Pregnant Miriam Yeung promises to promote Love In The Buff

The Pang Ho Cheung directed comedy romance LOVE IN THE BUFF (CHUN GIU YU JI MING) will be released simultaneously in the Mainland and Hong Kong late March. This film continues the story of LOVE IN A PUFF (JI MING YU CHUN GIU). After Chun Giu and Ji Ming's instant romance their relationship cooled down rapidly due to personality issues. They even went to work in the Mainland on their own, both had "ideal mates" who appeared around them and made their romance even more complicated. This time popular Mainland actors Mini Yang Mi and Xu Zheng joined the cast as Ji Ming and Chun Giu's second choices.

Currently pregnant, Chin Wa originally planned to be on her maternity leave. Yet due to the film's promotional period, she set aside plans to take time off and hoped to complete all the film promotional work in her limited capacity. Chin Wa pointed out that if her health would permit she would return work, including the film's March promotions in Hong Kong and the Mainland. Shawn Yue Man Lok said that if the film would have a third installment, it could directly say Chin Wa was with child and her baby would be able to guest star in its first film. Two versions of film posters have already been unveiled. Pang Ho Cheung leaned toward the Chun Giu and Ji Ming embrace posting and posted it online, which was retransmitted over 10,000 times, a strong first wave for the film promotion.

Source: Takungpao, Mingpao
Translated by: hktopten

Alex Man is willing to support TVB even with low salary

The film YUEN HUNG (REWARD) yesterday held a production start ceremony. Attending actors included Alex Man Chi Leung, Fiona Sit Hoi Kei, Wen Chao, Sire Ma Choi and producer Paco Wong. Man Chi who has not shown his face in a long time was excited as he took pictures with people all over and had plenty to say.

Man Chi said that he has not made a Hong Kong film in a long time. This time he was very happy to make this comedy and even made Chapman To Man Jat his disciple. This time Paco invited him to return to Hong Kong to perform and they did not discuss salary. Man Chi currently still has a clothing business in the Mainland. It has already overcome the tough times and did not close, but he believed its business would unlikely go higher. Would he return to TVB? Man Chi said that no one asked him. Reporters said that TVB salary was low and could not afford him. He joked, "This is a little closer to reality! (TVB only offers HK$10,000 per episode!) Ha? So much?" Man Chi said that he and TVB had a deep relationship and money would not be an issue. If he was asked to return home he definitely would. "Money isn't a problem, because I have it."

With all the smiling he seemed to be excessively active. Man Chi still laughed and said, "I don't know why, after 50 I seem to be a kid again. Many people are asking me to make movies and commercials." Why did he give people the impression that he was a maniac? He said, "That's what people said! (You wrote big character posters!) That's my thing, it didn't affect others." Was he more easy going than before? Man Chi said, "I have always been, only people framed me and gave me this title. I don't have a magazine that I can strike back with." During the Lunar New Year, he will visit Europe with his wife and son.

Sit Hoi Kei in the film played Man Chi's daughter. After this collaboration, she finally understood Man Chi was called "Drama King" and even made him her idol. Fiona also praised Man Chi was a very thoughtful elder. After working on this film, he gave every actor a commemorative card. Earlier Man Chi even reminded her to lower her head during photo opportunities because she did not look good when she extended her neck. Earlier she and Khalil Fong Datong went shopping for glasses. Fiona said that they happened to finish work together and shared the same ride, so they went shopping together. She stressed that she and Datong were just friends.

Paco Wong said that this year he will make several movies. His company will also produce concerts. Reportedly Edmond Leung Hong Man's friends raised 4 million to free him from Golden Typhoon; Paco Wong said that was not true, but as a friend he definitely would support him.

Source: Takungpao, Mingpao, on.cc
Translated by: hktopten

Deanie Ip wins another Best Actress Award

The 18th Hong Kong Film Critic Society yesterday announced its winners. Earlier winning Best Actress awards with A SIMPLE LIFE (TOH JEH) in Venice and at the Golden Horse Awards, Deanie Ip Tak Han again won Best Actress. Lau Ching Wan with LIFE WITHOUT PRINCIPLES (DUET MING GUM) won his third Society Award Best Actor Award. A SIMPLE LIFE at the same time won Best Picture. Jiang Wen with LET THE BULLETS FLY won Best Director, and Best Screenplay went to LIFE WITHOUT PRINCIPLES.

Last year 57 films were officially released. Among Best Picture and Best Director, A SIMPLE LIFE, LIFE WITHOUT PRINCIPLES, FLYING SWORDS OF DRAGON GATE (LUNG MOON FEI GAP), OVERHEARD 2 (SIT TING FUNG WON 2), LET THE BULLETS FLY's competition was the strongest. Finally A SIMPLE LIFE won Best Picture and LET THE BULLETS FLY's Jiang Wen won Best Director by two votes more than FLYING SWORDS OF DRAGON GATE's Tsui Hark. OVERHEARD 2 and LIFE WITHOUT PRINCIPLE also had a fierce competition over Best Screenplay, finally LIFE WITHOUT PRINCIPLE's Milky Way creative team, Au Kin Yee and Ben Wong King Fai won.

A SIMPLE LIFE's Ip Tak Han crushed EAST MEETS WEST 2011 (DONG SING SAI JAU 2011)'s Karen Mok Man Wai and FLYING SWORDS OF DRAGON GATE's Zhou Xun for Best Actress. Best Actor had Ching Wan in competition with himself. He finally with LIFE WITHOUT PRINCIPLE's small time hook by two vote beat his OVERHEARD 2 "Landlord Club" stock market elite Law Man Sun. This was also Ching Wan's third Hong Kong Film Critic Society Best Actor Award after HIGH ALERT (GO DOH GAI BEI) and LA BRASSIERE (JUET SAI HO BRA).

Lau Ching Wan thanked the Film Critic Society, and Johnnie To Kei Fung for giving him such a challenging character. As an actor, while acting he of course hoped that it would be fun too. He said, "Director To next time you have a fun script, definitely save it for me!" Ip Tak Han again won with A SIMPLE LIFE. She said that any award was an encouragement; especially for a senior like her, an award was like a shot of confidence. She wished that all awards could bring investors the return that they should have. She wished director Ann Hui On Wa would be able to make movies that she believed in. Ip Tak Han also thanked the Hong Kong Film Critic Society and also Andy Lau Tak Wa and Hui On Wa's trust.

To Kei Fung thanked the Film Critic Society. Milkyway creative team was responsible for writing this film. Since founding the Milky Way Image he has always hoped to give new comers more opportunities, cultivate more talent for the film industry and hope that everyone would work hard together.

In addition, the Hong Kong Film Critic Society at the same time selected seven recommended films: LIFE WITHOUT PRINCIPLE, OVERHEARD 2, DON'T GO BREAKING MY HEART (DAN SUM NAM NUI), FLYING SWORDS OF DRAGON GATE (LUNG MOON FEI GAP), LET THE BULLETS FLY, WHITE VENGEANCE (HUNG MOON YIN), and BIG BLUE LAKE (DAI LAN WU).

BEST PICTURE: A SIMPLE LIFE
BEST DIRECTOR: Jiang Wen (LET THE BULLETS FLY)
BEST SCREENPLAY: LIFE WITHOUT PRINCIPLES
BEST ACTOR: Lau Ching Wan (LIFE WITHOUT PRINCIPLES)
BEST ACTRESS: Deanie Ip Tak Han (A SIMPLE LIFE)

RECOMMENDED FILMS:
LIFE WITHOUT PRINCIPLE
OVERHEARD 2
DON'T GO BREAKING MY HEART
FLYING SWORDS OF DRAGON GATE
LET THE BULLETS FLY
WHITE VENGEANCE
BIG BLUE LAKE

Source: Takungpao, Mingpao, Singtao, on.cc
Translated by: hktopten