{"id":77604,"date":"2025-11-24T14:12:13","date_gmt":"2025-11-24T22:12:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/?p=77604"},"modified":"2025-11-24T15:57:47","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T23:57:47","slug":"hong-kong-director-daniel-lee-honored-with-snow-leopard-lifetime-achievement-award-at-asian-world-film-festival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/?p=77604","title":{"rendered":"Hong Kong Director Daniel Lee Honored with Snow Leopard Lifetime Achievement Award at Asian World Film Festival"},"content":{"rendered":"

LAPost \/ Culver City, Los Angeles \u2014 November 20, 2025<\/strong> \u2014 The 11th Asian World Film Festival (AWFF) held its grand Closing Night Awards Gala on November 20 at The Culver Theater, bringing together leading figures from Hollywood and the Asian film industry. The highlight of the evening \u2014 the prestigious Snow Leopard Lifetime Achievement Award<\/strong> \u2014 was presented to acclaimed Hong Kong director and screenwriter Daniel Lee Yan-kong<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Andre E. Morgan (Photo by: Richard Ren\/LAPost)<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

The festival specially invited Lee\u2019s longtime friend, veteran Hollywood producer Andre E. Morgan<\/strong>, former CEO and Vice Chairman of Hong Kong\u2019s Golden Harvest, and a member of both the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Writers Guild of America, to present the award. Onstage, Morgan delivered an emotional tribute:<\/span>
\u201cDaniel Lee has given the world a Hong Kong perspective on what a great filmmaker can be.\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

After the announcement, the two embraced tightly for nearly a full minute \u2014 a moment that visibly moved the audience.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Andre E. Morgan presenting the award to Daniel Lee (Photo by: Richard Ren \/ LAPost)<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Daniel Lee\u2019s Heartfelt Acceptance Speech<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Lee accepted the honor with sincerity, humility, and characteristic humor. He began:<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cGood evening, Ladies and Gentlemen, my friends and colleagues. I am Daniel Lee from Hong Kong. It is a great honor to meet you all here.
Before I start my little speech, I would like to introduce my two lethal weapons \u2014 Mr. Tony Cheung, my DP, who has worked with me since my first film, and Mr. Henry Lai, my composer, who has scored all my films since Black Mask<\/em>. Without them, there would be no me.
I am especially grateful to the Asian World Film Festival jury for this award, and I must extend my deepest thanks to the warrior, swordsman, and hero behind AWFF \u2014 my dear friend George.\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Daniel Lee specially invited two core creative partners with whom he has collaborated for nearly 40 years \u2014 Director of Photography Tony Cheung and Music Director\/Composer Henry Lai Wan-man \u2014 to join him onstage in sharing the honor. (Photo by: Richard Ren \/ LAPost)<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

He continued:<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cOf course, this honor far exceeds what I deserve. I never considered myself to have made any significant contribution to cinema, but I am fortunate to have worked in film for 40 years.
I love cinema. I still remember my parents taking me to watch so many Shaw Brothers films, and it was the wuxia films of Chang Cheh that truly captivated me \u2014 risking life for justice, fighting till the end for humanity. That spirit fueled my filmmaking journey.
I was even more fortunate to meet and learn from Director Chang Cheh in his later years. Because of these experiences, making martial arts films became a mission for me.
I deeply treasure connecting with international audiences. Your diverse cultures and constant encouragement broaden my horizons and strengthen my convictions. If I have achieved anything, it is because of you \u2014 my friends who made it possible.\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

He also thanked his long-time production team, expressed special gratitude to Jackie Chan<\/strong> for decades of support, and acknowledged his producer and manager Susanna Tsang<\/strong>:<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cAs Adrien Brody once said: She is the most amazing producer in Asia.\u201d<\/strong><\/span>
He closed with characteristic humor:<\/span>
\u201cWinning this award doesn\u2019t mean I\u2019m retiring. I\u2019m flying back to Hong Kong tomorrow morning to work even harder.\u201d<\/strong><\/span>
The audience responded with prolonged applause.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Special 10th Anniversary Screening of Dragon Blade<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

On November 16 \u2014 during the festival \u2014 AWFF hosted a packed special screening celebrating the 10th anniversary of Lee\u2019s epic Dragon Blade<\/em>. The theatre was filled to capacity, and the audience rose in a standing ovation that lasted nearly five minutes<\/strong>, paying tribute both to the enduring classic and to Daniel Lee himself, who was present at the event.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Daniel Lee and his team on the red carpet (Photo by: Richard Ren \/ LAPost)<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

A Distinguished Career in Cinema<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Lee\u2019s notable works include Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon<\/em>, Time Raiders<\/em>, Dragon Blade<\/em>, and The Climbers<\/em>. His films are recognized for their grand visual style, epic narratives, and unique aesthetic shaped by his background in fine arts.<\/span>
He studied Chinese ink painting and calligraphy under renowned master Fan Zih-deng at age 10 and later trained in Tai Chi \u2014 influences that helped define the lyrical, Eastern visual language of his filmmaking.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Daniel Lee and Lee Byung-hun before the ceremony (Photo by: Richard Ren \/ LAPost)<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Other Major Awards of the Night<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

The festival also presented several major honors.<\/span><\/p>\n