Moving Venice tribute to 'electrifying' HK movie star Tony Leung
Sophie Hui and Reuters
Hong Kong movie star Tony Leung Chiu-wai received a Golden Lion Lifetime Achievement Award at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on Saturday, making him the first Chinese actor to be recognized for his body of work.
The 61-year-old brushed away tears when receiving the award, saying: "This is really a great honor!"
The audience gave him a standing ovation for over two minutes, as the actor thanked the "love and constant support" of his wife, actress Carina Lau Kar-ling, who was in the audience at Venice Lido.
"I'm so grateful to have been raised in Hong Kong as well as being nurtured by its movie industry, where my acting career began," he said.
"I also want to share this honor and give thanks to all those wonderful people who I have worked with over the past 41 years because this is a tribute to them as well, and of course, to Hong Kong cinema."
Iconic director Ang Lee, who worked with Leung in the 2007 espionage film Lust, Caution, handed him the award. In his six-minute introduction of Leung, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon filmmaker Lee said the actor is "a director's dream."
"There is something in his eyes that is electrifying. It's the soul that shines through them. He can say more in one look than many actors can with a full monologue. That's a soul that can entice you to dream and imagine through him."
Leung later said the director made him cry with his "lovely compliments" as he described Lee as his "most respected director and a very good friend."
Leung added that receiving the award "is a dream come true." Earlier, he said acting had helped him become less shy.
Leung also said he was about to star in his first European film, Silent Friend, directed by Hungary's Ildiko Enyedi. "I plan to spend eight months [preparing for it] because I'm playing a neuroscientist," he said. "I have no idea what neuroscience is. So I have to read a lot of books and do a lot of university hopping."
Leung gained international recognition for his roles in movies made by Wong Kar-wai, such as In the Mood for Love (2000) and 2046 (2004). He appeared in three movies that won the top Golden Lion award at the Venice Film Festival - A City of Sadness (1989), Cyclo (1995) and Lust, Caution (2007).
Lau congratulated her husband on social media, with photos of the actor and the award accompanied by the words: "Tiger is bringing the lion home."
Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Kevin Yeung Yun-hung congratulated the actor in March when the film festival announced Leung's award.
A "Create Hong Kong" delegation led by the permanent secretary for culture, sports and tourism Joe Wong Chi-cho attended the awards ceremony. He signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Directorate General for Cinema and Audiovisual-Ministry of Culture of the Government of Italy to strengthen cooperation in film-related activities.
