Milestone honor for HK New Wave filmmaker Ann Hui

Versatile New Wave filmmaker Ann Hui On-wah, who has over a four-decade career made engrossing films of largely Hong Kong subjects and of varying scale, is being honored by the Venice International Film Festival with a lifetime Achievement award, along with actress Tilda Swanton.

Hui becomes the first Chinese woman film maker to be so honored.

Her films are known for featuring strong female characters.

Over the decades Hui has built up a reputation for her creative cinematic work, rather than a filmmaker who is merely measured by commercial success. But she has had critical and commercial acclaim.

Her cinematic palette includes romance, documentaries, thrillers, ghost stories, drama, and partly autobiographical creations.

Her 1982  movie, 'Boat People,' filmed in Hainan - a rarity at the time - was one such film that was a critical and commercial success.

Boat People, which featured George Lam, Season Ma, and Andy Lau, tapped into the unspoken nervousness related the change of flag in 1997.

Princess Fragrance (1987), which was a sequel to The Romance of Book and Sword, was not a commercial success. But Summer Snow (1995), featuring the tale of a housewife, starring Josephine Siao, caught the imagination of moviegoers.

Years later, came the successful, The Way We Are (2008), starring Paw Hee-ching.

Many in Hong Kong, also remember her for the RTHK's  'Below the Lion Rock,' three episodes of which she crafted.

One of her movies, Starry is the Night (1988) was partly filmed at the University of Hong Kong from where Hui graduated with first class bachelor of arts degree.

At the Hong Kong Film Awards, Hui has been honored with six best director awards.  In 1997, she was honored with an MBE.

Hui was born in Liaoning province to a Chinese father and Japanese mother and moved to Hong Kong at aged five, published records show.

The Venice Film Festival said the decision was made by the board of directors of the Biennale di Venezia on the recommendation of the director of the Venice Film Festival Alberto Barbera.

The 77th Venice International Film Festival will  run from September 2 to 12, during which the Golden Lions for Lifetime Achievement award ceremony will be held.

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