The Selection Committee for the Fifth SCM Distinguished Alumni Award has conferred the honour on Mak Hei-yan Heiward in recognition of her contributions to the film industry, as well as her service to the School. She received the award at the 2025 School Commencement on 20 June 2025.
Heiward graduated with a BA in Creative Media degree in 2006. Since then, she has been active in the Hong Kong film industry as a director and a screenwriter. At the age of 23, she directed her first feature film, "High Noon" 《烈日當空》, which was nominated for the Best New Director award at the Hong Kong Film Awards.
Her works as a director and a screenwriter include "Ex" 《前度》, "Beside Happiness" 《幸福的旁邊》and "Uncertain Relationship Society" 《曖昧不明關係研究學會》. She won the Best Screenplay award at the Hong Kong Film Awards for "Love in a Puff" 《志明與春嬌》. Her recent work as a director and a screenwriter, "Fagara" 《花椒之味》, received a total of eleven nominations, including Best Director and Best Screenplay, at the Hong Kong Film Awards. As the editor of "Drifting" 《濁水漂流》, she was nominated for Best Editing at the Golden Horse Awards.
Since her graduation, Heiward has maintained a close relationship with the School. She helped in many of the School’s promotional programmes and was the Guest-of-Honour for the SCM Graduation Ceremony in 2017. Her film was shown at the SCM 25th Anniversary Alumni Film Screening in 2024 and Heiward shared her experience with students in the post-screening talk. She has also supported the career of fellow SCM alumni, including serving as the producer of “Mad World” 《一念無明》.
Heiward Mak Hei-yan's IMDB:
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1040773/