Project Gutenberg was the clear winner at this year’s Hong Kong Film Awards, picking up seven prizes, including best film, as well as best director and best screenplay for Felix Chong.
The Hong Kong-China co-production, about a team of money counterfeiters, also picked up awards for cinematography, editing, art direction and costume & make-up design. Going into the ceremony, the film had 17 nominations, making it the second most nominated film ever, behind Bodyguards And Assassins in 2009.
However, Project Gutenberg lost out on the best actor award, which went to Anthony Wong in Still Human, from first-time director Oliver Chan Siu-kuen. The film, about a wheel chair-bound man and his Filipina maid, also won best new director for Chan and best new performer for Crisel Consunji.
A film from another first-time director – Jun Li’s transgender drama Tracey – picked up awards for best supporting actress (Kara Wai) and best supporting actor (Ben Yuen). Best actress went to Chloe Maayan for her role in Fruit Chan’s Three Husbands.
Still Human and Tracey are representative of a new generation of filmmakers in Hong Kong, who are making more socially conscious films that are not necessarily aimed at mainland audiences. Another first-time director in this group is Sunny Chan, whose Men On The Dragon won awards for best original film score and best original film song.
The other multiple award winner of the night was Dante Lam’s action drama Operation Red Sea, which took home three prizes for best action choreography, best sound design and best visual effects. Dying To Survive, about a man illegally importing cancer medications into China, won best film from the mainland and Taiwan.
HONG KONG FILM AWARDS 2019 WINNERS:
- Best film: Project Gutenberg
- Best director: Felix Chong, Project Gutenberg
- Best screenplay: Felix Chong, Project Gutenberg
- Best actor: Anthony Wong, Still Human
- Best actress: Chloe Maayan, Three Husbands
- Best supporting actor: Ben Yuen, Tracey
- Best supporting actress: Kara Wai, Tracey
- Best new performer: Crisel Consunji, Still Human
- Best new director: Oliver Chan Siu-kuen, Still Human
- Best cinematography: Jason Kwan, Project Gutenberg
- Best film editing: Curran Pang, Project Gutenberg
- Best art direction: Eric Lam, Project Gutenberg
- Best costume & make-up design: Man Lim-chung, Project Gutenberg
- Best action choreography: Dante Lam, Operation Red Sea
- Best original film score: RubberBand, Men On The Dragon
- Best original film song: RubberBand, Men On The Dragon
- Best sound design: Nopawat Likitwong & Sarunyu Nurnsai, Operation Red Sea
- Best visual effects: Inho Lee, Operation Red Sea
- Best film from mainland & Taiwan: Dying To Survive
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Patrick Tse Yin
- Professional Achievement Award: Lau Wan
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