Sunday's awards was crime thriller film "Limbo" which is based on the novel Wisdom Tooth by Chinese author Lei Mi. The film follows two policemen in their efforts to hunt down a serial killer.
The film won Best Screenplay, Best Art Direction and Best Cinematography.
Cya Liu, who played a drug addict who becomes a target for the serial killer, won Best Actress for her portrayal of the role.
"I'm grateful for the chance to perform in this movie and for director Soi Cheang's trust and recognition," said Liu.
"With his encouragement, I could completely engage in playing the role and act. Today is the first time in my life … that I feel the recognition as an actress."
Meanwhile, 85-year-old Patrick Tse took home the award for best actor for his performance in the film "Time," which centers on the city's neglected elderly population. He was given a standing ovation while receiving his award.
Comedian and actor Michael Hui was also presented a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the comedy genre in Hong Kong's film industry.
“Scandal” cast will reunite for online script reading for hurricane relief in western North Carolina
The cast of ABC's hit political drama "Scandal" may need to brush up on their snappy, speedy delivery known as "Scandal-pace," because they're reuniting for a good cause. Its stars including Kerry Washington, Tony Goldwyn and Bellamy Young will take part in a live virtual script reading on Nov. 17 to raise money for hurricane relief in western North Carolina.
Beginning Friday, fans can go online and donate to reserve a spot for the online reading. Proceeds will benefit United Way of North Carolina. Everyone who donates will be able to take part in a virtual pre-event with the cast and Shonda Rhimes will give an introduction.
Additional guest stars will also be announced. The online fundraising platform Prizeo is also holding a contest where one person who donates online via their site will be selected to read a role from the script with the actors. The winner should not worry about the "Scandal"-pace, assured Young over Zoom.
"Whomever the lucky reader is can read at whatever pace they want," she said.
Young, who played Mellie Young, the first lady and later Republican presidential nominee on "Scandal," was born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina. She came up with the idea for the effort with a friend and took it to her fellow "Scandal" actors, who all jumped on board. Young said this is the first script reading the cast has all done together since the show ended after seven seasons in 2018.
Which episode they will be reading has not been announced yet.
Young said it's "been devastating" to see so many parts of her hometown badly damaged by Hurricane Helene, which ravaged western North Carolina one month ago.
To research the best use for donations, Young spoke with numerous political leaders, including North... Read More