Veteran Hong Kong filmmaker Ann Hui On-wah will receive the Camellia Award at this year’s Busan International Film Festival in recognition of her contribution to women in cinema.
The 79-year-old director was named the recipient of the 2026 award on Tuesday. The honor recognizes filmmakers who have made significant contributions to elevating the status of women in the film industry.
The award will be presented at the opening ceremony of the 31st Busan International Film Festival on October 6 at the Busan Cinema Center. The festival will run for 10 days until Oct 15.
Hui said the honor held particular significance at this stage of her career, as she is approaching 80 and finding it increasingly difficult to make films.
A leading figure of the Hong Kong New Wave, Hui made her feature-film directorial debut in 1979 with The Secret. She has since directed 27 feature films and two feature-length documentaries, building a career spanning more than four decades.
Her early works include The Story of Woo Viet in 1981 and Boat People in 1982, both of which explored the experiences of Vietnamese refugees, followed by the Eileen Chang adaptation Love in a Fallen City in 1984.
Hui went on to direct acclaimed films including Summer Snow, July Rhapsody and A Simple Life.
Both Summer Snow and A Simple Life swept the Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Actress categories at the Hong Kong Film Awards, while Hui has won the Best Director honor at the awards six times.
The filmmaker is no stranger to international recognition. She received the Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award at the Busan International Film Festival in 2014 and was presented with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice International Film Festival in 2020.
The Camellia Award was established by the Busan International Film Festival and Chanel to honor pioneering women filmmakers and their contributions to the cinema industry.
