Zhou Xun
Encyclopedia
Zhou Xun is a Chinese
actress and singer. She is regarded as one of the "Four Young Dan
actresses" in China (四小花旦) in the early 2000s, along with Zhang Ziyi
, Xu Jinglei
and Zhao Wei
.
and her mother, Chen Yiqin (Chinese: 陈以琴; pinyin: Chén Yǐqín) was a salesperson at a department store. Zhou later enrolled at the Zhejiang Arts Institute to further her interest in dramatic arts, against the wishes of her parents, who wanted her to graduate from a university
. She was handpicked for a role in the film Strange Tales Amongst Old and Desolate Tombs during her teenage years in school.
's Suzhou River
(2000) and Dai Sijie
's Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress
(2002), winning the Best Actress Award for the former at the 15th Paris Film Festival. In 2002, she starred as Huang Rong
, reuniting her with Kaixin Jiuhao television co-star Li Yapeng
, who played Guo Jing
, in the 2003 TV series The Legend of the Condor Heroes
. The series was one of the most watched ones in mainland China in that year.
Zhou entered the Hong Kong
film industry in 2005, starring in Peter Chan
's musical film Perhaps Love. She won the "Best Actress" award at the Hong Kong Film Awards
, Hong Kong Film Critic's Society Awards, Golden Bauhinia Awards
, Golden Horse Awards, Beijing Student Film Festival and Hangzhou Student Film Festival for her performance. After Perhaps Love, her next film was Feng Xiaogang
's The Banquet, in which she played a supporting role. Zhou's next project was Susie Au
's film Ming Ming
(2007), which won high praise at the 2006 Pusan International Film Festival
held in South Korea
. At the premiere of the film, she released her new music video, featuring the theme song of Ming Ming.
In 2008, Zhou starred in Cao Baoping
's romantic thriller The Equation of Love and Death
as a taxicab driver on the lookout for her missing boyfriend. The movie was filmed in Yunnan
province. In that year, she also played the lead role in Painted Skin
, a remake
of a classic supernatural thriller of the same title. She has also appeared in the urban romantic comedy All About Women
directed by Tsui Hark
.
, Baobei In Love, Xin Bian Guo Le Xi San Meng You Xian Jing and Perhaps Love. She has also released two solo albums, Summer (2003) and Come Across (2005).
. Chanel chief designer Karl Lagerfield noted Zhou Xun for her strong fashion sense, describing the actress as "a synthesis of young Coco Chanel and Ballet Troupe Zizi Jeanmaire."
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! colspan="3" style="background: #DAA520;" | Asian Film Awards
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! colspan="3" style="background: #DAA520;" | Golden Bauhinia Awards
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! colspan="3" style="background: #DAA520;" | Golden Horse Awards
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! colspan="3" style="background: #DAA520;" | Hong Kong Film Awards
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! colspan="3" style="background: #DAA520;" | Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards
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Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
actress and singer. She is regarded as one of the "Four Young Dan
Dan (Chinese opera)
Dan is the general name for female roles in Chinese opera, often referring to leading roles. There are a few different kinds of dan in Chinese opera. The commonly seen ones are 'Guimen Dan', 'Hua Dan', 'Daoma Dan', 'Wu Dan', 'Lao Dan' and 'Cai Dan'...
actresses" in China (四小花旦) in the early 2000s, along with Zhang Ziyi
Zhang Ziyi
Zhang Ziyi is a Chinese film actress. Zhang is coined by the media as one of the Four Young Dan actresses in the Film Industry in China, along with Zhao Wei, Xu Jinglei, and Zhou Xun...
, Xu Jinglei
Xu Jinglei
Xu Jinglei is an actress, director and editor most famous in her native mainland China. Xu graduated from the prestigious Beijing Film Academy in 1997. Along with Zhao Wei, Zhou Xun and Zhang Ziyi, the mainland Chinese media considers her a member of the Four Young Dan actresses...
and Zhao Wei
Zhao Wei
Zhao Wei is a mainland Chinese film actress and pop singer. Audiences sometimes refer to her by her English name, Vicki Zhao...
.
Early life
Zhou Xun was born to a middle-class family. Her father, Zhou Tianning (Chinese: 周天宁; pinyin: Zhōu Tiānníng) was a local film projectionistProjectionist
A Projectionist is a person who operates a movie projector. In the strict sense of the term this means any movie projector and therefore could include someone who operates the projector in a home video show or school. In common usage the term is generally understood to describe a paid employee of...
and her mother, Chen Yiqin (Chinese: 陈以琴; pinyin: Chén Yǐqín) was a salesperson at a department store. Zhou later enrolled at the Zhejiang Arts Institute to further her interest in dramatic arts, against the wishes of her parents, who wanted her to graduate from a university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
. She was handpicked for a role in the film Strange Tales Amongst Old and Desolate Tombs during her teenage years in school.
Acting career
Zhou Xun gained international recognition for her roles in Lou YeLou Ye
Lou Ye , born 1965, is a Chinese writer-director who is commonly grouped with the "Sixth Generation" directors of Chinese cinema.-Films:Born in Shanghai, Lou was educated at the Beijing Film Academy. In 1993, he made his first film Weekend Lover, but it was not released until two years later in 1995...
's Suzhou River
Suzhou River (film)
Suzhou River is a 2000 film by Lou Ye about a tragic love story set in contemporary Shanghai. The film, though stylistically distinct, is typical of "Sixth Generation" Chinese filmmakers in its subject matter of contemporary China's gritty urban experience...
(2000) and Dai Sijie
Dai Sijie
Dai Sijie is a French author and filmmaker of Chinese ancestry.-Biography:Dai Sijie was born in China in 1954. Because he came from an educated middle-class family, the Maoist government sent him to a reeducation camp in rural Sichuan from 1971 to 1974, during the Cultural Revolution. After his...
's Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress (film)
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress is a 2002 Franco-Chinese romance drama film with dialogue in the Sichuan dialect directed by Dai Sijie and starring Zhou Xun, Chen Kun and Liu Ye...
(2002), winning the Best Actress Award for the former at the 15th Paris Film Festival. In 2002, she starred as Huang Rong
Huang Rong
Huang Rong is a fictional character in the wuxia novel The Legend of the Condor Heroes by Jin Yong. She plays a supporting role in the sequel The Return of the Condor Heroes.-Character description:...
, reuniting her with Kaixin Jiuhao television co-star Li Yapeng
Li Yapeng
Li Yapeng is a Chinese actor. He starred two CCTV TV series adaptations of Louis Cha's Wuxia novels; Guo Jing in The Legend of the Condor Heroes and Linghu Chong in Laughing in the Wind .In 2005 he married actress and singer Faye Wong, and had a daughter by her in May 2006, Li Yan...
, who played Guo Jing
Guo Jing
Guo Jing is the fictional protagonist of The Legend of the Condor Heroes, a wuxia novel by Jin Yong. He plays a supporting role in the sequel novel The Return of the Condor Heroes as well...
, in the 2003 TV series The Legend of the Condor Heroes
The Legend of the Condor Heroes (2003 TV series)
The Legend of the Condor Heroes is a Chinese television series adapted from Louis Cha's novel of the same title. It is the first installment of a trilogy produced by Zhang Jizhong, followed by The Return of the Condor Heroes and The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber...
. The series was one of the most watched ones in mainland China in that year.
Zhou entered the Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
film industry in 2005, starring in Peter Chan
Peter Chan
Peter Chan Ho-sun , is a film director and producer.-Life and career:Chan was born in Bangkok to Chinese parents. He spent his teens in and studied in Hong Kong and United States, and he attended film school at UCLA. He returned to Hong Kong in 1983 for a summer internship in the film industry....
's musical film Perhaps Love. She won the "Best Actress" award at the Hong Kong Film Awards
Hong Kong Film Awards
The Hong Kong Film Awards , founded in 1982, are the most prestigious film awards in Hong Kong and among the most respected in mainland China and Taiwan. Award ceremonies are held annually, typically in April. The Awards recognize achievement in all aspects of filmmaking, such as directing,...
, Hong Kong Film Critic's Society Awards, Golden Bauhinia Awards
Golden Bauhinia Awards
Golden Bauhinia Awards is a Hong Kong film award organised by the Hong Kong Film Critics Association. Its first award presentation ceremony took place in 1996....
, Golden Horse Awards, Beijing Student Film Festival and Hangzhou Student Film Festival for her performance. After Perhaps Love, her next film was Feng Xiaogang
Feng Xiaogang
Feng Xiaogang , in is a Chinese film director. He is famous in China as being perhaps the most successful "commercialized" filmmaker whose comedy films do consistently well in the box office, although Feng has attempted to break out from that mold by making drama or period drama films...
's The Banquet, in which she played a supporting role. Zhou's next project was Susie Au
Susie Au
Susie Au Suet-yee , is a Hong Kong music video and film director.She studied film in New York . In 1991, her independent work To Hide and Seek won the Outstanding Film award at the 16th Hong Kong International Film Festival. In 1992, she went back to Hong Kong to become a music video director...
's film Ming Ming
Ming Ming
Ming Ming is a 2006 Hong Kong action-romance film directed by Susie Au and starring Zhou Xun, Daniel Wu, Tony Yang and Jeff Chang. A debuttal feature-length film by Au, an experienced music video director, Ming Ming premiered on October 14, 2006 during the Pusan Film Festival and was released in...
(2007), which won high praise at the 2006 Pusan International Film Festival
Pusan International Film Festival
Busan International Film Festival , held annually in Haeundae-gu, Busan , South Korea, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia...
held in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. At the premiere of the film, she released her new music video, featuring the theme song of Ming Ming.
In 2008, Zhou starred in Cao Baoping
Cao Baoping
Cao Baoping is a Chinese film director. He has emerged in recent years as a figure in China's "midrange" cinema industry. Some industry watchers, like Variety, have situated directors like Cao between the older fifth generation directors, such as Chen Kaige or Zhang Yimou, who have achieved major...
's romantic thriller The Equation of Love and Death
The Equation of Love and Death
The Equation of Love and Death is a 2008 Chinese dramatic film written and directed by Cao Baoping and starring Zhou Xun. The film is a Chinese and Hong Kong co-production...
as a taxicab driver on the lookout for her missing boyfriend. The movie was filmed in Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
province. In that year, she also played the lead role in Painted Skin
Painted Skin (2008 film)
Painted Skin is a 2008 supernatural fantasy film directed by Gordon Chan, starring Donnie Yen, Chen Kun, Zhou Xun, Zhao Wei, Betty Sun and Qi Yuwu....
, a remake
Remake
A remake is a piece of media based primarily on an earlier work of the same medium.-Film:The term "remake" is generally used in reference to a movie which uses an earlier movie as the main source material, rather than in reference to a second, later movie based on the same source...
of a classic supernatural thriller of the same title. She has also appeared in the urban romantic comedy All About Women
All About Women
All About Women , originally titled She Ain't Mean and Not All Women Are Bad, is a 2008 Chinese romantic comedy-drama film directed by Tsui Hark, who also edited the film, and co-wrote the story and screenplay with famed Korean filmmaker Kwak Jae-yong...
directed by Tsui Hark
Tsui Hark
Tsui Hark , born Tsui Man-kong, is a Hong Kong New Wave film director and producer. He is viewed as a major figure in the Golden Age of Hong Kong cinema .-Early life:...
.
Singing career
Apart from her acting career, Zhou Xun has also performed for some motion picture soundtracks, such as Ming MingMing Ming
Ming Ming is a 2006 Hong Kong action-romance film directed by Susie Au and starring Zhou Xun, Daniel Wu, Tony Yang and Jeff Chang. A debuttal feature-length film by Au, an experienced music video director, Ming Ming premiered on October 14, 2006 during the Pusan Film Festival and was released in...
, Baobei In Love, Xin Bian Guo Le Xi San Meng You Xian Jing and Perhaps Love. She has also released two solo albums, Summer (2003) and Come Across (2005).
Fashion
Well-known Chinese actress Zhou Xun was recently formally announced as a new ambassador for ChanelChanel
Chanel S.A. is a French fashion house founded by the couturier Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, well established in haute couture, specializing in luxury goods . She gained the name "Coco" while maintaining a career as a singer at a café in France...
. Chanel chief designer Karl Lagerfield noted Zhou Xun for her strong fashion sense, describing the actress as "a synthesis of young Coco Chanel and Ballet Troupe Zizi Jeanmaire."
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Old Grave | Jiaona | |
| 1994 | Nü'er Hong | Hua Dao | |
| 1995 | Temptress Moon Temptress Moon Temptress Moon is a 1996 Chinese film directed by Chen Kaige. It was jointly produced by the Shanghai Film Studio and the Taipei-based Tomson Films... |
Little dance girl | |
| The Pampered Wife | Yangyang | ||
| 1998 | My Rice Noodle Shop | ||
| 1999 | The Emperor and the Assassin The Emperor and the Assassin The Emperor and the Assassin, also known as The First Emperor, is a 1998 Chinese historical romance film based primarily on Jing Ke's assassination attempt on the King of Qin, as described in Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian. The film was directed by Chen Kaige and stars Gong Li, Zhang... |
Blind girl | |
| 2000 | Suzhou River Suzhou River (film) Suzhou River is a 2000 film by Lou Ye about a tragic love story set in contemporary Shanghai. The film, though stylistically distinct, is typical of "Sixth Generation" Chinese filmmakers in its subject matter of contemporary China's gritty urban experience... |
Paris Film Festival for Best Actress | |
| 2001 | Beijing Bicycle Beijing Bicycle Beijing Bicycle is a 2001 Chinese drama film by Sixth Generation Chinese director Wang Xiaoshuai, with joint investment from the Taiwanese Arc Light Films and the French Pyramide Productions. The film stars first-time actors Cui Lin and Li Bin, supported by the already established actresses Zhou... |
Qin | |
| Hollywood Hong Kong | Hung Hung/Tong Tong | Nominations: Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actress Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actress The Hong Kong Film Award for Best actress is an annual Hong Kong industry award presented to an actress for the best performance by an actress in a leading role.-Records:-1980s:*1982 Kara Hui - My Young Auntie as Cheng Tai-Nan... Golden Horse Awards for Best Actress |
|
| 2002 | A Pinwheel Without Wind | Zhao Ningjing | Hundred Flower Awards for Best Actress Beijing Student Film Festival for Top Ten Favorite Actress |
| Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress (film) Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress is a 2002 Franco-Chinese romance drama film with dialogue in the Sichuan dialect directed by Dai Sijie and starring Zhou Xun, Chen Kun and Liu Ye... |
Little seamstress | ||
| Where Have All the Flowers Gone (film)>Where Have All the Flowers Gone | Huanzi | ||
| 2004 | A West Lake Moment | Xiaoyu | |
| Beauty Remains | Xiaofei | ||
| Baobei in Love | Baobei | Chinese Director's Association Awards for Best Actress | |
| 2005 | Stolen Life | Yanni | |
| Perhaps Love | Sun Na | Golden Horse Award for Best Actress Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actress Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actress The Hong Kong Film Award for Best actress is an annual Hong Kong industry award presented to an actress for the best performance by an actress in a leading role.-Records:-1980s:*1982 Kara Hui - My Young Auntie as Cheng Tai-Nan... Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards The Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards are the annual awards given by the Hong Kong Film Critics Society in Hong Kong, China since 1995. The awards are determined by votes cast in three rounds after a substantial discussion session between the members of the society... for Best Actress Golden Bauhinia Awards Golden Bauhinia Awards Golden Bauhinia Awards is a Hong Kong film award organised by the Hong Kong Film Critics Association. Its first award presentation ceremony took place in 1996.... for Best Actress Beijing Student Film Festival for Best Actress Hangzhou Student Film Festival for Best Actress |
|
| 2006 | The Banquet | Qingnü | Hong Kong Film Award for Best Supporting Actress Hong Kong Film Award for Best Supporting Actress The Hong Kong Film Award for Best Supporting Actress is an annual Hong Kong industry award presented to an actress for the best performance by an actress in a supporting role.-History:... Golden Bauhinia Awards Golden Bauhinia Awards Golden Bauhinia Awards is a Hong Kong film award organised by the Hong Kong Film Critics Association. Its first award presentation ceremony took place in 1996.... for Best Supporting Actress Nominated - Golden Horse Awards for Best Original Film Song |
| Ming Ming Ming Ming Ming Ming is a 2006 Hong Kong action-romance film directed by Susie Au and starring Zhou Xun, Daniel Wu, Tony Yang and Jeff Chang. A debuttal feature-length film by Au, an experienced music video director, Ming Ming premiered on October 14, 2006 during the Pusan Film Festival and was released in... |
Mingming / Nana | ||
| 2008 | The Equation of Love and Death The Equation of Love and Death The Equation of Love and Death is a 2008 Chinese dramatic film written and directed by Cao Baoping and starring Zhou Xun. The film is a Chinese and Hong Kong co-production... |
Li Mi | Asian Film Awards Asian Film Awards The Asian Film Awards are presented annually by the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society to recognize excellence of film professionals in the film industries of Asian cinema.-History:... for Best Actress Golden Rooster Awards Golden Rooster Awards China Golden Rooster Film Festival also known as Golden Rooster Awards are the most prestigious awards in film given in mainland China, equivalent the China's Academy Awards. The awards are given annually, beginning in 1981. The name of the award came from the year of the Rooster in 1981... for Best Actress |
| Painted Skin Painted Skin (2008 film) Painted Skin is a 2008 supernatural fantasy film directed by Gordon Chan, starring Donnie Yen, Chen Kun, Zhou Xun, Zhao Wei, Betty Sun and Qi Yuwu.... |
Xiaowei | Nominated - Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actress Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actress The Hong Kong Film Award for Best actress is an annual Hong Kong industry award presented to an actress for the best performance by an actress in a leading role.-Records:-1980s:*1982 Kara Hui - My Young Auntie as Cheng Tai-Nan... |
|
| All About Women All About Women All About Women , originally titled She Ain't Mean and Not All Women Are Bad, is a 2008 Chinese romantic comedy-drama film directed by Tsui Hark, who also edited the film, and co-wrote the story and screenplay with famed Korean filmmaker Kwak Jae-yong... |
Awkward lab researcher | ||
| 2009 | The Message The Message (2009 film) The Message is a 2009 espionage thriller set in 1942 Nanking, featuring a cast of top Chinese stars... |
Gu Xiaomeng | Nominated - Golden Horse Award for Best Actress |
| 2010 | Confucius | Nanzi | |
| True Legend True Legend True Legend is a 2010 martial arts film directed by Yuen Woo-ping, starring Vincent Zhao, Zhou Xun, Jay Chou, Michelle Yeoh, Andy On, David Carradine, Guo Xiaodong, Feng Xiaogang, Cung Le, Gordon Liu, Bryan Leung and Jacky Heung.... |
Ying | ||
| 2011 | The Founding of a Party The Founding of a Party The Founding of a Party, alternatively titled in English Beginning of the Great Revival for its international release, is a Chinese film released in 2011 to mark the 90th anniversary of the Communist Party of China... |
Wang Huiwu | |
| The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate is an upcoming wuxia film directed by Tsui Hark and starring Jet Li, Zhou Xun, Chen Kun, Li Yuchun, Kwai Lun-mei, Louis Fan and Mavis Fan. The film is a remake of Dragon Gate Inn and New Dragon Gate Inn... |
|||
| The Great Magician | |||
| Painted Skin 2 | |||
| 2012 | Wind Seeker |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Hongchufang | Shen Pei | |
| 1998 | Palace of Desire | Young Princess Taiping Princess Taiping Princess Taiping was a princess of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and her mother Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty. She was the youngest daughter of Wu Zetian and Emperor Gaozong and was powerful during the reigns of her mother and her elder brothers Emperor Zhongzong and Emperor Ruizong , particularly... |
|
| Taiping Tianguo Taiping Tianguo (TV series) Taiping Tianguo is a Chinese television series based on the events of the Taiping Rebellion and the rise and fall of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom during the late Qing Dynasty in Chinese history. The 48-episodes long series was first broadcast on CCTV in China in 2000. The series was also broadcast... |
Shi Yiyang | ||
| Jingtan Fengyun | Lin Peipei | ||
| 1999 | Lüyi Hongniang | Fan Xiaoxuan | |
| April Rhapsody | Lin Huiyin | ||
| Kaixin Jiuhao | Tan Gege | ||
| Yuanlai Yijiaren | Taotao | ||
| 2000 | Love Story in Shanghai | Du Xinyu | |
| Jinqian Bense | Mandy | ||
| Xin Wang | |||
| 2001 | Ripening Orange | Xiuhe | |
| 2002 | The Legend of the Condor Heroes The Legend of the Condor Heroes (2003 TV series) The Legend of the Condor Heroes is a Chinese television series adapted from Louis Cha's novel of the same title. It is the first installment of a trilogy produced by Zhang Jizhong, followed by The Return of the Condor Heroes and The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber... |
Huang Rong Huang Rong Huang Rong is a fictional character in the wuxia novel The Legend of the Condor Heroes by Jin Yong. She plays a supporting role in the sequel The Return of the Condor Heroes.-Character description:... |
|
| 2003 | Beach | A'Tong | |
| Business Family | Su Boyuan / Xia He |
External links
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! colspan="3" style="background: #DAA520;" | Asian Film Awards
Asian Film Awards
The Asian Film Awards are presented annually by the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society to recognize excellence of film professionals in the film industries of Asian cinema.-History:...
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! colspan="3" style="background: #DAA520;" | Golden Bauhinia Awards
Golden Bauhinia Awards
Golden Bauhinia Awards is a Hong Kong film award organised by the Hong Kong Film Critics Association. Its first award presentation ceremony took place in 1996....
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! colspan="3" style="background: #DAA520;" | Golden Horse Awards
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! colspan="3" style="background: #DAA520;" | Hong Kong Film Awards
Hong Kong Film Awards
The Hong Kong Film Awards , founded in 1982, are the most prestigious film awards in Hong Kong and among the most respected in mainland China and Taiwan. Award ceremonies are held annually, typically in April. The Awards recognize achievement in all aspects of filmmaking, such as directing,...
|-
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! colspan="3" style="background: #DAA520;" | Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards
Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards
The Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards are the annual awards given by the Hong Kong Film Critics Society in Hong Kong, China since 1995. The awards are determined by votes cast in three rounds after a substantial discussion session between the members of the society...
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