Compared to the Golden Horse Awards, the Hong Kong Film Awards remained relatively insular at this time. Its prestige stemmed largely from the historical influence of early Hong Kong cinema on the mainland, where countless fans grew up watching that generation of Hong Kong stars.
During the glory days of Hong Kong cinema, those films held a significant place on the world stage, let alone within Asia. Thus, they were entitled to close their doors and play by their own rules—though perhaps they didn't even view it as "closing their doors."
Later, as the Hong Kong film industry collectively moved north, the resulting co-productions were nominally joint efforts, but the production crews and leading men remained predominantly Hong Kong-based. At best, they would cast a mainland actor in a supporting role or, if lucky, as a lead actress.
Chapter 192