HONG KONG • Aaron Kwok's murder mystery Port Of Call and Tsui Hark's actioner The Taking Of Tiger Mountain led the Hong Kong Film Award nominations announced yesterday.

Port Of Call, starring Kwok as a Hong Kong detective on the case of a dismembered teen Hunanese prostitute, drew the most nominations, 13, including Best Film, Best Director for Philip Yung and Best Actor for Kwok, said Ming Pao Daily News.

The Taking Of Tiger Mountain, Tsui's take on a Chinese Communist propaganda classic, had 11 nods, including Best Film, Best Director for Tsui and Best Actor for Tony Leung Ka Fai.

The action movie Ip Man 3 had eight nominations, including Best Film and Best Director for Wilson Yip.

Two other movies were named for the top prize of Best Film: Little Big Master, a true-life story of a headmistress (played by Miriam Yeung) who fights the system for five kindergarten pupils, and Ten Years, a bleak anthology of five short films imagining Hong Kong's future. Best Film was the only nomination Ten Years won, said Apple Daily. Little Big Master scored five nominations, including Best Director for Adrian Kwan and Best Actress for Yeung.

Another Best Director nominee is Derek Yee for I Am Somebody, his tribute to extras who work at Hengdian World Studios in China.

For Best Actor, Kwok and Leung will compete against Andy Lau (Lost And Love), Nick Cheung (Keeper Of Darkness) and Jacky Cheung (Heaven In The Dark).

For Best Actress, Yeung is up against Sylvia Chang (Office), Karena Lam (Heaven In The Dark), Tang Wei (A Tale Of Three Cities) and Jessie Li (Port Of Call).

The ceremony will be held on April 3.