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'Tokyo Sonata' best film at Asian Film Awards
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-03-24 10:15

Japanese Director Kiyoshi Kurosawa celebrates with the trophy after the Dutch-Japanese-Hong Kong made movie 'Tokyo Sonata' won the Best Film award at the Asian Film Awards in Hong Kong Monday, March 23, 2009. [Agencies] 

Chinese actress Zhou said she prepared for her role by asking her boyfriend not visit her on set so she could feel lonely, adding that she had a hard time withdrawing from the character.

"I felt a great sense of loss after finishing the movie," she told reporters backstage.

Adding to the event's pan-Asian flavor, trade publication The Hollywood Reporter presented the Nielsen Box Office Award to 25-year-old Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra. The former Miss World enjoyed a sizzling 2008, which saw her in six releases, including two of the year's biggest hits -- "Fashion" and "Dostana."

Jung Woo-sung won best supporting actor for the South Korean western "The Good, the Bad, the Weird" and the best supporting actress prize went to Filipino Gina Pareno for "Service."

A tearful Wei Te-sheng received the Edward Yang New Talent Award from Yang's widow Kaili Peng. Wei, who used to work for the late Taiwanese director, became an overnight sensation after the box office success of the Taiwanese romance "Cape No. 7."

Retired Taiwanese actress Brigitte Lin made a rare public appearance to present the Asian Film Award for Outstanding Contribution to Asian Cinema to veteran Hong Kong director Tsui Hark and his wife, producer Nansun Shi, who were honored for the work of their production house Film Workshop Co.