Raymond To

Raymond To Kwok-Wai (; born 13 August 1946) is a Hong Kong dramatist, screenwriter and film director.

He has created more than 60 stage plays, including the critically acclaimed I Have a Date with Spring and Mad Phoenix, both of which were adapted into successful films and earned him the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Screenplay in 1994 and 1997, respectively. His play I am Hong Kong (1985) toured Australia, while his television work for RTHK includes the popular series Under the Roof (屋簷下) and Below the Lion Rock.

Early life Raymond To has a sister, Mei Zi (formerly Duyan Zhi), who is an announcer. During his childhood, Raymond had the reputation of being a "broadcasting prodigy" after he participated in Radio Television Hong Kong and Rediffusion Television programmes. In his early years, he performed in movies including The Fatherless Son (1956) and The affairs of Miss Ping (1960-61).

In 1971 and 1982, Raymond graduated from the Department of Geography at University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Institute of Education. After graduation, he became a high school teacher at Ho Lap College and was responsible for the school drama club. Andy Lau was one of his students. At this time, he was already an amateur writer.

Career In 1979, he wrote his first play Ball, which was nominated the most outstanding in the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre original script project. He was then invited to adapt Lao She's Rickshaw Boy, marking the beginning of his career.

Since 1993, To became the playwright-in-residence of the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre.

On 3 June 1995, Raymond To, together with Ko Tin-lung and Clifton Ko co-founded the Spring Stage Production Company. In addition to being the playwright, he is also an artistic director. Although the majority of his original work is for the stage, some have been adapted for film.

Raymond To was elected as the 4th president of the Hong Kong Screenwriters' Guild in 1997 and again in 1999. During 2000, he directed his own work for the first time, Forever and Ever, to much acclaim.

Filmography (1956–2005)

Awards and nominations Hong Kong Drama Awards Year Award Category Work Result 1992 1st Hong Kong Drama Awards Best Script Tokyo blues扶桑過客 1993 2nd Hong Kong Drama Awards Best Script A Foxy Tale聊齋新誌 Best Script I Have a Date with Spring我和春天有個約會 1994 3rd Hong Kong Drama Awards Best Script The Mad Phoenix南海十三郎 1996 5th Hong Kong Drama Awards Best Script Forever Yours人生唯願多知己 1997 6th Hong Kong Drama Awards Best Script Love à la Zen愛情觀自在 1999 8th Hong Kong Drama Awards Best Script Butterfly Lovers梁祝 2000 9th Hong Kong Drama Awards Best Script Forever and Ever地久天長 2009 18th Hong Kong Drama Awards Best Script Love You Forever我愛阿愛

Film awards Year Award Category Work Result 1994 14th Hong Kong Film Awards Best Screenplay I Have a Date with Spring 1996 15th Hong Kong Film Awards Best Screenplay The Umbrella Story 33rd Golden Horse Awards Best Adapted Screenplay Hu-Du-Men 1997 16th Hong Kong Film Awards Best Screenplay Hu-Du-Men 34th Golden Horse Awards Best Adapted Screenplay The Mad Phoenix 1998 17th Hong Kong Film Awards Best Screenplay The Mad Phoenix 2006 25th Hong Kong Film Awards Best Screenplay Perhaps Love