Ann Hui’s A Simple Life continued its awards run at the Hong Kong Film Awards last night (April 15), scooping five of the top prizes including best film, best director, best actor and best actress for Deanie Ip.

Ip’s portrayal of a domestic servant who moves into a nursing home after suffering a stroke has already garnered best actress awards at the Venice Film Festival, Taiwan’s Golden Horse Awards and the Asian Film Awards, which took place in Hong Kong last month.

Andy Lau picked up best actor for his portrayal of a film accountant who continues his friendship with Ip’s character after she stops working for him and moves into the nursing home. Lau’s Focus Films invested in A Simple Life alongside China’s Bona Film Group. The film also took the best screenplay award for Susan Chan’s script, based on Hong Kong producer Roger Lee’s real-life experiences.

Tsui Hark’s 3D epic Flying Swords Of Dragon Gate also scooped five awards, all in the technical categories, including best editing, best action choreography, best art direction, best sound design and best visual effects. Flying Swords was also backed by Bona Film Group and sold internationally by its Hong Kong-based sales arm, Distribution Workshop.

Johnnie To’s Life Without Principle, which like A Simple Life also premiered in competition at Venice last year, took both supporting actor and actress for Lo Hoi Peng and So Hung Suen’s performances. Taiwanese singer Jam Hsiao scooped best new performer for his role in The Killer Who Never Kills.

Taiwanese drama You Are The Apple Of My Eye, directed by novelist Giddens Ko, took the award for a film from Taiwan or mainland China. Giddens Ko also wrote the series of novels that The Killer Who Never Kills is based on.

FULL LIST OF WINNERS:

Best picture: A Simple Life, directed by Ann Hui

Best director: Ann Hui – A Simple Life

Best screenplay: Susan Chan – A Simple Life

Best actor: Andy Lau – A Simple Life

Best actress: Deanie Ip – A Simple Life

Best supporting actor: Lo Hoi Peng – Life Without Principle

Best supporting actress: So Hung Suen – Life Without Principle

Best new performer: Jam Hsiao – The Killer Who Never Kills

Best cinematography: Jake Pollack, Lai Yiu Fai – Wu Xia

Best Film Editing: Yau Chi Wai – Flying Swords Of Dragon Gate

Best art direction: Yee Chung Man, Ben Lau Man Hung – Flying Swords Of Dragon Gate

Best costume design & make-up: William Chang Suk Ping – Let The Bullets Fly

Best action choreography: Yuen Bun, Nam Hoi Hong, Sun Kin Kwai – Flying Swords Of Dragon Gate

Best original film score: Chan Kwong Wing, Peter Kam Pui Tat, Chatchai Pongprapaphan – Wu Xia

Best original song: Sandy Lam for Two Hearted Flower – Hi, Fidelity

Best sound design: Kim Seok-Won – Flying Swords Of Dragon Gate

Best visual effects: Wook Kim, Josh Cole, Frankie Chung Chi Hung – Flying Swords Of Dragon Gate

Best Two Coasts Chinese Film:  You Are The Apple Of My Eye, directed by Giddens Ko

Best new director: Jessey Tsang Tsui Shan – Big Blue Lakez 

Lifetime Achievement Award: Ngai Hong, novelist and screenwriter

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