The 31st Busan International Film Festival recently revealed that this year’s Camellia Award will be presented to Hong Kong director Ann Hui.
The announcement was made on 11 August, with the award aiming to recognise veteran film directors who have contributed to improving the status of women in the film industry.
Ann Hui is a leading figure of the Hong Kong New Wave cinema, serving as director, screenwriter and producer. She is hailed to have propelled Hong Kong films onto the world stage through movies like “The Secret,” “Summer Snow” and “A Simple Life”.
This is not the first time that the filmmaker has won an award at the Busan International Film Festival. In 2014, Ann was awarded the “Asian Filmmaker of the Year” award by the organisers.
Regarding the honour, Ann said, “In the past, because I always held the thought that I wanted to continue making movies, and was reluctant to accept awards that reflected my film career. But now that I am nearly 80 years old, making movies has become increasingly difficult, so receiving this award at this time is even more meaningful to me.”
She added, “I am very happy to be able to meet Busan audiences, who are among the savviest film enthusiasts and have a deep understanding of cinema, again.”
The 2026 Busan International Film Festival will be held from 6 to 15 October. The Camellia Award will be presented at the opening ceremony.
