Actor Hou Hsiao Hsien Receives Asian Film Awards' Life Time Achievement Award

Macau welcomed the cream of the Asian film industry to its House of Dancing Water Theatre on 27th March, 2014, where it played host to the eighth annual Asian Film Awards (AFA). Since 2007 the AFA have been organized and held in Hong Kong, and this year's move to Macau marked a thrust towards the more international: for the first time, the awards were organized in collaboration between the AFA Academy (AFAA) and the Busan and Tokyo International Film Festivals, and Hong Kong International Film Festival Society. The so-called “Asian Oscars” are unique in gathering the continent's most talented film professionals to one place and are held to encourage cultural exchange and collaboration in the film industry, to push filmmaking in the region to greater heights, and to celebrate the achievements of filmmakers and stars in the last year.

The top award of the night, the Lifetime Achievement award, went to Taiwanese cinema giant Hou Hsiao-Hsien. Hou's talent as a director has earned him prestigious international prizes from bodies such as the Cannes Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, and the Hawaii International Film Festival. Renowned director, producer, actor, and singer, the multi-talented Hou nevertheless accepted his award – complete with standing ovation - with a self-deprecating joke: “I'm receiving this award because I am an old man.” Film lovers across Asia and beyond will be happy to learn Hou declared himself motivated to make more films.