Ng See-yuen, one of the leading movie directors in Hong Kong, was honored with a lifetime achievement award at the 32nd Hong Kong Film Awards. As I am not a film critic myself, I could not dare say whether or not he deserved the honor.

However, it was the 69-year-old Shanghai-born director's acceptance speech that night which caught my attention. He expressed his feelings from the heart, without being pretentious and without the help of a prepared script. That speech alone was the highlight of the night and is worth sharing.

It is a common practice for award winners to share the stories of their past, as a reflection of their lives during their acceptance speech. It is also something that most audiences expect and look forward to, hoping to discover what messages he/she is going to convey, and how he/she is going to present.

The first person he thanked during his speech was the mentor who introduced him to the film industry. Ng started his film career as a screen director in the 1970s when he was only 26. His mentor had made Ng's success possible today.

The second person he thanked was his wife, who supported him through ups and downs, even at the lowest point of his career. Ng mentioned that both he and his wife had once put up posters on the streets at night when he did not have enough money to produce a film. His wife's unconditional support was surely the greatest encouragement in the hard times. This much Ng shared in the first part of his speech, which showed his thankfulness and nostalgia.

In the second part, Ng mentioned how the Hong Kong Film Festival had helped establish his status and reputation in the industry, and had kept him actively thinking how he could contribute to improving and invigorating the movie production environment in Hong Kong and the region. Ng's passion and enthusiasm motivated him to participate in all aspects of the entertainment industry.

In the third part of his speech, Ng mentioned that when he first entered the film industry, he was lucky to have a reputable senior director for guidance. Ng was taught that respectfulness is one of the essential qualities every director should have. His influence on Ng's attitude has reflected on the many film sets Ng worked on during the past decades. As a director, even being at the top of the hierarchy on the set, Ng has never pointed the finger at, or scolded anyone, while making movies. His ability to restrain his 'power' earns peoples' respect in the industry, and this is one of the things that everyone should learn from him.

Finally, Ng called on the industry to work hard and strive for excellence. Stay positive in hard times and never give up as destiny is preserved for the endeavored. He also encouraged the younger generation to be more appreciative and try not to feel resentment at the society, their families, their schools, or even themselves.

The gratefulness of Ng was embodied in this several-minute speech. His personal qualities should inspire us as long as we listen with an open mind.

The author is vice-chairman of Education Convergence.

(HK Edition 05/04/2013 page4)