[2009.12.23] VENICE FILM FESTIVAL AWARDS JOHN WOO A LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Mr. and Mrs. John Woo

courtesy of takungpao.com

Taking place from September 1 to 11 in Italy, the Venice International Film Festival announced that Hong Kong director John Woo (Ng Yu Sum) received its lifetime achievement award. The event will present the award to Ng Yu Sum on the 21st to honor him for his new ideas and revolutionary changes in action film. His slow motion action and stylized visual image handling elevated the action film realm. The 63 year old Ng Yu Sum was born in Guangzhou, raised and educated in Hong Kong. In 1973 he directed his first independent film. He once followed famous director Chang Cheh. In 1986 with A BETTER TOMORROW (YING HUNG BOON SIK) he reached the peak of his career. Since then he directed many action films like THE KILLER (DIP HUET SEUNG HUNG), BULLET IN THE HEAD (DIP HUET GAI TAU), A BETTER TOMORROW II, ONCE A THIEF (JUNG WAN SEI HOI) and others. After directing HARD BOILED (LAT SAU SUN TAM), he directed his first Hollywood film HARD TARGET, then worked with John Travolta on BROKEN ARROW and FACE/OFF. He also worked with Tom Cruise on MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE II and joined the ranks of big name Hollywood directors. In recent years he returned to the Mainland and directed RED CLIFF and continued to contribute to Chinese film. Ng Yu Sum will attend the Venice Film Festival next year as the pride of Chinese directors.