took home the biggest haul of prizes with best adapted screenplay, best cinematography, best visual effects and best art direction . It also won TGHFF’s audience choice award.
The film, which premiered at Berlin film festival in 2021, entered the awards despite pressure for Hong Kong filmmakers to fall in line with mainland China’s boycott of the Golden Horse Awards ceremony. Considered the most prestigious awards ceremony for Chinese-language cinema, the Golden Horse Awards fell foul of Beijing in 2018 when Fu Yue, winner of best documentary, made a reference to Taiwan’s independence during her acceptance speech . Since then, China has heavily promoted its own Golden Rooster Awards, which take place around the same time.
Since the China boycott, smaller Hong Kong independent films with no plans for release in mainland China have continued to enter the awards, along with films from Taiwan and other Chinese-speaking Asian countries, in a move that has often been beneficial in terms of recognition and prizes. picked up the best actor award for Anthony Wong’s performance, along with best new director and best original screenplay for Malaysia-born filmmaker Lau Kok-rui.