Hong Kong Director Ann Hui Selected for BIFF's 31st Camellia Award

Hong Kong's acclaimed director Ann Hui has been selected as the recipient of the 2025 Camellia Award at the 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF). The festival announced the honor on November 11, recognizing Hui as a pivotal figure in the Hong Kong New Wave, a screenwriter, and a producer who has elevated Hong Kong cinema on the global stage.

Hui, who made her feature film debut in 1979 with "The Secret," has since directed 27 feature films and two documentaries. Her directorial prowess has earned her six Hong Kong Film Awards for Best Director and three Golden Horse Awards for Best Director. She achieved a grand slam with "The Way We Are" (1995) and "A Simple Life" (2011), winning Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Actress at the Hong Kong Film Awards, solidifying her status as a representative director of Hong Kong cinema.

Her contributions have been recognized internationally with accolades such as the Asian Film Awards' Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012, BIFF's Asian Filmmaker of the Year in 2014, and a Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Film Festival in 2020. These honors underscore her esteemed reputation as a master filmmaker extending beyond Asia.

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In the past, I was reluctant to receive awards that reflect on my film career, as my desire was to keep making films. But now that I am approaching eighty and filmmaking is becoming increasingly difficult, receiving this award feels even more meaningful.

Now approaching 80, Hui expressed her deep appreciation for the award, stating, "In the past, I was reluctant to receive awards that reflect on my film career, as my desire was to keep making films. But now that I am approaching eighty and filmmaking is becoming increasingly difficult, receiving this award feels even more meaningful." She added, "I am very happy to meet the Busan audience again, who have the most discerning taste and understanding of film in the world."

The Camellia Award, a collaboration between BIFF and Chanel, celebrates the legacies of pioneering women in filmmaking. It draws inspiration from Gabrielle Chanel, the founder of Chanel, and her favorite flower, the camellia. The 31st Busan International Film Festival will take place from October 6 to October 15, with the Camellia Award ceremony scheduled for the opening day, October 6.

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I am very happy to meet the Busan audience again, who have the most discerning taste and understanding of film in the world.