HK star Donnie Yen to aspiring film-makers: ‘Have passion, drive and consistency’

SINGAPORE – Despite being in show business for more than 40 years, Donnie Yen “is still finding (his) path”.

“I’m still learning each day, like a student,” says the veteran Hong Kong action star on Dec 1, adding that he reviews his performance each time he finishes a film. 

While best known for his Ip Man franchise (2008 to 2019), he has also starred in Hollywood films including Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Mulan (2020) and John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023).

Yen, 62, is in Singapore as the lead juror for the inaugural Golden Singa Awards, which recognises achievements in Chinese-language film.

He is speaking at a press event held at Capitol Bistro ahead of a prize presentation ceremony at Capitol Theatre.

He is joined by fellow final jury members, including renowned award-winning talents: Hong Kong actress Anita Yuen; Hong Kong director-producer Joe Cheung; Chinese director-producer Li Shaohong; Hong Kong film art director Bill Lui; Hollywood-based Chinese film producer Teddy Zee; Chinese actress Hao Lei; Taiwanese director-producer Wei Te-sheng; and Taiwanese music artiste and director Vincent Fang.

Organised by local entertainment company NoonTalk Media, the Golden Singa Awards is held in conjunction with the Infocomm Media Development Authority’s (IMDA) 12th Singapore Media Festival. It aims to raise the global profile of Chinese cinema and seeks to foster regional collaboration, as well as strengthen Singapore’s role as a global creative hub.

Speaking in English, Yen challenges aspiring film-makers to constantly improve their skills. “You must have passion, drive and consistency to survive in the industry,” he says.

Yen, who also wore producer and directorial hats throughout his illustrious career, says there will “always be ups and downs”. 

“From my personal experience, it is important that young film-makers – whether they are in front or behind the camera – need to believe in what they do,” he adds.

On being a juror, Yen says it is a challenging task to determine winners of 17 film awards such as Best Feature Film, Best Director, Best Male and Female Actors, and Best Rising Star.

More than 50 films from China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan were submitted during the call for entries, which opened in June. Over 20 films advanced to the nomination stage, where the jury deliberated in a closed-door session on Nov 30.

“The judging work is not without difficulty. The results may affect everyone’s subsequent work, so we make decisions very carefully. It is very challenging,” says Yen.

Yuen, who won Best Actress twice at the Hong Kong Film Awards for C’est La Vie, Mon Cheri (1993) and He’s A Woman, She’s A Man (1994), is both happy and conflicted to be on the judging panel.

The 54-year-old celebrity is wearing a black ribbon as a mark of respect for victims of the recent Hong Kong residential fire tragedy.

Speaking in Cantonese, Yuen says she often asks if she can vote for two films, as she finds it difficult to decide on one.

Being a first-time film juror, she adds that her initial judging criteria is based on her viewing of the film as a moviegoer. However, after discussions with the other judges, she has learnt to consider other factors, such as whether the film was shot the best it could with limited resources.

Yen, who is dressed from head to toe in black and is also sporting a black ribbon, says: “This is a difficult time for us, both sensitive and sentimental, but this (award) is meaningful for film-makers. We can promote and strengthen the art of film that we deeply believe in.”