With the 44th Hong Kong Film Awards approaching and set to take place this weekend on April 19, this year’s Best Picture category brings together a diverse mix of films across genres and scales. From dark animation and nostalgic drama to crime epics and historical storytelling, the nominees reflect the breadth of Hong Kong cinema today. Here’s a closer look at the five films shaping this year’s race
Another World
Marking a rare milestone for the Hong Kong Film Awards, “Another World” is the first animated feature to be nominated for Best Film, signalling a breakthrough moment for Hong Kong’s animation industry. Set in a liminal afterlife, the dark fantasy follows Gudo, a “soulkeeper” who guides spirits toward reincarnation by helping them release unresolved trauma. When he meets Yuri, a girl searching for her brother, her growing anger begins to take hold, turning their journey into both a search for closure and a race against time.
Ciao, UFO
First premiering at the 2019 Hong Kong Asian Film Festival before taking more than seven years to reach cinemas, “Ciao, UFO” has taken on an almost myth-like status of its own. Drawing on a 1980s Hong Kong urban legend and led by Charlene Choi, Wong You-nam and Chui Tien-you, it follows three childhood friends shaped by a shared sighting of a mysterious hovering light. Decades later, they reunite as adults facing unfulfilled ambitions and disillusionment, with that moment lingering as a symbol of hope, memory and growing up.
Sons of the Neon Night
Directed by multifaceted artist Juno Mak, “Sons of the Neon Night” is set in a parallel, snow-covered Hong Kong, unfolding from a deadly explosion that kills a powerful tycoon at the centre of a hidden drug empire. With a star-studded cast including Takeshi Kaneshiro, Sean Lau, Tony Leung Ka-fai and Louis Koo, the story follows the son’s (Takeshi Kaneshiro) attempt to dismantle the family’s criminal network, triggering a violent chain reaction across police, rival factions and his own fractured family, unfolding into a tense, morally ambiguous struggle set against a noir-inspired backdrop.
Back to the Past
A continuation of the iconic 2001 TV series, “Back to the Past” revisits Hong Siu-lung, played by Louis Koo, years after his time-travelling past in the Qin Dynasty, now living in quiet retirement. Reuniting much of the original cast, including Raymond Lam as the Qin emperor, the story shifts when a modern army arrives from the future armed with advanced technology and a plan to reshape history. Forced back into conflict, Hong must confront both the threat and the consequences of altering the past, giving the film a strong sense of nostalgia and emotional weight.
She’s Got No Name
Directed by award-winning filmmaker Peter Chan, “She’s Got No Name” centres on a 1940s Shanghai murder case, with Zhang Ziyi as a housewife who confesses to killing her abusive husband. As the trial unfolds, and with figures around her, including a playwright portrayed by Zhao Liying, shifting testimonies and public scrutiny complicate the narrative. The case gradually moves beyond a question of guilt, becoming a reflection on gender, power and how women’s stories are shaped and judged.
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