From Asia's top movie stars to renowned directors, the industry's names were all out in full force on Tuesday to celebrate the opening of the 30th Hong Kong International Film Festival.

 

Veteran director Johnnie To's gangster film Election II: Harmony Is a Virtue and director Pang Ho Cheng's Isabella, which won the prestigious Silver Bear Award in Berlin for the Best Soundtrack, were presented as the opening films last night.

 

The annual showbiz extravaganza will line up more than 200 movies from all over the world from April 4 to 19, and the centerpiece of the three-week event, which is often referred to as Hong Kong's Oscars, will be unveiled on April 8.

 

This year's Best Actor Award has a list of top names in contention, including the two stars from the gangster film Election, Tony Leung and Simon Yam; Wait Till You're Older star Andy Lau; Everlasting Regret male lead Tony Leung Ka Fai; and Divergence star Aaron Kwok.

 

There are also many great women with their eye on the Best Actress Award: Hong Kong actress Karen Mok from Wait Till You're Older, Sylvia Chang of Rice Rhapsody, Everlasting Regret star Sammi Cheng, Karena Lam who starred in Home Sweet Home, and Chinese mainland actress Zhou Xun from Perhaps Love.

 

 

The Best Director Award also has many well deserving potential winners, including Andrew Lau and Alan Mak for Initial D, Derek Yee with 2 Young, Peter Chan with Perhaps Love, Tsui Hark who directed Seven Swords, and Johnnie To for Election.

 

Some of last year's most popular flicks were Initial D, Election, Seven Swords, Perhaps Love and The Myth, and have made it into the nominations for Best Film.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(CRI April 5, 2006)