The number of HK film's produced in recent years has been declining, and since the handover the industry has faced crises, (e.g. SARS) that helped to lower production numbers. In 2005 there were a total of 55 local films released for theatrical distribution, (between January 1st and December 16th). And it seems that the Hong Kong Film Awards, (for which the nominations were announced 8th February), have, for the most part, recognized those films which were festival favorites, box-office earners, or which were from established and recognized Hong Kong film personalities.

 

Leading the race with 11 nominations apiece was Tsui Hark's Seven Swords and Peter Chan's Perhaps Love, opening and closing night films respectively at 2005's Venice Film Festival. Initial D, which was the highest grossing local film for 2005, having raked in 37,862,364 HKD at the local B.O. received nominations in the categories of Best Film, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, Best New Performer, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Original Film Score, Best Original Film Song, Best Sound Design, and Best Visual Effects.

 

Best Asian Film included nominations for God of Anime Hayao Miyazaki for Howl's Moving Castle (which also got an Oscar nom for Best Animated Feature), Park Chan-wook's Sympathy for Lady Vengenance, and Hou Hsiao-hsien's Three Times.

 

Bey Logan, Vice President of Asian Acquisitions and Co-production for The Weinstein Company said of the awards, "I think it bodes well for Hong Kong cinema that, even in a depressed market, we can produce quality films with the diversity of those nominated. Personally, I think "SPL" deserved nods for both Best Film and Best Cinematography, and that Sammo Hung deserved a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his role in that film. I also thought Dragon Squad should have got a nomination in the Best Action Choreography category. Finally, on behalf of The Weinstein Company, congratulations to all the nominees!"

 

Roger Garcia, former director of the HKIFF, felt that "the nominations for Best Picture in this year's Hong Kong Film Awards show that Hong Kong's film industry is back in the big scale, lavish film production business with action epics packed with world class special effects and CGI, and the first truly Asian musical for many years - since the glory days of Shaw Brothers and Cathay's Mandarin musicals by Wang Tian-lin and Inoue Umetsugu."

 

He finished by adding, "This is an encouraging sign that the industry is not only resilient, but also well equipped for the digital future."

 

Festival sponsors include the Leisure and Cultural Services Department which offered the Hong Kong Coliseum as a venue for the event, and the Film Development Fund which provided 2.26 of the 4 million HKD required for running of the event.

 

The presentation ceremony will be held this year on Saturday April 8th. The ceremony will be broadcast on TVB and RTHK.

 

(hkfilmart February 26, 2006)