John Woo's war epic Red Cliff is the front-runner for this year's Hong Kong Film Awards, with 14 nominations, followed by biopic Ip Man and fantasy epic Painted Skin with 12 nods each.

Red Cliff was nominated for best film, best director, best actor for Tony Leung Chiu-wai's performance, and best supporting actor and actress for Zhang Fengyi and Vicky Zhao Wei respectively.

Gordan Chan's Painted Skin also picked up a best film nod, along with best screenplay, best actress for Zhou Xun, who plays a blood-thirsty demoness in the film, and best supporting actress for Sun Li. Wilson Yip's Ip Man, based on the life of Bruce Lee's kung-fu master, was nominated for best film, best director, best actor for Donnie Yen and two best supporting actors nods for Lam Ka Tung and Fan Sui Wong.

Ann Hui's drama The Way We Are also had a strong showing with six nominations including best film, best director, best screenplay, best actress for Paw Hee Ching and best supporting actress for Chan Lai Wun.

Stephen Chow's CJ7 rounded out the best film category and also picked up nods for best supporting actor (Chow), best new performer (Xu Jiao) and best visual effects.

The organisers said that this year the awards had received financial support of $755,000 (HK$5.85m) from the Hong Kong Film Development Fund, which will also award $13,000 (HK$100,000) to the winner of the best new director category.

The ceremony will be held at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre on April 19.

FULL LIST OF NOMINATIONS:

Best Film:

The Way We Are (prods: Ann Hui & Wong Yat Ping)

Red Cliff (prods: Terence Chang & John Woo)

CJ 7 (prods: Stephen Chow, Chui Po Chu, Han San Ping, Vincent Kok,

Shi Dong Ming, Connie Wong)

Painted Skin (prod: Gordon Chan Ka Seung)

Ip Man (prod: Raymond Wong Pak Ming)

Best Director:

Ann Hui On Wah (The Way We Are)

Johnnie To Kei Fung (Sparrow)

John Woo (Red Cliff)

Benny Chan (Connected)

Yip Wai Shun (Ip Man)

Best Screenplay:

Susan Chan Suk Yin, Sylvia Chang, Mathias Woo (Run Papa Run)

Lou Shiu Wa (The Way We Are)

Gordon Chan Ka Seung, Lau Ho Leung & Kwong Man Wai (Painted Skin)

Jack Ng & Dante Lam (The Beast Stalker)

Ivy Ho (Claustrophobia)

Best Actor:

Louis Koo (Run Papa Run)

Simon Yam (Sparrow)

Tony Leung Chiu Wai (Red Cliff)

Nick Cheung Ka Fai (The Beast Stalker)

Donnie Yen (Ip Man)

Best Actress:

Paw Hee Ching (The Way We Are)

Prudence Liew (True Women For Sale)

Barbie Hsu (Connected)

Zhou Xun (Painted Skin)

Karena Lam (Claustrophobia)

Best Supporting Actor:

Zhang Feng Yi (Red Cliff)

Stephen Chow (CJ 7)

Liu Kai Chi (The Beast Stalker)

Lam Ka Tung (Ip Man)

Fan Sui Wong (Ip Man)

Best Supporting Actress:

Nora Miao (Run Papa Run)

Chan Lai Wun (The Way We Are)

Zhao Wei (Red Cliff)

Race Wong (True Women For Sale)

Sun Li (Painted Skin)

Best New Performer:

Monica Mok (Ocean Flame)

Zhang Yu Qi (All About Women)

Juno Leung (The Way We Are)

Lin Chi Ling (Red Cliff)

Xu Jiao (CJ 7)

Best Cinematography:

Tony Cheung (Three Kingdoms , Resurrection Of The Dragon)

Cheng Siu Keung (Sparrow)

Lu Yue & Zhang Li (Red Cliff)

Arthur Wong Ngok Tai (Painted Skin)

O Sing P ui (Ip Man)

Best Film Editing:

David Richardson (Sparrow)

Angie Lam, Robert A. Ferretti & Yang Hong Yu (Red Cliff)

Yau Chi Wai (Connected)

Chan Ki Hop (The Beast Stalker)

Cheung Ka Fai (Ip Man)

Best Art Direction:

Daniel Lee & Horace Ma (Three Kingdoms , Resurrection Of The Dragon)

Yee Chung Man & Ben Lau (An Empress And The Warriors)

Tim Yip (Red Cliff)

Bill Lui Cho Hung (Painted Skin)

Kenneth Mak (Ip Man)

Best Costume & Make Up Design:

Thomas Chong & Wong Ming Ha (Three Kingdoms , Resurrection Of The Dragon)

Willam Chang Suk Ping (All About Women)

Yee Chung Man & Dora Ng (An Empress And The Warriors)

Tim Yip (Red Cliff)

Ng Po Ling (Painted Skin)

Best Action Choreography:

Sammo Hung (Three Kingdoms , Resurrection Of The Dragon)

Corey Yuen (Red Cliff)

Lee Chung Chi (Connected)

Stephen Tung Wai (Painted Skin)

Sammo Hung & Leung Siu Hung (Ip Man)

Best Sound Design:

Wu Jiang & Roger Savage (Red Cliff)

Chris Goodes & Sam Wong (Connected)

Kinson Tsang & Lai Chi Hung (Painted Skin)

Phyllis Cheng, Nip Kei Wing & David Wong (The Beast Stalker)

Kinson Tsang (Ip Man)

Best Visual Effects:

Craig Hayes (Red Cliff)

Eddy Wong, Victor Wong & Ken Law (CJ 7)

Ho Siu Lun (Missing)

Ng Yuen Fai, Chas Chau Chi Shing & Tam Kai Kwan (Painted Skin)

Henri Wong (Ip Man)

Best Original Film Score:

Henry Lai (Three Kingdoms , Resurrection Of The Dragon)

Xavier Jamaux, Fred Avril (Sparrow)

Taro Iwashiro (Red Cliff)

Fujiwara Ikuro (Painted Skin)

Kenji Kawai (Ip Man)

Best Original Film Song:

Flying With Dreams (An Empress And The Warriors)

L For Love, L For Lies

Red Cliff

Painted Skin

Eternal Love (Missing)

Best New Director:

Derek Kwok (The Moss)

Heiward Mak (High Noon)

Ivy Ho (Claustrophobia)

Best Asian Film:

If You Are The One (China)

Cape No. 7 (Taiwan)

Suspect X (Japan)

Forever Enthralled (China)

Assembly (China)

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