Hong Kong action choreographer and director Yuen Woo-ping was honored at the Star Asia Lifetime Achievement Award at the ongoing 18th New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) in recognition of his substantial contribution to contemporary kung fu and action movies.

At a press conference on Monday at Lincoln Center in New York, Yuen said passion was what brought him here today.

"You can never carry on with something for decades if you are not interested in it," he said.

To Western audiences, Yuen is best known for his work on The Matrix, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and the Kill Bill movies.

Born in 1945 in Guangzhou city, Yuen started to learn martial arts in his childhood from his father, Yuen Siu-tien, the first kung fu choreographer in Hong Kong and a prominent actor.

Starting his film career in the 1960s in Hong Kong, Yuen worked as an actor and stuntman for years.

In 1978, he made his directorial debut with Snake in the Eagle's Shadow, followed by Drunken Master, two films that not only created international star Jackie Chan but created the indelible kung fu comedy genre.

According to Asian Movie Pulse, Yuen's filmography is "a litany of kung fu movie classics marked by breathtaking innovations in fight choreography and genre stylings."

Having worked in the film industry for more than 50 years, Yuen has produced countless classic action movies from Hong Kong to Hollywood. 

Speaking at the award presentation, director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York (HKETONY) Joanne Chu, praised Yuen for his tremendous contribution to the development of Hong Kong action cinema, and for bringing the unique Hong Kong kung fu movies to the world's screens.

Following the award presentation on Monday night, Yuen's latest work Master Z: Ip Man Legacy, was screened as one of 10 films of the Hong Kong Panorama, a program produced by the NYAFF and supported by the HKETONY.

To showcase the many faces of Hong Kong cinema, the 10 films comprise martial arts, drama and Hong Kong-style comedy, which are being screened during the 2019 NYAFF from June 28 till July 14.

According to Chu, the HKETONY has participated in the NYAFF for 11 consecutive years to promote the Hong Kong Film brand and showcase its homegrown film talents to the US audience.

Other movies featured in the Hong Kong Panorama film series this year include the international premiere of The Attorney and the North American premieres of The Fatal Raid, See You Tomorrow and Missbehaviour. 

Chu said that the Hong Kong special administrative region government has been and will be committed to supporting the long-term development of the film industry.