Hong Kong Film Award for Best Director
Introduction The '''Hong Kong Film Award for Best Director''' is an award presented annually at the Hong Kong Film Awards (HKFA). It is given to honour the best director of a Hong Kong film. The 1st Hong Kong Film Awards ceremony was held in 1982, with no formal nomination procedure established; the award was given to Allen Fong for his direction of ''Father and Son.'' After the first award ceremony, a nomination system was put in place whereby no more than five nominations are made for each category and each entry is selected through two rounds of voting. Firstly, prospective nominees are marked with a weight of 50% each from HKFA voters and a hundred professional adjudicators, contributing towards a final score with which the top five nominees advance to the second round of voting. The winner is then selected via a scoring process where 55% of the vote comes from 55 professional adjudicators, 25% from representatives of the Hong Kong Film Directors' Guild and 20% from all other HKFA Executive Committee Members.From the 2nd Hong Kong Film Awards (1983), there are five, sometimes 6, nominations for the category of Best Director from which one director is chosen the winner of the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Director. The most recent recipient of the award was Wai Ka-fai, who was honoured at the 41st Hong Kong Film Awards (2023), for his film ''Detective vs Sleuths''. The directors with most awards in this category is Ann Hui with six wins, followed by Allen Fong, Johnnie To, Tsui Hark and Wong Kar-wai with 3 times each.
Winners and nominees alt=Ann Hui at screening "The Way We Are" at the Broadway Cinematheque in Yau Ma Tei.John Woo won in 1990 for The Killer.|alt=John Woo at Cannes Film Festival 2005Wong Kar-wai won in 1991 for Days of Being Wild, 1995 for Chungking Express and 2014 for The Grandmaster.|alt=Wong Kar-Wai at the Berlin Film Festival 2013Tsui Hark won for his films Shanghai Blues, Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame and The Taking of Tiger Mountain.|alt=Tsui Hark at Dubai Film Fest 2008 Peter Chan won in 2008 for The Warlords.|alt=Peter Chan in 2007 at a preview of The Warlords.Fruit Chan won in 1998 for crime drama Made in Hong Kong.|alt= Fruit Chan, at the Tokyo International Film Festival 2009.Dante Lam and Gordon Chan won jointly in 1999 for crime-drama Beast Cops.|alt=Dante Lam at the 2009 Hong Kong International Film Festival.alt=Johnnie To at the premiere of Vengeance in Toronto 2009.Ang Lee won in 2001 for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.|alt=Ang Lee at 66th Venice Film Festival 2009.Stephen Chow won in 2002 for martial arts comedy Shaolin Soccer.|alt=Stephen Chow at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur 2008.Sammo Hung received nominations for The Prodigal Son and Heart of Dragon.|alt=Sammo Hung at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2005.Jackie Chan was nominated in 1986 for ''Police Story''.|alt=Jackie Chan in 2016 at the launch of Bleeding Steel Press Conference, Sydney Opera House.Jiang Wen was nominated in 2012 for Let the Bullets Fly.|alt=Jiang Wen at the Deauville Asian Film Festival 2008.alt=Wilson Yip at premiere of Saat Po Long 2006.alt=Stanley Kwanalt=Teddy RobinDerek Tsang won in 2020 for Better Days.|alt=Derek TsangBenny Chan won in 2022 for ''Raging Fire''.|alt=Benny Chan+ Table key Indicates the winner Year Director(s) Film'''1981''''''(1st)''''''Allen Fong''''''''Father and Son''''''''1982''''''(2nd)''''''Ann Hui''''''''Boat People'''''David Lai''Lonely Fifteen''Sammo Hung''The Prodigal Son''Choi Gai-Kwong''Teenage Dreamers''Patrick Tam''Nomad'''''1983''''''(3rd)''''''Allen Fong''''''''Ah Ying'''''Li Han-hsiang''The Burning of Imperial Palace''Wu Ma''The Dead and the Deadly''Teddy Robin''All the Wrong Spies''Kirk Wong''Health Warning'' '''1984''''''(4th)''''''Yim Ho''''''''Homecoming'''''Tsui Hark''Shanghai Blues''Johnny Mak''Long Arm of the Law''Po-Chih Leong''Hong Kong 1941''Danny Lee Sau-Yin''Law with Two Phases'' '''1985''''''(5th)''''''Mabel Cheung''''''''The Illegal Immigrant'''''Stanley Kwan''Women''Ricky Lau''Mr. Vampire''Sammo Hung''Heart of Dragon''Jackie Chan''Police Story'''''1986''''''(6th)''''''Allen Fong''''''''Just Like Weather'''''Stephen Shin''Brotherhood''John Woo''A Better Tomorrow''Derek Yee''The Lunatics''Li Han-Xiang''The Last Emperor''Stanley Kwan''Love Unto Waste'''''1987''''''(7th)''''''Ringo Lam''''''''City on Fire'''''Ching Siu-tung''A Chinese Ghost Story''Mabel Cheung''An Autumn's Tale''Ringo Lam''Prison on Fire''Ann Hui''The Romance of Book & Sword''Patrick Tam''Final Victory'''''1988''''''(8th)''''''Stanley Kwan''''''''Rouge'''''Lawrence Ah Mon''Gangs''Alex Law''Painted Faces''Wong Kar-wai''As Tears Go By''Jacob Cheung''Last Eunuch in China'''''1989''''''(9th)''''''John Woo''''''''The Killer'''''Johnnie To''All About Ah-Long''Jacob Cheung''Beyond the Sunset''Anthony Chan Yau''A Fishy Story''Mabel Cheung''Eight Taels of Gold'''''1990''''''(10th)''''''Wong Kar-wai''''''''Days of Being Wild'''''John Woo''Bullet in the Head''Ann Hui''Song of the Exile''Yim Ho''Red Dust''Clara Law''Farewell China'''''1991''''''(11th)''''''Tsui Hark''''''''Once Upon a Time in China'''''John Woo''Once a Thief''Gordon Chan''Fight Back to School''Lawrence Ah Mon''Lee Rock''Poon Man-Kit''To Be Number One'''''1992''''''(12th)''''''Jacob Cheung''''''''Cageman'''''Jeffrey Lau''92 Legendary La Rose Noire''Gordon Chan''King of Beggars''Tsui Hark''Once Upon a Time in China II''Stanley Kwan''Center Stage'''''1993''''''(13th)''''''Derek Yee''''''''C'est la vie, mon chéri'''''Kirk Wong''Crime Story''Cha Yuen-Yee''Legal Innocence''Peter Chan and Lee Chi-Ngai''Tom, Dick and Hairy''Clara Law''Temptation of a Monk'''''1994''''''(14th)''''''Wong Kar-wai''''''''Chungking Express'''''Wong Kar-wai''Ashes of Time''Peter Chan''He's a Woman, She's a Man''Tsui Hark''The Lovers''Gordon Chan''The Final Option'''''1995''''''(15th)''''''Ann Hui''''''''Summer Snow'''''Derek Yee''Full Throttle''Wong Kar-wai''Fallen Angels''Yim Ho''The Day the Sun Turned Cold''Johnnie To''Loving You'''''1996''''''(16th)''''''Peter Chan''''''''Comrades: Almost a Love Story'''''Derek Chiu''The Log''Derek Yee and Lau Chi-Leung''Viva Erotica''Shu Kei''Hu-Du-Men''Benny Chan''Big Bullet'''''1997''''''(17th)''''''Fruit Chan''''''''Made in Hong Kong'''''Wong Kar-wai''Happy Together''Ringo Lam''Full Alert''Mabel Cheung''The Soong Sisters''Johnnie To''Lifeline'''''1998''''''(18th)''''''Gordon Chan''' '''and Dante Lam''''''''Beast Cops'''''Stanley Kwan''Hold You Tight''Fruit Chan''The Longest Summer''Mabel Cheung''City of Glass''Patrick Yau''The Longest Nite'''''1999''''''(19th)''''''Johnnie To''''''''The Mission'''''Sylvia Chang''Tempting Heart''Ann Hui''Ordinary Heroes''Ringo Lam''Victim''Johnnie To''Running Out of Time'''''2000''''''(20th)''''''Ang Lee''''''''Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'''''Wong Kar-wai''In the Mood for Love''Fruit Chan''Durian Durian''Johnnie To and Wai Ka-fai''Needing You...''Wilson Yip''Juliet in Love'''''2001''''''(21st)''''''Stephen Chow''''''''Shaolin Soccer'''''Ann Hui''July Rhapsody''Stanley Kwan''Lan Yu''Johnnie To and Wai Ka-fai''Love on a Diet''Ann Hui''Visible Secret'''''2002''''''(22nd)''''''Andrew Lau''' '''and Alan Mak''''''''Infernal Affairs'''''Law Chi-Leung''Inner Senses''Peter Chan''Three: Going Home''Fruit Chan''Hollywood Hong Kong''Zhang Yimou''Hero'''''2003''''''(23rd)''''''Johnnie To''''''''PTU'''''Johnnie To and Wai Ka-fai''Running on Karma''Derek Yee''Lost in Time''Andrew Lau and Alan Mak''Infernal Affairs II''Benny Chan Muk-Sing''Heroic Duo'''''2004''''''(24th)''''''Derek Yee''''''''One Nite in Mongkok'''''Wong Kar-wai''2046''Stephen Chow''Kung Fu Hustle''Benny Chan Muk-Sing''New Police Story''Johnnie To''Breaking News'''''2005''''''(25th)''''''Johnnie To''''''''Election'''''Derek Yee''2 Young''Andrew Lau and Alan Mak''Initial D''Peter Chan''Perhaps Love''Tsui Hark''Seven Swords'''''2006''''''(26th)''''''Patrick Tam''''''''After This Our Exile'''''Jacob Cheung''A Battle of Wits''Johnnie To''Election 2''Johnnie To''Exiled''Zhang Yimou''Curse of the Golden Flower'''''2007''''''(27th)''''''Peter Chan''''''''The Warlords'''''Ann Hui''The Postmodern Life of My Aunt''Yau Nai-Hoi''Eye in the Sky''Johnnie To and Wai Ka-fai''Mad Detective''Derek Yee''Protégé'''''2008''''''(28th)''''''Ann Hui''''''''The Way We Are'''''Benny Chan''Connected''John Woo''Red Cliff''Johnnie To''Sparrow''Wilson Yip''Ip Man'''''2009''''''(29th)''''''Teddy Chan''''''''Bodyguards and Assassins'''''Ann Hui''Night and Fog''John Woo''Red Cliff II''Derek Yee''Shinjuku Incident''Alan Mak and Felix Chong''Overheard'''''2010''''''(30th)''''''Tsui Hark''''''''Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame'''''Derek Kwok and Clement Cheng''Gallants''Wilson Yip''Ip Man 2''Su Chao-pin''Reign of Assassins''Dante Lam''The Stool Pigeon'''''2011''''''(31st)''''''Ann Hui''''''''A Simple Life'''''Johnnie To''Life without Principle''Tsui Hark''Flying Swords of Dragon Gate''Alan Mak and Felix Chong''Overheard 2''Jiang Wen''Let the Bullets Fly'''''2012''''''(32nd)''''''Longman Leung and''' '''Sunny Luk Kim Ching''''''''Cold War'''''Cheang Pou-soi''Motorway''Pang Ho-cheung''Love in the Buff''Lo Chi Leung''The Bullet Vanishes''Dante Lam''The Viral Factor'''''2013''''''(33rd)''''''Wong Kar Wai''''''''The Grandmaster'''''Johnnie To''Drug War''Benny Chan''The White Storm''Derek Kwok''As the Light Goes Out''Dante Lam''Unbeatable'''''2014''''''(34th)''''''Ann Hui''''''''The Golden Era'''''Fruit Chan''The Midnight After''Peter Chan''Dearest''Dante Lam''That Demon Within''Alan Mak and Felix Chong''Overheard 3'''''2015''''''(35th)''''''Tsui Hark''''''''The Taking Of Tiger Mountain'''''Adrian Kwan Shun Fai''Little Big Master''Derek Yee''I Am Somebody''Wilson Yip''Ip Man 3''Philip Yung Tsz Kwong''Port of Call'''''2016''''''(36th)''''''Frank Hui, Jevons Au and Vicky Wong''''''''Trivisa'''''Wong Chun''Mad World''Derek Tsang''Soul Mate''Johnnie To''Three''Stephen Chow''The Mermaid'''''2017''''''(37th)''''''Ann Hui''''''''Our Time Will Come'''''Kearen Pang''29+1''Herman Yau''Shock Wave''Sylvia Chang''Love Education''Wilson Yip''Paradox'''''2018''''''(38th)''''''Felix Chong''''''''Project Gutenberg'''''Fruit Chan''Three Husbands''Dante Lam''Operation Red Sea''Sunny Chan''Men On The Dragon''Oliver Chan Siu Kuen''Still Human'''''2019''''''(39th)''''''Derek Tsang''''''''Better Days'''''Kiwi Chow''Beyond the Dream''Ray Yeung''Suk Suk''Heiward Mak''Fagara''Wilson Yip''Ip Man 4: The Finale'''''2020''' and '''2021''''''(40th)''''''Benny Chan''''''''Raging Fire'''''  Peter Chan''Leap''Cheang Pou-soi''Limbo''Longman Leung''Anita''Man Lim-chung''Keep Rolling'' '''2022''''''(41st)''''''Wai Ka-fai''''''''Detective vs Sleuths'''''  Ho Cheuk Tin''The Sparring Partner''Lam Sum''The Narrow Road''Mabel Cheung and William Kwok''To My Nineteen Year Old Self''Sunny Chan''Table for Six''
Multiple wins and nominations The following individuals received two or more Best Director awards: Wins Director Years 6 Ann Hui 1982, 1997, 2008, 2011, 2014, 2017   3 Allen Fong 1981, 1983, 1986 Johnnie To 1999, 2003, 2005 Tsui Hark 1991, 2010, 2015 Wong Kar-wai 1990, 1994, 2013 2 Derek Yee 1993, 2004 Peter Chan 1996, 2007The following individuals received three or more Best Director nominations: Nominations Director 18 Johnnie To 13 Ann Hui 10 Derek Yee 9 Wong Kar-wai 8 Peter Chan Tsui Hark 6 Alan Mak Benny Chan Dante Lam Fruit Chan John Woo Mabel Cheung Stanley Kwan Wilson Yip 5 Wai Ka-Fai 4 Felix Chong Gordon Chan Jacob Cheung Ringo Lam 3 Allen Fong Andrew Lau Patrick Tam Stephen Chow Yim Ho
Records '''Items''''''Name''''''Statistics''''''Notes'''Most winsAnn Hui6 wins13 nominationsMost nominationsJohnnie To18 nominations3 winsOldest winnerAnn HuiAge 70 years, 327 daysFor ''Our Time Will Come''Oldest nomineeMabel CheungAge 72 years, 150 daysFor ''To My Nineteen-Year-Old Self''Youngest winnerStanley KwanAge 31 years, 182 daysFor ''Rouge''Youngest nomineeAge 31 yearsMost nominations without a winWilson Yip6 nominations
See also * Hong Kong Film Award* Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor* Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actress* Hong Kong Film Award for Best Supporting Actor* Hong Kong Film Award for Best Supporting Actress* Hong Kong Film Award for Best Action Choreography* Hong Kong Film Award for Best Cinematography* Hong Kong Film Award for Best Film* Hong Kong Film Award for Best New Performer
Notes :  A film is considered to be a "Hong Kong film" by meeting at least 2 of the following criteria:# The film's director is a Hong Kong resident that holds a Hong Kong Identity Card# At least one of the film's production companies are legally registered in Hong Kong SAR.# At least one person involved in the film's production from any six separate award categories who are Hong Kong resident holding a Hong Kong Identity Card.
References
External links *  Hong Kong Film Awards Official Site