"the assassin" was also nominated for a best art direction/production design award and a best foreign language film award from the chicago film critics association in 2015, an art cinema award from the 2015 hamburg film festival, a best foreign film award from the kansas city film critics circle in 2015, a best international film award from the phoenix critics circle in 2015, a best cinematography (ping bin lee) and best foreign language film from the san francisco film critics circle in 2015, a best foreign language film award from the st. louis film critics association in 2015, a best foreign language film award from the toronto film critics association in 2016, and a best foreign language film award from the washington dc area film critics association in 2015.