In-person winter awards season in Los Angeles kicked off with a new event, the Critics Choice Association’s Celebration of Asian Pacific Cinema & Television.
The ballroom at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel was buzzing with excitement during the inaugural event which was created to “showcase both emerging and established talent,” according to CCA president Joey Berlin.
The evening featured honors handed out to an elite group of new and veteran talent.
Actor James Hong was honored with the Icon Award. During his acceptance speech he spoke to the adoring crowd about some of the challenges he’s faced during his more than 70 years as a working actor in Hollywood.
“I remember in the 1950s working on TV shows and even on the set, they didn’t learn my name. They just yelled, ‘Bring on the Chinese guy,’” said Wong, who was born in Minneapolis and looks decades younger than his 93 years.
Every such glitzy cocktail-dinner-awards presentation is also an opportunity to campaign for other awards down the road, like the Critics Choice and the Academy Awards.
One of those contenders is likely to be Park Chan-wook, who took home the Director for Film honor and is currently receiving acclaim for “Decision to Leave.”
And speaking of leaving, everyone appeared to be having such a great night that they were in no hurry to get out the hotel doors.
