Oscar-winning director Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s drama film “Evil Does Not Exist” clinched the top prize at the 17th Asian Film Awards in Hong Kong on Sunday night.
Best Picture: The Japanese formalist arthouse drama was one of the most nominated films along with South Korean blockbuster “12.12: The Day,” with six each. Hamaguchi’s film, which delves into the battle lines between modern civilization and the natural world, took home wins for best picture and best original music.
South Korea’s win: Kim Sung-su’s historical action-drama film “12.12: The Day,” which depicts various military factions wrestling for control following the assassination of President Park Chung-hee in 1979, took home awards for best supporting actor (Park Hoon) and best editing by Kim Sang-bum.
Other winners: China’s “Snow Leopard,” Hong Kong’s “The Goldfinger” and Japan’s “Godzilla Minus One” also earned two awards at the ceremony. Filmmakers Kore-eda Hirokazu (Japan’s “Monster”) and Nick Cheuk (Hong Kong’s “Time Still Turns the Pages”) won best directors, while Yakusho Koji in Japan’s “Perfect Days” and Jiang Qinqin in China’s “Dwelling by the West Lake” were voted best actors.
Lifetime achievement honor: Chinese director Zhang Yimou received a lifetime achievement honor and the trophy for the highest-grossing Asian film with “Full River Red,” which earned $634 million last year. “Full River Red,” set during the Southern Song Dynasty, narrates the tale of two soldiers drawn into a conspiracy as they unravel the mystery behind the murder of a messenger from a rival dynasty.
“I consider myself very fortunate to have chosen filmmaking as my lifelong profession. Having been in the industry for over four decades, I am grateful to everyone who appreciates my films. I will keep learning and strive to surpass myself. Always having anticipations for the future, I hope that my best film will be my next one,” Zhang said,…
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