Hong Kong action thriller “Bodyguards and Assassins” scooped several top honours at the Asian Film Awards (AFA) in Hong Kong on Monday, but was eclipsed for best picture by the South Korean movie “Mother”. Wang Xueqi scooped the best actor award for his role in the box office hit which had garnered a total of six nominations going into the Asian Film Awards, whose red-carpet glamor and glitzy awards ceremony are modeled on the Oscars to recognize Asia's diverse and at times under-appreciated cinematic gems. South Korea's “Mother”, a thriller recognized for official selection at the Cannes film festival last year, garnered best picture, the best actress award for Kim Hye-ja, and best screenwriter for Park Eun-kyo and Bong Joon-ho. Respected Chinese director Zhang Yimou was given the Asian film award for outstanding contribution to Asian cinema. Chinese director Lu Chuan won best director for Nanjing Nanjing, or City of Life and Death, set during the brutal Japanese occuption of the eastern Chinese city. Indian Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan was awarded a lifetime achievement award for his contribution to Indian cinema.
