The 9th Hua Ding Awards opens in HK

Veteran actor and Kung-fu master Jackie Chan captured the Best Director Award and Best Action Choreography Award for "Chinese Zodiac", a 2012 action film co-produced, written, directed by, and starring him. Zhao Benshan, president of the Hua Ding Awards Judging Panel, presented the award to Chan, congratulating and commending him for his charismatic personality and persistent efforts for the betterment of Chinese film industry.

Mainland actor and up-and-coming director Xu Zheng took the Best New Director Award for blockbuster "Lost in Thailand". The low-budget boffo has raked in more than 1.2 billion Yuan (194 million US dollars) from the mainland market since its release last December to become the highest-grossing mainland film ever.

Meanwhile, Wang Baoqiang and Yang Ying took home the awards of the Most Popular Actor and Actress respectively to the cheers and applause of supporters. Lee Byung Hun, a charming South Korean movie star who enjoys a solid fan base in China, bagged the Best Foreign Actor Award.

Other big awards included the Best Animation Film ("Kuiba"), Best Supporting Actor (Chapman To/"Diva"), Best Supporting Actress (Mavis Fan/"The Silent War"), and Best Microfilm ("Father"), etc.

The Hua Ding Awards ceremony, hosted by the Global Talents Media Group, is seen as one of the most influential Chinese film festivals to advocate the professionalism, talent and social responsibility of film workers, and boost the competitiveness of Chinese film industry, which boasts a bumper year in 2012.

All the awards are based on online public opinion polls conducted in 11 mainland cities, as well as the views of film critics and distinguished judges.

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