CRIME thriller “Cold War” is going head to head with mystery drama “The Bullet Vanishes” at the Hong Kong Film Awards in April, each with 12 nominations.

    But the biggest surprise in the run-up to the Hong Kong version of Hollywood’s Oscars is the appearance of a 65-year-old former anti-corruption official. Alex Tsui Ka-kit, who used to be deputy head of operations for the Independent Commission Against Corruption, has been nominated for best new performer for his role in “Cold War.”

    “This is a big surprise. At this stage of my acting or artistic career, I didn’t expect to get any recognition,” said Tsui, who was sacked from the ICAC 20 years ago for reasons yet to be fully explained.

    “I enjoyed filming, every minute of it,” he said of his role, which reprises his past career as a top graft-buster investigating two policemen played by Aaron Kwok Fu-shing and Tony Leung Ka-fai, a nominee for best actor.

    “It was a difficult role. I was stuck with two policemen and didn’t know which one was the good guy. I hope people liked it.”

    “Cold War,” directed by Longman Leung and Sunny Luk Kim-ching, competes with Lo Chi-leung’s “The Bullet Vanishes” in the best-film category.

    But they face a big challenge from Soi Cheang’s underground racing thriller “Motorway,” which earlier won best film at the Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards.

    Action drama “The Viral Factor” — directed by Dante Lam Chiu-yin, who shared the best director award with Cheang in the film critics award Jan. 14 — is also among contenders for best film.

    It is joined by Pang Ho-cheung’s comedy “Vulgaria,” which was the talk of the town when it opened in the city last year.

    Comedian Chapman To received two nominations: best actor for his lead as an unsuccessful film producer in “Vulgaria,” and best supporting actor for his role as a star manager in “Diva,” which earned him the best actor title from the Film Critics Society.

    Mainland screen diva Zhou Xun received two nominations in the best actress category, for her performances in “The Great Magician” and “The Silent War.”

    The Hong Kong Film Awards ceremony will be held at the Cultural Center on April 13, with more than HK$5.3 million (US$684,000) in support from the Film Development Fund.

    (SD-Agencies)

    Best film

    Vulgaria

    Motorway

    The Bullet Vanishes

    The Viral Factor

    Cold War

    Best director

    Soi Cheang ( “Motorway”)

    Pang Ho-cheung ( “Love in the Buff”)

    Lo Chi-leung ( “The Bullet Vanishes”

    Dante Lam Chiu-yin ( “The Viral Factor”)

    Longman Leung, Sunny Luk Kim-ching (“Cold War”)

    Best screenplay

    Pang Ho-cheung, Lam Chiu-wing, Luk Yee-sum ( “Vulgaria”)

    Pang Ho-cheung, Luk Yee-sum ( “Love in the Buff”)

    Lo Chi-leung, Yeung Sin-ling ( “The Bullet Vanishes”)

    Longman Leung, Sunny Luk Kim-ching ( “Cold War”)

    Alan Mak Siu-fai, Felix Chong Man-keung ( “The Silent War”)

    Best actor

    Nick Cheung Ka-fai (“Nightfall”)

    Chapman To ( “Vulgaria”)

    Lau Ching-wan (“The Bullet Vanishes”)

    Tony Leung Ka-fai (“Cold War”)

    Tony Leung Chiu-wai (“The Silent War”)

    Best actress

    Zhou Xun (“The Great Magician”)

    Miriam Yeung (“Love in the Buff”)

    Sammi Cheng (“Romancing in Thin Air”)

    Elanne Kwong (“Love Lifting”)

    Zhou Xun (“The Silent War”)