‘Assassin’ makes a killing at AFA – Lee, Shu named best actor, actress; ‘Mountains’ wins best screenplay

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MACAU, March 18, (AFP): A movie about a highly-trained female assassin swept the Asian Film Awards (AFA) in Macau Thursday, bagging prizes for best film, best actress and best director at the glittering ceremony.

The movie took home more than half of the night’s prizes — eight out of 15 trophies — at one of Asia’s leading film awards held in the glamorous casino town in southern China.

Set in the Tang Dynasty era in China, “The Assassin” is a slow-burning minimalist movie with Taiwanese megastar Shu Qi playing a skilled female assassin sent back to her home province to kill its governor, who is also the man she loves.

“I’m so lucky this year,” Shu, wearing a sparkling silver dress, told reporters after receiving the best actress award.

“I couldn’t have made it through the two years of production for ‘The Assassin’ without (the help of) bandages and medicine,” quipped 39-year-old Shu, referring to the gruelling physical demands required for the action sequences.

Chinese actress Zhou Yun grabbed best supporting actress for her performance in the film, which she said was a “surprise”.

“I won the award because the movie is so good, I contributed just a small part of all the impressive aspects (of the movie),” Zhou said.

The film is directed by Taiwan’s Hou Hsiao-hsien, who sticks to his trademark aesthetic that won him fame for previous titles “Millennium Mambo” and “The Puppetmaster”.

The 68-year-old, who did not attend the ceremony, is one of the most recognisable names in Taiwan’s New Wave cinema.

He has won a string of international awards, including best director at the Cannes Film Festival in May for “The Assassin”.

Though “The Assassin” dominated the night, others didn’t go home empty handed.

South Korean star Lee Byung-hun won best actor for his role in political thriller “The Inside Men”.

“Today’s result is very good … I am very emotional about everybody’s support,” Lee told reporters.

Chinese romance film “Mountains May Depart” won the award for best screenplay, while India’s “Bajirao Mastani”, a love story about a general and a Muslim princess, won best visual effects.

Hong Kong action choreographer Yuen Wo-ping, who worked on films such as “The Matrix”, “Kill Bill” and “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon” was given this year’s lifetime achievement award. Veteran Japanese actress Kirin Kiki was also given the prize.

French actress Sophie Marceau attended the ceremony to hand out the best actress award, to Shu’s delight.

“I’m very happy to be on the stage to hug Sophie,” best actress Shu said.

The awards were organised by the Hong Kong International Film Festival and were hosted at Macau’s glitzy Venetian resort this year, the show’s 10th instalment.

List Of Winners

Best editing: Port of Call/Hong Kong

Best cinematography: The Assassin/Hong Kong, China, Taiwan

Best supporting actress: Zhou Yun (The Assassin)/Hong Kong, China, Taiwan

Best visual effects: Bajirao Mastani/India

Best sound: The Assassin/Hong Kong, China, Taiwan

Best original music: The Assassin/Hong Kong, China, Taiwan

Best screenplay: Mountains May Depart/France, Japan, China

Best supporting actor: Asano Tadanobu (Journey to the Shore)/France, Japan

Best costume design: The Throne/South Korea

Best production design: The Assassin/Hong Kong, China, Taiwan

Best newcomer: Jessie Li (Port of Call)/Hong Kong

Best actress: Shu Qi (The Assassin)/Hong Kong, China, Taiwan

Best actor: Lee Byung-hun (Inside Men)/South Korea

Best director: Hou Hsiao-hsien (The Assassin)/Hong Kong, China, Taiwan

Best film: The Assassin/Hong Kong, China, Taiwan

Lifetime achievement award: Kirin Kiki and Yuen Wo-ping

Also:

LOS ANGELES: Big-budget animation feature “Beast of Burden” has been set up as the first movie to be made under a co-production treaty between China and New Zealand. A string of other projects is now set to connect the two nations’ film and TV industries, after years of slow build-up.

“Beast,” an animated family film now in pre-production, is the story of a mythical creature and his son who learn to realize their potential by standing up to challenges. The film, whose Chinese title translates as “The Legend of the Magic Elephant,” is being co-directed by Kirby Atkins with China’s Huang Jun. It is produced by New Zealand’s Huhu Studios and China Film Animation with Huhu’s Trevor Yaxley and CFA’s Huang as producers.

Talent agency WME is responsible for sourcing English-language voice cast. US distribution is set through the Weinstein Company, while the film will be released in mainland China through China Distribution Company.

New Zealand unusually has both film and TV treaties with China, but they went largely unused for several years.

“Beast” emerged from a series of initiatives intended to match the skill, finances and storytelling strengths of the two industries. Huhu participated in a delegation to Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing organized by the New Zealand Film Commission in December 2014. The NZFC China Co-Production Development Fund then provided initial financing.

“Beast” is the first of 17 projects that the two companies are currently discussing. A project and slate signing ceremony was held as part of the Partnering for Success — China-NZ Co-Production presentation with China Film Co-production Corporation at the Beijing Film Market in April 2015.

“We in New Zealand should realize that we are an Asian country, and should take advantage of being largely in the same time zone as the world’s second largest film industry,” said the NZFC’s CEO Dave Gibson. “It turns out that we are highly complementary.”

“Beast” is preceded by “The Wonder 3D,” a live action family action adventure, which is structured as an unofficial tripartite co-production. With Willow Shields, Jacqueline Joe and Leo Wu as the leads, the story sees teenagers racing to save the Earth after traveling in a super-powered rainbow that upsets natures natural balance.

Now in post-production after shooting in Auckland and Qingdao, “The Wonder 3D” is directed by the UK’s Norman Stone. Production is by New Zealand’s Richard Fletcher of Libertine Pictures, and Emma Slade, China’s Emily Guo of Beijing Tianrun Media, Zhou Difei, and Iain Brown of the UK’s Brown Films. China’s Fiona Chen is a co-producer.

Other features set to swell the bilateral flow include dramatic feature “Cain and Abel” and an untitled animation being directed by the US’ Daniel St Pierre.

“ ‘Cain and Abel’ is set in the aftermath of the Californian Gold Rush and sees a Chinese family torn apart by hardship, betrayal and romantic jealousy. Directed by Zhang Linzhi, the film is produced by Sue Thompson of Colonial Mongrel Productions, and by Joseph Hankoo KIM of Arc Entertainment and Grace Zhang of Dadi Film. The picture received NZFC funding and has obtained New Zealand provisional co-production approval. It is currently awaiting approvals in China.

St Pierre’s picture is produced by Toonz Media Group, China’s Yellow Mountain Studios and India’s Krayon Pictures and is officially structured as an India-China co-production. Pre-production took place largely in New Zealand and production is set for completion by June this year.

TV projects uniting the two countries include the recently completed “ZooMoo Animal Friends,” and upcoming “Kiddets” and “The Colours of China.”

Co-produced by NHNZ and China Central Television, “ZooMoo” explores the animal kingdom and promotes conservation through a cast of furry characters. It was recently aired on CCTV to record viewership figures, and a further 60 episodes are set to be ordered.

“The Colours of China” is an upscale documentary series that is in advanced preparation. It will make use of both the film and TV treaties between China and New Zealand and be presented as an Imax feature and a five part series for TV. Producers include New Zealand’s Making Movies, China Intercontinental Communication Center, Australia’s WildBear Entertainment, Germany’s ZDF and Franco-German arts broadcaster Arte.

Also in pre-production, “Kiddets” is a 52-part series in which the WotWots explore art, culture and science. It is to be produced by New Zealand’s Pukeko Pictures and China’s Guangdong Huawen Century Animation Company.

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