Overview

• He accepted the Pardo alla Carriera award on August 9 from Locarno chief Giona Nazzaro before a sold-out Piazza Grande audience
• As part of the tribute he introduced restored screenings of his early directorial works Project A (1983) and Police Story (1985)
• During a packed Q&A he argued that big studios prioritize recouping investment over filmmaking craft, calling them “business guys”
• He reflected on Rush Hour as his “last try” in Hollywood that “changed the culture” and cemented his role as a cross-cultural bridge
• He emphasized his 64-year career with “I’m 71, and I can still fight,” noting his reinvention through singing lessons and his ambition to be an “Asian Robert De Niro”