The 8th Asian Film Awards took place last night in Macau. With 11 nominations ‘The Grandmaster’ was the big winner as it won 7 awards: Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Costume Design, Best Art Direction, Best Original Score and Best Cinematography. Zhang Ziyi won her 8th Best Actress Award for portraying Gong Er in the film, whilst Tony Leung lost out to Indian actor Irrfan Khan in the Best Actor category.
Wong Kar-wai won Best Director and Best Film, and when he accepted the awards he was somewhat emotional. He said, “This award very regrettably cannot be shared with one of our stunt coordinators. He (Ju Kun) was a passenger on the missing Malaysia Airline flight. I hope Malaysia authorities would do its best to give us an understanding of the progress and the truth with more transparency.” He also sent his deepest condolences to the family of the passengers’ families. After the event Wong Kar-wai said that he hoped to help Ju Kun’s family through a family lawyer. As for Tony Leung again losing in the Best Actor category, Wong Kar-wai said that without the two Grandmasters Leung and Chang Chen, the film’s brilliance would not have been the same.
Upon being named Best Actress Zhang Ziyi happily embraced Wong Kar-wai then went to the stage and accepted the award from Carina Lau‘s hands. She said, “Thank you Asian Film Awards, the director and the Best Actor in my heart Mr. Leung Chiu-wai. I believe that many actors here feel the same as I do and experience the liveliness of the character with me. In addition it is without a mask, it is flesh and blood.” She said, “Like the tragedy that just happened, they all had lives of flesh and blood. They were our friends, family members. Here today, aside from celebration, I also want to salute valuable life.”
Zhang Ziyi said, “This time while working on ‘The Grandmaster’ I built deep relationships with the crew. I have already worked with Wong Kar-wai when I was very little, he is my teacher and my friend. The film production process was rather tough, ordinary people must not be able to feel that, in particular during the training. Today I am very upset for a reason, the team has a friend……who made me experience that I have to cherish life and those around me more. I hope this matter can give the real truth to the family.”
THE 8TH ASIAN FILM AWARD WINNERS
BEST FILM: THE GRANDMASTER
BEST DIRECTOR: Wong Kar Wai (THE GRANDMASTER)
BEST ACTOR: Irrfan Khan (THE LUNCHBOX)
BEST ACTRESS: Zhang Ziyi (THE GRANDMASTER)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Huang Bo (NO MAN’S LAND)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Yeo Yann Yann (ILO ILO)
BEST NEWCOMER: Jiang Shuying (SO YOUNG)
BEST SCREENWRITER: Ritesh Batra (THE LUNCHBOX)
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER: Philippe Le Sourd (THE GRANDMASTER)
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGNER: Willian Chang Suk Ping, Alfred Yau Wai Ming (THE GRANDMASTER)
BEST COMPOSER: Shigeru Umebayashi, Nathaniel Mechanly (THE GRANDMASTER)
BEST EDITOR: Shin Min-Kyung (COLD EYES)
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS: Jeong Seong-Jin (MR. GO)
BEST COSTUME DESIGNER: William Chang Suk Ping (THE GRANDMASTER)
