BEIJING, April 17, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bona Film Group Limited ("Bona" or the "Company") (Nasdaq:BONA), a leading film distributor and vertically integrated film company in China, today announced that its films received a record ten awards in the total 21 categories, at the 31st Annual Hong Kong Film Awards. High-profile Bona films, A Simple Life and Flying Swords of Dragon Gate each won five awards, including major categories such as Best Picture and awards for direction, screenwriting, and lead actor and actress. The April 15th ceremony marks the third consecutive Best Picture win for a Bona-produced film, as Bodyguards and Assassins and Gallants were named best picture in 2010 and 2011, respectively.
The Company's Venice Film Festival-winning film, A Simple Life, won the Annual Hong Kong Film Awards' highest number of major awards, taking home Best Picture, Best Director (Ann Hui, in her record-breaking fourth award for direction), Best Screenplay (Susan Chan), Best Actor (Andy Lau) and Best Actress (Deanie Ip).
Flying Swords of Dragons Gate, Mainland China's highest-grossing film of 2011, with total box office receipts of over RMB 550 million, tied for the event's most nominations totaling 13, including a nomination for Best Picture. Flying Swords of Dragons Gate won the event's most technical awards including awards for Best Film Editing (Yau Chi Wei), Best Art Direction (Yee Chung Man and Lau Man Hung), Best Action Coreography (Yuen Bun, Lan Hai Han and Sun Jiankui) and Best Sound Design (Kim Suk Won).
"We are thrilled with the success of our films in 2011, which included the two biggest winners at the prestigious Hong Kong Film Awards. That three of the five Best Film nominees were Bona productions speaks to the quality of our releases and our ability to attract fans across multiple genres," said Mr. Yu Dong, Bona's Chairman. "We are committed to building upon this success in 2012 and are working diligently to expand our film portfolio, continue partnering with top talent both behind and in front of the camera and bring the best possible cinematic entertainment to audiences in China.
"As the largest non-state-owned film distributor in China, Bona has an integrated business model that positions us well to continue growing our business, while taking a leadership position in the expected consolidation within China's film industry," Mr. Yu continued. "A high level of expertise in our core distribution business helps support the success of our emerging production segment, while our deep understanding of audience preferences ensures that Bona's films are successful not only with critics and industry groups, but with the movie going public as well. We are confident in the strength of our business model and in our ability to continue leveraging our team's core competencies to remain at the forefront of China's rapidly developing film industry."
About Hong Kong Film Awards
The Hong Kong Film Awards are the most prestigious among the top three major awards in Chinese film: The Hong Kong Film Awards, The Golden Horse Film Awards in Taiwan and The Golden Rooster & Hundred Flowers Film Awards in Mainland China. The Awards recognize achievement in all aspects of filmmaking, such as directing, screenwriting, acting and cinematography. The awards are the Hong Kong equivalent to the American Oscars and the British BAFTAS.
About Bona Film Group Limited
Bona Film Group Limited (Nasdaq:BONA) is a leading film distributor in China, with an integrated business model encompassing film distribution, film production, film exhibition and talent representation. Bona distributes films to Greater China, Korea, Southeast Asia, the United States and Europe, invests and produces movies in a variety of genres, owns and operates thirteen movie theaters and manages a range of talented and popular Chinese artists.
For more information about Bona, please visit http://www.bonafilm.cn.
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Forward Looking Statements
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