Infernal director toasts HK glory night

[summertime]

Infernal director toasts HK glory night

Michelle Chan

Tuesday, February 27, 2007


The Oscars proved a glorious - and potentially lucrative - night for Hong Kong movies according to director Andrew Lau Wai-keung.
At Sunday ceremony, Martin Scorsese's remake of Lau's Infernal Affairs won Academy Awards for best film, best director and best adapted sceenplay.

For Lau, this will provide a shot in the arm for the SAR's troubled film industry.

"Everybody was talking of a slow box office, and the decline in movie output with only 50-something films this year," he said.

"The message is that we make good movies and that everybody, everywhere is now aware of this.

"Now more people will pay attention to our films. Foreign movie makers will buy our screenplays. Many international companies will give us more money to invest in more new movies.

"But those who say this is a brave new dawn for Hong Kong movies are missing the point," Lau said.

"Hong Kong movies already play a vital role in the international scene. Wong Kar-wai (In the Mood for Love and 2046) has won several awards, and Stanley Kwan Kam-pang has won prizes at the Berlin International film festival long ago (Hold You Tight). Hong Kong films have not been neglected."

Joe Cheung Tung-cho, of the Hong Kong Film Awards Association, was also delighted with the win, but sounded a note of caution.

"This is a recognition of Hong Kong movie-makers' creativity," he said, but added that Hollywood recognition should not distract SAR filmmakers from their most important role - making movies that people want to go and see.

Infernal Affairs, which was co- directed by Lau and Alan Mak Siu-fai, cleaned up at both the Golden Horse Awards and the Hong Kong Film Awards in 2003, and was also a huge box-office success across the region.

And Lau thinks this may have had an influence on The Departed's success at the Oscars.

"I think the name of Infernal Affairs is very powerful. It won the support of everybody, it won support all over the world. The name is powerful, and maybe it also influenced the Academy. We won several awards in 2003 and they are repeating our history. It's the American version of our past glories."

And when asked if Scorsese's Oscars success will encourage more local movie-makers to produce better quality movies, Lau was dismissive of the idea that this was needed.

"I think Hong Kong directors treat this as their target anyway. They all want to pursue a good quality plot."

Despite the increased international attention on his work, Lau laughs at the idea that it will put him under greater pressure.

"I always have pressure, things can't work without pressure. This just means I will have to work harder."

http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=18&art_id=39016&sid=12405822&con_type=1

[eliza bennet]

Thank you for the article. I was wondering what Andrew Lau thought about the whole thing.

[Kerilyn]

I didn't watch the Oscars, but apparently they called Infernal Affairs a Japanese film! and at the Golden Globes a while back, some lady announcer called it InTernal Affairs.
I think that's disrespectful not to know how to say simple names or get the facts right.
_________________

[summertime]

You're welcome eliza bennet

Kerilyn, I missed the Oscars as well, unfortunately, and I heard about the Japanese film snafu. I couldn't believe it !!!

[summertime]

Director who inspired 'Departed' hails Scorsese

Posted on February 26, 2007 (EST)

The Hong Kong director of the gritty gangster flick that Martin Scorsese adapted as his Oscar-winning hit "The Departed" heaped praise on the man he said inspired him to make films.

HONG KONG (AFP) - "It is an honour to have been able to help Martin win his first and long overdue Oscar," said Andrew Lau, whose 2002 film "Infernal Affairs" provided the story for Scorsese's movie set among the gangs of Boston.

"He has always been my hero, his films were why I got into making films," Lau told AFP. "I really appreciated that he mentioned my name in his winner's speech -- that was very kind."

Scorsese picked up the best director Oscar, while "The Departed" won the gong for best picture at the glittering ceremony in Hollywood's Kodak Theatre.

It was the first time he had won an Academy Award despite five previous nominations.

"He should have been given an Oscar 30 years ago," said Lau, who scooped numerous awards at Asian film festivals for "Infernal Affairs", which he followed with two sequels.

"Films like 'Raging Bull', 'Goodfellas" and 'Mean Streets' were classics that didn't get the recognition they deserved," he said.

Lau's masterpiece captured the intensity of life in Hong Kong and its success in 2002 and through 2003 helped sustain the city's movie industry at its lowest ebb -- during the harsh winter months when an outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) brought the economy close to collapse.

The 46-year old director, who has won over both critics and audiences with mainstream films that tackle art-house themes, is a big draw all over Asia.

Now he hopes to become a big name in Hollywood.

"I do have some work in Hollywood but I hope now that my name will be more recognisable over there," he said.

Lau is due in the United States to discuss a movie project next month and he says he hopes to meet Scorsese then.

"We have spoken many times over the phone but never met because he lives in New York and I have to go to Hollywood when I work," Lau said. "I hope that this time we can have dinner and become friends."

©AFP

http://news.sawf.org/Entertainment/33983.aspx

[lemonberry]

[summertime]

Wow lemonberry, good for you that you took action. I read about Martin Scorsese’s acceptance speech, so that’s some consolation, but it boggles the mind how such a major broadcast would get the basics so wrong about a nominated film. Ai-yah !!!