"Red Cliff" tops nominations for Asian Film Awards

Hong Kong action movie supremo John Woo's historical epic "Red Cliff" Wednesday grabs nominations for both best film and best director at the Asian Film Awards.

Director John Woo (2nd L) poses with cast members (from L-R) Hu Jun, Lin Chi-ling, Tony Leung, Zhao Wei and Chang Chen during a photocall for the film "Red Cliff" at the 61st Cannes FIlm Festival May 19, 2008.

But the two stars of Woo's movie, Hong Kong heartthrob actor Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Japanese/Taiwanese actor Takeshi Kaneshiro, were overlooked by judges for the third annual Hong Kong-based prize, organizers said.

Woo, who is best known for directing Hollywood blockbuster "Mission: Impossible II," is hoping to break the hold South Korean filmmakers have on the annual awards.

Last year, "Secret Sunshine," a tragic movie about death and faith, took home three top prizes including best picture.

With a total of three nominations, Woo faces stiff competition this year from another South Korean film "The Good, the Bad and the Weird" which was nominated in eight categories, the most for any film.

Set in the northeastern Chinese desert during the tumultuous 1930s, the South Korean film received eight nominations including best film, best director, and best actor.

Chen Kaige's "Forever Enthralled," which stars China's Zhang Ziyi, received three nominations, although the "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" actress missed out on a nomination.

A total of 36 Asian films were selected from hundreds of entries for 13 categories. The awards are organized by the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society.

Entries from the Philippines, India, Thailand and Indonesia have also been selected for the awards, organizers said.

The nominations will be judged by a 13-member jury headed by Michelle Yeoh, the Chinese-Malaysian actress who starred in the James Bond movie "Tomorrow Never Dies" in 1997

The awards will be announced at a ceremony held on March 23.