Movies with the strongest local themes dominated the nominations for the Hong Kong Film Awards, with first feature “Soul Mate” by actor director Derek Tsang (aka Tsang Kwok-cheung) emerging on top, Variety reports.

Nominations were announced Tuesday, February 7 ahead of a ceremony set for April 9, shortly before the beginning of the 41st Hong Kong International Film Festival. Last year the best film was “Ten Years,” a futuristic imagining of Hong Kong under increasing Chinese influence was the controversial winner.

“Soul Mate” garnered 12 nominations (including best film, best director and best new director for Tsang). Hong Kong crime thriller “Cold War 2” claimed ten nominations.

Behind it, “The Mermaid,” Stephen Chow’s eco fantasy which a year ago broke box office records in mainland China and Hong Kong, earned eight nominations. That put it on a par with Hong Kong indie films “Weeds on Fire” and “Mad World” also with eight nominations. “Trivisa,” which boasts three aspiring directors, collected seven. “Trivisa” was recently named as best film by the Hong Kong Film Critics Society.