The Sunny Side of the Street star Sahal Zaman talks about journey to Hong Kong’s big screen after historic win at local film awards
- First South Asian actor to win best new performer at Hong Kong Film Awards says he knew little about movie industry after first arriving in city at age four
- Film director Ray Lau describes debut film as tale for all immigrants in Hong Kong, charting their lives, loneliness and expectations
Wearing a burgundy suit and a nervous smile, 11-year-old Sahal Zaman last month became the first South Asian actor to win best new performer at the Hong Kong Film Awards after receiving the prize from Oscar-winning actress Michelle Yeoh.
“I love acting very much, can everyone please go watch The Sunny Side of the Street in theatres?” he said during his acceptance speech.
Starring Zaman as its lead character, the movie tells the story of a Hong Kong-born Pakistani boy from a family of refugees who forms an unexpected bond with a local taxi driver.
The actor earlier this month said he did not know much about the movie industry when he moved to Hong Kong from Pakistan at the age of four.
“I remember I watched my first movie – Marvel’s Spider-Man – three years ago,” he said.
Neither did he know anything about Anthony Wong Chau-sang, the veteran actor who starred opposite him.
