The 2026 recipient of the Camellia Award, Ann Hui, has played a pivotal role in shaping the Hong Kong New Wave as a director, screenwriter, and producer. Since making her directorial debut with The Secret (1979), she has helmed 27 feature films and two feature-length documentaries, building one of the most distinguished bodies of work in Asian cinema.
A six-time Best Director winner at the Hong Kong Film Awards and a three-time Best Director winner at the Golden Horse Awards, Hui achieved the rare feat of sweeping Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Actress at the Hong Kong Film Awards with Summer Snow (1995) and A Simple Life (2011), firmly establishing herself as one of the defining filmmakers of Hong Kong.
She has since been recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2012 Asian Film Awards, the Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award at BIFF 2014, and the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 2020 Venice International Film Festival, further cementing her reputation as one of Asia's foremost filmmakers while securing her place among the great masters on the global stage.
Underlying Hui's remarkable career and international acclaim is a singular cinematic vision rooted in compassion and humanity, one that has long captured the complexities of Hong Kong society and the spirit of its times. Spanning a wide range of genres, her films chronicle the everyday lives of ordinary people while weaving intimate personal stories into broader social realities. Her nuanced portrayals of women, particularly those often pushed to the margins, have resonated deeply with audiences across cultures and generations.
Ann Hui said, “In my previous years I felt unwilling to receive such taking-stock prizes because I wished to continue making movies. Now that I’m nearly eighty and find it difficult to make a film, I think the prize comes just in time for me to appreciate it more.” She added, “I am so happy to return to Busan and meet an audience that is among the most savvy and cinematically literate in the world.”
Throughout history, pioneering women worldwide have made significant contributions to the cinema industry, including directing, producing, screenwriting, cinematography, and production design. Today, their creative journeys, which challenge traditional norms and ways of thinking, are a source of strength and inspiration, forging a path for future generations of women in the industry across Asia. The Busan International Film Festival and CHANEL established the Camellia Award to honor the legacy of pioneering women filmmakers, drawing inspiration from the camellia, Busan’s city flower, as well as Gabrielle Chanel’s favorite flower.
The 2026 Camellia Award will be presented at the opening ceremony of the 31st BIFF on October 6 at Busan Cinema Center. The festival runs from October 6 (Tue) to October 15 (Thu), spanning 10 days in and around the same venue. 
