HONG KONG - HONG Kong action supremo John Woo's historical epic 'Red Cliff' on Wednesday scooped nominations for both best film and best director at the Asian Film Awards.

But the two stars of Woo's movie, Hong Kong heart throb Tony Leung and Japanese/Taiwanese actor Takeshi Kaneshiro, were overlooked by judges for the third annual Hong Kong-based prize, organisers told reporters.

Woo, who is best known for directing Hollywood blockbuster 'Mission: Impossible II', is hoping to break the hold South Korean filmmakers have on the annual awards.

With a total of three nominations, Woo faces stiff competition this year from another Korean film 'The Good, the Bad and the Weird' which was nominated in eight categories, the most for any film.

Set in the lawless Manchurian desert during the tumultuous 1930s, the South Korean film received eight nominations including best film, best director, and best actor.

'Forever Enthralled', which stars China's Zhang Ziyi, received three nominations, although the 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' actress missed out on a nomination.

A total of 36 Asian films were selected from hundreds of entries for 13 categories. The awards are organised by the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society.

Entries from the Philippines, Taiwan, India, Thailand and Indonesia have also been selected for the awards, organisers said.

The nominations will be judged by a 13-member jury headed by Michelle Yeoh, the Chinese actress who starred in the James Bond movie 'Tomorrow Never Dies'.

The awards will be announced at a ceremony held on March 23.