Dr. Ann Hui On-wah is a renowned Hong Kong film director, producer, and screenwriter who has made remarkable contributions to the film industry in Hong Kong and across Asia. Dr. Hui's career spans more than four decades, during which she has directed more than thirty films, won numerous awards, and gained international recognition for her impressive work. She is also one of the most important filmmakers representing the Hong Kong New Wave in the 1980s.

Dr. Hui graduated from The University of Hong Kong with a bachelor of arts degree in 1969 and a master of arts degree in English and comparative literature in 1973. She furthered her studies at the London Film School in 1975.

After returning to Hong Kong, Dr. Hui embarked on her career in the Hong Kong film industry, initially as an assistant director for the Shaw Brothers Studio. She made her directorial debut in 1979 with the film The Secret, which won critical acclaim while establishing her as a talented, promising filmmaker. Dr. Hui's early film often touched on the complexities of social issues and explored the lives of marginalised groups in society.

In the 1980s, Dr. Hui started to experiment with different genres, including comedy, drama, and action. Her film Boat People from 1982 won her the Best Director Award at the Hong Kong Film Awards for the first time, a prize she has now won on a record six occasions. Other notable films from this period included Song of the Exile in 1990, and Summer Snow in 1995. After the turn into the 2000s, Dr. Hui's films became more introspective, often exploring themes of identity, memory, and loss. Her film July Rhapsody from 2002 explores midlife crisis, lost loves, and marriage, proving to be a moving final film performance from Anita Mui. Other important works from this period include The Postmodern Life of My Aunt in 2006 and A Simple Life in 2011.

Over the past four decades, Dr. Hui has won numerous accolades recognising her remarkable achievements in the film industry. Besides her six awards as Best Director at the Hong Kong Film Awards between 1983 and 2018, she also won Best Director at the Golden Horse Awards in 1999, 2011 and 2014. To support the local film industry, Dr. Hui served as President of the Hong Kong Film Directors' Guild from 2004 to 2006.

Dr. Hui’s impressive track record saw her presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Asian Film Awards in 2012, making her the first female recipient, and the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Film Festival in 2020. In 2008, Dr. Hui was awarded the Grand Prize at the Fukuoka Prizes due to her contribution to Asian culture, tackling contemporary issues in an incisive manner. In 2010, she received the Hong Kong Arts Development Council's Award for Outstanding Contribution in Arts. In 2017, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles invited Dr. Hui to become a member.

Dr. Hui is a staunch supporter of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, and was a Council member of the Academy from 1993 to 1996. She has been an Honorary Fellow of the Academy since 1997, helping with the institutional advancement of the Academy. Dr. Hui is known for her care for the younger generations of the film industry, and has served as a mentor to many young filmmakers, including students and graduates of the Academy’s School of Film and Television. She also advocates for the preservation of Hong Kong's film heritage. She has served as a visiting professor at several universities, sharing her expertise and experience with aspiring filmmakers.

In recognition of her distinguished contribution and strong commitment to the film sector, Dr. Hui was named a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1997 and awarded the Bronze Bauhinia Star by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in 2012. She has also received Honorary Doctorates from the Hong Kong Baptist University, The University of Hong Kong, the Lingnan University, the Hong Kong Metropolitan University and The Education University of Hong Kong.