'Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In' dominates Hong Kong Film Awards with eight wins, including Best Film

Hong Kong action thriller "Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In" swept the 43rd Hong Kong Film Awards, winning eight awards including Best Film and Best Director at the city’s most iconic film award ceremony on Sunday.

This year’s ceremony took place against the backdrop of a sluggish movie market in the city, a wave of cinema closures, and ongoing discussions on how the city could leverage its cultural heritage to revitalize its film industry.

The movie, set in the Kowloon Walled City in the 90s, has attracted at least 1.59 million views since its premiere in May 2024, breaking box office records. 

It has been shortlisted for the Cannes Film Festival and represented Hong Kong in the Best International Feature Film at the Oscars.

"The Last Dance" -- which originally received the most nominations of 18 -- ended with five prizes. 

That included Michelle Wai Sze-nga, who won her first Best Actress award. Anselm Chan Mou-yin and Cheng Wai-kei won their first Best Screenplay award for the movie. Tommy Chu Pak-hong also won Best Supporting Actor for participating in the movie, his first award from the Hong Kong Film Awards. 

The movie, which features emotional music that plucked the heartstrings of many viewers, also won Best Original Film Song for singer-songwriter Terence Lam Ka-him and Best Original Film Score for musician Chu Wan-pin.

Veteran actor Sean Lau Ching-wan won Best Actor for "Papa".

Hong Kong-born British filmmaker Robin Lee won Best New Director for his documentary Four Trails, which tells the stories behind an ultramarathon spanning the city’s four hiking trails covering a total distance of 298 kilometers.

(Jamie Liu)