Golden Horse Film Festival

[doug maverick]

gene thought there should be thread for this and i couldn't agree more so:

http://www.goldenhorse.org.tw/gh_main/gh-e-5.aspx


thats the website theres only one litle mistake on it it list LING Chun Pong, WONG Chi Wai as the winner for best choreagrapher but it was actually woo ping. so lets start the discussing this illustrious film festival/ award ceremony

[jethro]

Thanks Doug. I haven't heard of hardly any of these, but now I know what movies to check out.

[BlueTravesty]

Looks like good stuff... a lot of films to look for... as much as I pretend to hate love triangles, Eternal Summer looks like a good one...

[GeneChing]

We missed last year. There was some cross traffic on our Asian Film Festivals thread.

Law's 'Like a Dream' up for 9 Chinese film awards
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
(10-07) 09:10 PDT TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) --

Clara Law's drama "Like a Dream" bagged nine nominations for the top Chinese-language film awards, as jurors shunned star-studded blockbusters for unheralded art-house fare when they announced their top candidates Wednesday.

The other top contenders at Taiwan's Golden Horse Awards are the island's "No Pudeo Vivir Sin Ti," which is up for eight awards, and China's "Cow," a nominee in seven categories.

Golden Horse jurors sidelined the top commercial releases of the year, such as Jackie Chan's "Shinjuku Incident," John Woo's historical epic "Red Cliff II," famed Chinese director Chen Kaige's biopic of late Peking Opera star Mei Lanfang, "Forever Enthralled," and "Ip Man," which stars Donnie Yen as Bruce Lee's kung fu master by the same name.

"Like a Dream" is about a Chinese-American man who travels to China to look for his imaginary love. Leon Dai's "No Pudeo Vivir Sin Ti" follows a working-class Taiwanese father who tries to retain custody of his 7-year-old daughter. Guan Hu's "Cow," which screened out-of-competition at the Venice Film Festival in September, tells the story of a Chinese peasant who protects a dairy cow against Japanese invaders in the 1940s.

The three films are competing for best movie honors against two other non-mainstream releases — Malaysian-Chinese director Tsai Ming-liang's "Face," about a Taiwanese filmmaker shooting a movie at the Louvre, and Chinese director Ning Hao's "Crazy Racer." Tsai is known for using minimal dialogue and music, and Ning made his name with the quirky comedy, "Crazy Stone" in 2006.

Law, who grew up in Macau and Hong Kong but now lives in Australia, Dai, Guan and Tsai are up for best director.

Chinese-American Daniel Wu, who starred in "Like a Dream" and whose credits include "Around the World in 80 Days" and "One Nite in Mongkok," will face off for the best actor award against Chen Wen-pin from "No Pudeo Vivir Sin Ti," Nick Cheung from "The Beast Stalker" and Huang Bo from "Cow." Hong Konger Cheung will be seeking a second best actor trophy after he won at the Hong Kong Film Awards in April with his performance as a kidnapper who struggles to care for his sick wife.

Yolanda Yuan from "Like a Dream" will face stiff competition against top Chinese stars Zhou Xun and Li Bingbing in the best actress category. Both Chinese women are nominated for the spy thriller "The Message." The last contender is Taiwan's Sandrine Pinna, who was nominated for the drama "Yang Yang." Zhou is a previous best actress winner for "Perhaps Love."

The winners will be announced in Taipei on Nov. 28.

[GeneChing]

21 November 2010 Last updated at 10:31 ET
When Love Comes wins Golden Horse award
Taiwanese director Chang Tso-chi When Love Comes director Chang Tso-chi celebrates his win

Taiwanese family drama When Love Comes has won best film at the Golden Horse awards - seen as the Chinese-language Oscars - in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan.

The low-budget movie about the lives of four women beat Hong Kong martial arts epic Bodyguards and Assassins and China's Judge to win the top award.

China's Lu Liping won best actress for emotional drama City Monkey.

And Tawian pop idol Ethan Juan Ching-tien was named best actor for his role in gangster movie Monga.

Acclaimed Taiwanese director Chang Tso-chi collected his second best picture award for When Love Comes, which led the race with 14 nominations and took another two technical prizes.

"I want to thank my team and my parents. I didn't let them down," he said at the ceremony.

Chang last won the coveted prize for the 2002 drama The Best of Times.

The best director award went to Taiwan's Chung Mong-hong for The Fourth Portrait about marriages of convenience and domestic violence.

It was a surprise win for Chung, who saw off favourites Chang and Hong Kong's Teddy Chen for Bodyguards and Assassins.

Lu Liping and Ethan Juan Ching-tien Lu Liping and Ethan Juan Ching-tien took home the best actress and actor awards

"I am so happy. This is such a surprise. I thought director Chang Tso-chi deserved it more," he said as he collected his award.

The film, which touched on other social issues including child abuse and prostitution, also picked up awards for outstanding Taiwanese film of the year and best supporting actress for China's Hao Lei.

Despite being nominated for nine awards, Teddy Chen's film only picked up one for best makeup and costume design.

Hong Kong martial art master Sammo Hung won his second consecutive award for best action choreography for Ip Man 2, the life story of the mentor of kung fu star Bruce Lee.

The awards, in their 47th year, judge Chinese-language films from Taiwan, China including Hong Kong and Macau, and Malaysia and Singapore.

Once closed to films from mainland China, the Golden Horse began allowing movies from there in the 1990s. Past winners mainly came from Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Good for Sammo. Bad for Bodyguards & Assassins.

[GeneChing]

Hmm, missed last year somehow...

China takes reigns of Horse Awards
By Stephen Cremin
Sun, 25 November 2012, 02:00 AM (HKT)
Awards News

China's Beijing Blues 神探亨特張, directed by GAO Qunshu 高群書, and Hong Kong's Life Without Principle 奪命金, directed by Johnnie TO 杜琪峰, won three awards apiece at last night's Golden Horse Awards 金馬獎, an event dedicated to Chinese-language cinema. The former was awarded best film, the latter best director.

It was the cinema of China that emerged as the major winner of the evening with nine awards presented to films by directors from the Mainland, equal to the number of awards secured by films from Hong Kong directors. Traditionally, the Awards have been dominated by film-makers from Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Local films performed poorly this year, winning only in the new director (CHANG Jung-chi 張榮吉 for Touch of the Light 逆光飛翔) and leading actress (GWEI Lun-mei 桂綸鎂 for Gf*Bf 女朋友 男朋友) categories, in addition to the special awards presented to a local film-makers, the audience award and FIPRESCI prize.

Apart from the evening's main prize, police docu-drama Beijing Blues won for WU Di 鄔迪's cinematography and YANG Hongyu 楊紅雨's editing. Life Without Principle also secured recognition for leading actor LAU Ching-wan 劉青雲 and for its original screenplay by the Milkyway Creative Team 銀河創作組.

Two other Mainland films were recognised with two awards apiece: LOU Ye 婁燁's Mystery 浮城谜事 for new performer QI Xi 齊溪 and its original film score; and GUAN Hu 管虎's Design of Death 殺生 for supporting actress LIANG Jing 梁静 and LIN Mu 林木's art direction.

(In 2012, Beijing Blues, Mystery and Design of Death did not apply for a license to be distributed in Taiwan, which has a strict quota of ten films by Mainland directors each year. Local buyers can apply in 2013 under a new lottery system. The majority of films produced in China remain effectively banned in Taiwan.)

In addition to the nominees, stars at the glamorous event included LI Bingbing 李冰冰, Jackie CHAN 成龍, Angelababy 楊穎, Eddie PENG 彭于晏, Kai KO 柯震東, LIN Chi-ling 林志玲, Sonia SUI 隋棠, Richie REN 任賢齊, Nikki HSIEH 謝欣穎, Tony YANG 楊祐寧, Helen Thanh Đào 海倫清桃 | 阮菁桃 and jury head Andy LAU 劉德華.

Mainland actor HUANG Bo 黃渤, who is the leading actor in Design of Death, was one of the hosts of the Awards' ceremony which was held in Yilan City in Northeast Taiwan for the first time. Next year's awards, when the event will be celebrating its 50th anniversary, will return to Taipei.


2012 GOLDEN HORSE AWARDS

Best Feature Film: Beijing Blues [China]
Best Director: Johnnie To for Life Without Principle [Hong Kong]
Best New Director: Chang Jung-chi for Touch of the Light [Taiwan]
Best Leading Actor: Lau Ching-wan for Life Without Principle [Hong Kong]
Best Leading Actress: Gwei Lun-mei for GF*BF [Taiwan]
Best Supporting Actor: Ronald CHENG 鄭中基 for Vulgaria 低俗喜劇 [Hong Kong]
Best Supporting Actress: Liang Jing for Design of Death [China, Taiwan]
Best New Performer: Qi Xi for Mystery [China, France]
Best Original Screenplay: Life Without Principle [Hong Kong]
Best Adapted Screenplay: BAO Jingjing 鮑鯨鯨 for Love Is Not Blind 失戀３３天 [China]
Best Cinematography: Wu Di for Beijing Blues [China]
Best Visual Effects: Flying Swords of Dragon Gate 龍門飛甲 [Hong Kong, China]
Best Art Director: Lin Mu for Design of Death [China, Taiwan]
Best Makeup & Costume Design: Stanley CHEUNG 張世傑 for The Bullet Vanishes 消失的子彈 [Hong Kong]
Best Action Choreography: CHIN Ka-lok 錢嘉樂 for Motorway 車手 [Hong Kong]
Best Original Film Score: Peyman YAZDANIAN & Johann Johannsson for Mystery [China, France]
Best Original Film Song Romancing in Thin Air 高海拔之戀Ⅱ [Hong Kong]
Best Film Editing: Yang Hongyu for Beijing Blues [China]
Best Sound Effects: Kinson TSANG 曾景祥 & Lai Chi-hung for Nightfall 大追捕 [Hong Kong]
Best Short Film: The Home Gleaners [China]
Best Documentary: China Heavyweight [China, US]
Outstanding Taiwanese Filmmaker: HUANG Yu-hsiang 黃裕翔 for Touch of the Light

[GeneChing]

I've been so focused on the potential Oscar bid that I overlooked the Asian film awards.

October 1, 2013, 9:11 PM
Wong Kar-wai’s ‘The Grandmaster’ Leads Golden Horse Nominations
By JENNY HSU


The Weinstein Company/Associated Press
Zhang Ziyi and Tony Leung in ‘The Grandmaster.’

Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai’s martial-arts drama “The Grandmaster” tops this year’s Golden Horse Awards nominations with 11 nods, including best feature film and best director.

Tony Leung Chiu-wai was nominated for best actor for his portrayal of legendary wing chun kung-fu master Ip Man, while Zhang Ziyi picked up a best actress nomination for her role as Gong Er, a kung-fu expert and the daughter of another powerful martial-arts master. The nominations were announced Tuesday.

“The Grandmaster” takes place in a turbulent and transitional period in China, from the late 1930s to the mid-1950s. Packed with artistic and theatrical fight scenes, the movie explores the intricate relationship between teachers and students against the backdrop of a changing China.


Regis Duvignau/Reuters
Anthony Chen of Singapore won the Camera d’Or award at the Cannes Film Festival in May.

The Singaporean film “Ilo Ilo,” directed by newcomer Anthony Chen, received six nominations, including best feature, best new director, as well as best supporting actor and actress. Set during the Asian financial crisis in the 1990s, the film focuses on the lives of a Filipina domestic helper and a Singaporean family. It won the Camera d’Or for best first feature film at Cannes this year and is the first Singaporean film to be nominated in this category at the Golden Horse Awards.

Rounding out the nominees for best feature film are Hong Kong director’s Johnnie To’s gangster movie “Drug War,” his first production for a mainland Chinese company; “A Touch of Sin” about the struggles of ordinary people in China from director Jia Zhang-ke, who won best screenplay for the film at Cannes; and the drama “Stray Dogs” from Malaysian-born Taiwan-based director Tsai Ming-liang, who, along with Messrs. To and Jia, is nominated for best director.

Also nominated for best director is Chung Mong-hong of Taiwan for “Soul,” a dark psychological thriller about a quiet sushi chef who becomes a serial killer. “Soul” nabbed four other nominations, including best leading actor for veteran Chinese actor Jimmy Wang Yu.

The Golden Horse Awards, now in its 50th year, are one of Asia’s most-prominent film events and focus specifically on Chinese-language movies. While the majority of the nominated films come from Taiwan, Hong Kong and mainland China, any Chinese-language film is eligible to enter. This year’s ceremony will be held in Taipei on Nov. 23, with Oscar-winning director Ang Lee heading the jury.

[GeneChing]

China stampedes over Golden Horse Awards



By Stephen Cremin and Kevin Ma

Sat, 22 November 2014, 23:59 PM (HKT)
Awards News

LOU Ye 婁燁's Blind Massage 推拿 has won Best Feature at the 51st Golden Horse Awards 金馬獎 in Taiwan. It won six of its seven nominations, only losing out in the Best Director category this evening at Taipei's Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall.

The Mainland drama won for Best New Performer (ZHANG Lei 張磊), Best Adapted Screenplay (MA Yingli 馬英力), Best Cinematography (ZENG Jian 曾劍), Best Film Editing (KONG Jinlei 孔勁蕾, Jolin ZHU 朱琳) and Best Sound Effects (FU Kang 富康).

The film was the second most nominated film entering the evening, behind Diao Yi'nan's Black Coal, Thin Ice 白日焰火, which had seven nominations. The Mainland thriller won a single award, Best Art Direction for LIU Qiang 劉強.

The biggest surprise of the evening was the triple win for China's CHEN Jianbin 陳建斌 (pictured), as Best New Director and Best Actor, for A Fool 一個勺子, and Best Supporting Actor for Paradise in Service 軍中樂園. Chen is well known in Taiwan for his work in TV drama.

Another surprise was was third Best Director Award for Ann HUI 許鞍華 for her biographical drama The Golden Era 黃金時代 about author Xiao Hong. Visibly shocked when her name was announced, she stated that she did not expect to win in her acceptance speech.

In one of the night's most competitive categories, Taiwan's CHEN Hsiang-chi 陳湘琪 beat out GWEI Lun-mei 桂綸鎂, GONG Li 鞏俐, Vicki ZHAO 趙薇 and TANG Wei 湯唯 for Best Actress for her role in CHIENN Hsiang 錢翔's Exit 迴光奏鳴曲. Chen thanked regular collaborator TSAI Ming-liang 蔡明亮.

The overall main winner of the evening was China following a pattern set in 2012 when Lou's Mystery 浮城謎事 (2012) had the most nominations but lost in the Best Feature Film category to another Mainland film, GAO Qunshu 高群書's Beijing Blues 神探亨特張 (2012).

Major Mainland China media outlets such as Xinhua and Sina did not provide live coverage of tonight's results. The latter's Weibo microblog account reported events on the red carpet before going silent until mid-ceremony.

Earlier this month, Taiwan media claimed that the Chinese authorities had placed a media ban on the Golden Horse due to the nominations for baseball drama KANO ＫＡＮＯ. However, smaller media outlets, stars and film critics did post live updates on Weibo.

KANO, which had six nominations, received no awards from the jury but did secure the Audience Award.


51st GOLDEN HORSE AWARDS

Best Feature Film: Blind Massage
Best Director: Ann Hui for The Golden Era
Best Actor: Chen Jianbin for A Fool
Best Actress: Chen Hsiang-chi for Exit
Best Supporting Actor: Chen Jianbin for Paradise in Service
Best Supporting Actress: Regina WAN 萬茜 for Paradise in Service
Best New Director: Chen Jianbin for A Fool
Best New Performer: Zhang Lei for Blind Massage
Best Original Screenplay: YEE Chih-yen 易智言 for Meeting Dr. Sun 行動代號　孫中山
Best Adapted Screenplay: Ma Yingli for Blind Massage
Best Cinematography: Zeng Jian for Blind Massage
Best Visual Effects: The Midnight After 那夜凌晨，我坐上了旺角開往大埔的紅ＶＡＮ
Best Art Direction: Liu Qiang for Black Coal, Thin Ice
Best Makeup & Costume Design: LIANG Tingting 梁婷婷 for Brotherhood of Blades 繡春刀
Best Action Choreography: Jack WONG 黃偉亮 for As the Light Goes Out 救火英雄
Best Original Film Score: CHEN Qigang 陳其鋼 for Coming Home 歸來
Best Original Film Song: The Continent 後會無期
Best Film Editing: Kong Jinlei, Jolin Zhu for Blind Massage
Best Sound Effects: Fu Kang for Blind Massage
Best Documentary: Cotton 棉花
Best Short Film: The Hammer and Sickle are Sleeping 錘子鐮刀都休息

I think Brotherhood of Blades is the only winning film we have covered here.

[GeneChing]

It's all about the Assassin this year.

Assassin, Thanatos lead Golden Horse nominations

By Kevin Ma
Thu, 01 October 2015, 20:00 PM (HKT)
Awards News

The Golden Horse Awards 金馬獎 nomination committee showed plenty of love for local productions this year as two Taiwan films lead the shortlist.

As may be expected, HOU Hsiao-hsien 侯孝賢's The Assassin 刺客聶隱娘 scored the most nominations with 11, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress (SHU Qi 舒淇), Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Action Choreography.

Hou was also named Outstanding Taiwanese Filmmaker of the Year for his Best Director win at Cannes. Ten years ago, Hou's Three Times 最好的時光 (2005) had 9 nominations, but won only Best Actress for Shu and Best Taiwanese Film of the Year. Hou also won the Outstanding Taiwanese Filmmaker of the Year award that year.

Following its wins at the Taipei Film Festival 台北電影節, CHANG Tso-chi 張作驥's Thanatos, Drunk 醉・生夢死 secured ten nominations, including Best Film, Best Director, and nominations in all the acting categories except Best Actress.

Philip YUNG 翁子光's Hong Kong thriller Port of Call 踏雪尋梅 received nine nominations, including Best Film, two Best New Actor awards, Best Actor (Aaron KWOK 郭富城) and Best Original Screenplay.

Rounding out the Best Film category are Pema Tseden 萬瑪才旦's Tharlo ཐར་ལོ | 塔洛 and JIA Zhangke 賈樟柯's Mountains May Depart 山河故人. Both films also have Best Director nominations.

Mainland China nominations are led by Mountains, with seven recognitions. Other nominated films include XU Haofeng 徐浩峰's The Master 師父 (three nominations), Saving Mr. Wu 解救吾先生 (two nominations) and GUAN Hu 管虎's Mr. Six 老炮兒 (two nominations). Gone with the Bullets 一步之遙 and Monster Hunt 捉妖記 are nominated in technical categories.

China's FENG Xiaogang 馮小剛, DENG Chao 鄧超 and DONG Zijian 董子健 receive three nominations in the Best Actor categories. The 21-year-old Dong, one of China's hottest young actors, will compete in the category with 25-year-old LEE Hong-chi 李鴻其, also nominated as Best New Performer for Thanatos, Drunk.

Last year, Mainland cinema was the majority winner, with six awards going to LOU Ye 婁燁's Blind Massage 推拿.

Last November, Taiwan's Ministry of Culture 台灣文化部 announced that any Mainland China film that wins the Best Director and/or Best Film award at the Golden Horse can bypass Taiwan's ten-film China film quota. Mountains May Depart, which did not win a local release quota, will need to win in one of the two categories to receive a local release.

Several Taiwan films were also recognised: Zinnia Flower 百日告別 has three nominations (including Best Actress for Karena LAM 林嘉欣), Sylvia CHANG 張艾嘉's Murmur of the Hearts 念念 has three nominations. Local hit youth romance Our Times 我的少女時代 earned three nominations and The Laundryman 青田街一號 earned four nominations.

Besides Port of Call, Hong Kong is also represented by Johnnie TO 杜琪峯's Office 華麗上班族 (six nominations) and The Taking of Tiger Mountain 3D 智取威虎山 (four nominations), including a Best Director nomination for TSUI Hark 徐克.

The Best Animation category returns this year with two nominees: Monkey King: Hero is Back 西遊記之大聖歸來 and McDull: Me & My Mum 麥兜　我和我媽媽.

According to Golden Horse Festival CEO WEN Tien-hsiang 聞天祥, 427 films were submitted to this year's awards. 71 films made the second-round shortlist and 39 films (including shorts) were finally nominated.

As previously announced, actress LI Lihua 李麗華 will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the ceremony on 21 Nov 2015 in Taipei.

2015 Golden Horse Awards Nominations

Best Feature Film
Thanatos, Drunk
Port of Call
The Assassin
Tharlo
Mountains May Depart

Best Director
Chang Tso-chi; Thanatos, Drunk
Hou Hsiao-hsien; The Assassin
Jia Zhangke; Mountains May Depart
Pema Tseden; Tharlo
Tsui Hark; The Taking of Tiger Mountain 3D

Best Actor
Deng Chao; The Dead End
Dong Zijian; Delan 德蘭
Feng Xiaogang; Mr. Six
Aaron Kwok; Port of Call
Lee Hong-chi; Thanatos, Drunk

Best Actress
Sylvia Chang; Office
Karena Lam; Zinnia Flower
Shu Qi; The Assassin
Vivian SONG 宋芸樺; Our Times
ZHAO Tao 趙濤; Mountains May Depart

Best Supporting Actor
Michael CHANG 張少懷; The Laundryman
CHENG Jen-shuo 鄭人碩; Thanatos, Drunk
Lawrence KO 柯宇綸; Murmur of the Hearts
Michael NING 白只; Port of Call
WANG Qianyuan 王千源; Saving Mr. Wu

Best Supporting Actress
CHIEN Man-shu 簡嫚書; Maverick 菜鳥
JIANG Wenli 蔣雯麗; The Master
Elaine JIN 金燕玲; Port of Call
LÜ Hsueh-feng 呂雪鳳; Thanatos, Drunk
Sandra MA 馬思純; The Left Ear

Best New Director
BI Gan 畢贛; Kaili Blues 路邊野餐
Frankie CHEN 陳玉珊 ; Our Times
LEE Chung 李中; The Laundryman
Alec SU 蘇有朋; The Left Ear
XIANG Guoqiang 相國強; Young Love Lost 少年巴比倫

Best New Performer
Ado Kaliting PACIDAL 阿洛・卡力亭・巴奇辣; Panay 太陽的孩子
Lee Hong-chi; Thanatos Drunk
Jessie LI 春夏; Port of Call
Michael Ning; Port of Call
Cecilia So; She Remembers, He Forgets 差一點我們會飛

Best Original Screenplay
Mountains May Depart
Mr. Six
Port of Call
Thanatos, Drunk
Zinnia Flower

Best Adapted Screenplay
The Assassin
The Master
Office
Tharlo
Panay

Best Cinematography
The Assassin
Mountains May Depart
Port of Call
Thanatos, Drunk
Tharlo

Best Visual Effects
Gone With the Bullets
Monster Hunt
Rise of the Legend 黃飛鴻　英雄有夢
The Taking of Tiger Mountain 3D
Wolf Totem 狼圖騰

Best Art Direction
The Assassin
Gone with the Bullets
Monster Hunt
Office
The Taking of Tiger Mountain 3D

Best Make-up and Costume Design
The Assassin
De Lan
Gone With the Bullets
Office
Monster Hunt

Best Action Choreography
The Assassin
The Master
Rise of the Legend
SPL2: A Time for Consequences 殺破狼Ⅱ
The Taking of Tiger Mountain 3D

Best Original Score
The Assassin
Mountains May Depart
Murmurs of the Heart
Thanatos, Drunk
Zinnia Flower

Best Original Film Song
The Laundryman
Office
Our Times
Port of Call
Panay

Best Film Editing
The Assassin
Murmur of the Hearts
Saving Mr. Wu
Thanatos, Drunk
The Verse of Us 我的詩篇

Best Sound Effects
The Assassin
The Laundryman
Monster Hunt
Mountains May Depart
Office

Best Animation Feature
Monkey King: Hero is Back
McDull: Me & My Mum

Best Documentary
32 and 4
The Chinese Mayor
On the Rim of the Sky
The Verse of Us
Wansei Back Home

Best Short Film
The Death of a Security Guard
Filial Piety Award
No No Sleep
Time to Die
Under the Sun

Outstanding Taiwanese Filmmaker of the Year
Hou Hsiao-hsien

Threads on this forum:
Best Action Choreography
The Assassin (see above)
The Master (just added )
Rise of the Legend
SPL2: A Time for Consequences 殺破狼Ⅱ
The Taking of Tiger Mountain 3D

Also mentioned:
Gone with the Bullets
Monkey King: Hero is Back

[GeneChing]

5 out of 11. Assassin did show at my neighborhood theater, but only for a week and I didn't get out to it.

Taiwan takes back spotlight at Golden Horse



By Kevin Ma
Sun, 22 November 2015, 10:00 AM (HKT)

After being dominated by films from China last year, Taiwan took back the spotlight at the 52nd Golden Horse Awards 金馬獎 last night as local titles The Assassin 刺客聶隱娘 and Thanatos, Drunk 醉・生夢死 were the top winners at Taipei's Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall.

Receiving 11 nominations, The Assassin took home five awards: Best Film, Best Director, Best Makeup & Costume Design, Best Cinematography, and Best Sound Effects. The wuxia drama is the first film by HOU Hsiao-hsien 侯孝賢 to win the top prize at the Awards, for whom he served as the committee chairman between 2009 and 2014.

However, The Assassin's fate seemed unsure throughout the night as the awards' final round jury – led by CHEN Kuo-fu 陳國富 – didn't show clear preference for any film.

CHANG Tso-chi 張作驥's Thanatos, Drunk was also a major winner with four awards: Best Supporting Actress (LÜ Hsueh-feng 呂雪鳳), Best New Performer (LEE Hong-chi 李鴻其), Best Original Music and Best Film Editing.

Among the other films that shared the spotlight, Pema Tseden 萬瑪才旦 won Best Adapted Screenplay for Tharlo ཐར་ལོ | 塔洛; JIA Zhangke 賈樟柯 won Best Original Screenplay for Mountains May Depart 山河故人; the giant indoor sets of Johnnie TO 杜琪峯's Office 華麗上班族 was recognised with Best Art Direction; Michael NING 白只 won Best Supporting Actor for Port of Call 踏雪尋梅; and XU Haofeng 徐浩峰 won Best Action Choreography for his forthcoming The Master 師父.

Mountains May Depart also won the festival's Audience Award.

Frankie CHEN 陳玉珊 , who was a favourite to win Best New Director for youth romance Our Times 我的少女時代, lost the category to BI Gan 畢贛's Kaili Blues 路邊野餐. The local blockbuster was nominated for three awards, but did not win any.

FENG Xiaogang 馮小剛 – who did not attend the ceremony — won Best Actor for GUAN Hu 管虎's Mr. Six 老炮兒. In one of the night's most competitive categories, Zinnia Flower 百日告別's Karena LAM 林嘉欣 beat out Mountains May Depart's ZHAO Tao 趙濤 and The Assassin's SHU Qi 舒淇 for the Best Actress Award.

Veteran actress LI Lihua 李麗華 made a brief appearance on stage to accept her Lifetime Achievement Award from Jackie CHAN 成龍 (who played her son in Big and Little Wong Tin Bar 大小黄天霸 (1962)), but the 91-year-old was not able to give a speech.


52ND GOLDEN HORSE AWARDS WINNERS

Best Feature Film: The Assassin
Best Director: Hou Hsiao-hsien for The Assassin
Best Actor: Feng Xiaogang for Mr. Six
Best Actress: Karena Lam for Zinnia Flower
Best Supporting Actor: Michael Ning for Port of Call
Best Supporting Actress: Lü Hsueh-feng for Thanatos, Drunk
Best New Director: Bi Gan for Kaili Blues
Best New Performer: Lee Hong-chi for Thanatos, Drunk
Best Original Screenplay: Jia Zhangke for Mountains May Depart
Best Adapted Screenplay: Pema Tseden for Tharlo
Best Cinematography: Mark LEE 李屏賓 for The Assassin
Best Visual Effects: KIM Uk 김욱 | 金旭 for The Taking of Tiger Mountain 3D 智取威虎山
Best Art Direction: William CHANG 張叔平, Alfred YAU 邱偉明 for Office
Best Makeup & Costume Design: HWARNG Wern-ying 黃文英 for The Assassin
Best Action Choreography: Xu Haofeng for The Master
Original Music Award for Best Film: LIN Shang-te 林尚德, TSENG Yun-fang 曾韻方 for Thanatos, Drunk
Best Original Film Song: Panay 太陽的孩子
Best Film Editing: Chang Tso-chi for Thanatos, Drunk
Best Sound Effects: TU Duu-chih 杜篤之, CHU Shih-yi 朱仕宜, WU Shu-yao 吳書瑤 for The Assassin
Outstanding Taiwanese Filmmaker of the Year: Hou Hsiao-hsien
Audience Choice Award: Mountains May Depart
Lifetime Achievement Award: Li Lihua

[GeneChing]

OCTOBER 1, 2018 4:34AM PT
Zhang Yimou’s ‘Shadow’ Leads Golden Horse Nominations
By PATRICK FRATER
Asia Bureau Chief


CREDIT: BAIXIAOYAN, COURTESY OF PERFECT VILLAGE ENT.

Zhang Yimou’s moody, monochromatic action drama “Shadow” is the strong favorite in the annual Golden Horse Awards race. The awards, operated from Taiwan, celebrate the best films in Chinese-language variants.

“Shadow,” which premiered in prestigious slots in the Venice and Toronto film festivals last month, collected 12 nominations. These included nominations for best film and for best director.

Taiwanese drama “Dear Ex,” about the manipulations revealed by a man’s altered will, collected the second-most nominations, with eight. The film premiered at the Udine festival in April and won several prizes at the Taipei festival in June. It is next set for festival play in Busan, and heads for commercial release next month. “Dying to Survive” collected seven nominations.

The five contenders for the best film prize are “Shadow,” “Dear Ex,” mainland Chinese hit “Dying to Survive,” “Long Day’s Journey Into Night,” and “An Elephant Sitting Still,” which premiered in Berlin after the suicide of its director, Hu Bo.

The best director nominees – all mainlanders – are Zhang (“Shadow”), Bi Gan (“Long Day’s Journey Into Night”), Jiang Wen (“Hidden Man”), Pema Tseden (“Jinpa”), and Lou Ye (“The Shadow Play”).

Films with six nominations each included “The Looming Storm,” “Hidden Man,” and “Elephant Sitting Still.”

Debate will inevitably rage about high-profile titles that received less recognition. Jia Zhangke’s Cannes competition film, “Ash Is Purest White,” received only one (for best actress). Chen Kaige’s “The Legend of the Demon Cat” earned three, all in technical categories. “Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings” earned only one, for best visual effects. Neither of the year’s two top-grossing Chinese films, “Operation Red Sea” and “Detective Chinatown 2,” received any nominations.

THREADS (copied):
Golden Horse Film Festival
Shadow by Zhang Yimou

Threads referenced (other noms):
The Legend of the Demon Cat
Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings
Hidden Man

[GeneChing]

I don't think I know any of her films.

NOVEMBER 19, 2018 8:56AM PT
Golden Horse Awards Ceremony Sparks Political Firestorm in China and Taiwan
By BECKY DAVIS


Taiwanese director Fu Yuen, left, delivers a speech after she won Best Documentary at the 55th Golden Horse Awards in Taipei, Taiwan, . Fu won for the film "Our Youth in Taiwan" at this year's Golden Horse Awards -the Chinese-language film industry's biggest annual eventsGolden Horse Awards, Taipei, Taiwan - 17 Nov 2018
CREDIT: TAIPEI GOLDEN HORSE FILM FESTIVAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE/AP/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK

A politically charged acceptance speech at the Golden Horse Awards has become a flashpoint for the escalating tensions between China and Taiwan, prompting even recently chastised megastar Fan Bingbing to chime in with her support for the Communist-ruled mainland.

The controversy immediately raised questions over the future of Asia’s most prestigious awards show – the Chinese-language film industry’s version of the Oscars – and over whether mainland Chinese artists will be allowed to participate. Saturday’s ceremony came just days before a key election in democratic, self-governed Taiwan.

Onstage in Taipei to receive her prize for best documentary, 36-year-old director Fu Yue told the crowd: “I really hope that, one day, our country can be treated as a truly independent entity. This is my greatest wish as a Taiwanese person.” Her award-winning film, “Our Youth in Taiwan,” follows young people involved in the 2014 Sunflower Movement, when students occupied Taiwan’s legislative assembly to protest a trade deal with China.

Fu’s statement was met with raucous cheers and applause from some in the audience, but others were less pleased. China regards Taiwan as part of its territory, but many residents on the island support complete independence.

Following Fu’s remarks, shots of actress and jury chair Gong Li, who is from mainland China, showed her looking livid, while Taiwan-born director Ang Lee, head of this year’s executive committee, grimaced. Gong later refused to join Lee onstage to present the award for best feature film, a move many interpreted as a protest.

“Refusing to give the award was probably the strongest counterattack Gong Li could make at the time. She seemed to be saying, ‘As jury chair, I draw a clear line between us,’” said one post on China’s WeChat social media platform, echoing a common refrain.

Fuel was added to the flames when mainland-born Tu Men, winner of last year’s Golden Horse award for best actor, took to the stage with remarks echoing Communist Party rhetoric. Tu said he was honored to be a presenter at the show in “Taiwan, China” and felt everyone was part of “one big family on both sides of the strait.” The remarks were met with effusive praise on the mainland internet but anger from Taiwan, with one Facebook user asking: “Who wants to be in your family?”

China has not ruled out force as a means to achieve Taiwan’s “reunification” with the mainland. Beijing has recently upped military drills in the island’s vicinity and pressured its few remaining diplomatic allies to disavow ties, while also forcing major companies like American Airlines and Delta to stop referring to Taiwan as a country. Nevertheless, “Beijing is trying to play down the incident. With an eye to the Taiwan elections, they don’t want to inflame matters at this moment,” a Taiwanese source told Variety, citing conversations with mainland counterparts.

Taiwanese citizens go to the polls Saturday for local elections and a referendum on a wide variety of issues, including whether to uphold legalized same-sex marriage and the use of the name “Taiwan” in international sporting events. It will be the first test of approval for the more pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party currently in power.

Mainland social media has exploded with criticism of Fu’s speech. Users on the Twitter-like Weibo platform have feverishly posted the hashtag “China cannot give up one bit,” often alongside a map depicting Taiwan and portions of the contested South China Sea region as part of the country. In her first public comment since apologizing for tax evasion last month, actress Fan retweeted an old post of the same map and hashtag from China’s Communist Youth League, which prompted expressions of support from fans.

In Taiwan, even President Tsai Ing-Wen commented on the brouhaha. “I’m proud of yesterday’s Golden Horse Awards – it highlighted how Taiwan is different from China,” she wrote Sunday on her Facebook page, which has more than 2 million followers. “Here, no one will disappear or be silenced for their differing opinions, nor will we block sensitive keywords on the internet.”

Director Lee told reporters after the show that “Taiwan is free and the film festival is open. You can say whatever you want to say….I hope that no one will come and interfere, that the Golden Horse Awards will be very pure. Please, everyone, respect the filmmakers.”

He added: “It’s such a good platform, it’s not easy to keep it going. We’ll do our best. I hope it can continue.

Fu defended her acceptance speech in a Facebook statement Sunday, saying that her documentary was inherently political. “You can’t avoid the topic by simply saying, ‘Let politics be politics; let art be art’… As a director, I had to speak up for my work as a response to the judges’ courage” in selecting it.

Celebrities are frequently blacklisted or banned from entering China after they express pro-independence views. Last year, for instance, Katy Perry was banned from performing at a Victoria’s Secret fashion show in Shanghai for having draped a Taiwanese flag over her shoulders as a cape while wearing a sunflower costume in support of the student movement at a 2015 show in Taipei.

But Fu said she was unconcerned.

“Some netizens say, ‘You’re finished, and can’t even think about entering the Chinese film industry.’ Of course, it would be a shame… but whatever the potential professional consequences, I am willing to bear them and feel no regret.”

[GeneChing]

Been trying to find a straight-up list of the winners of the Golden Horse this year to see exactly what Shadow won, but it's too overshadowed by the political speech.

Zhang Yimou finally bags Golden Horse director award


PHOTO: Reuters
JAN LEE
THE STRAITS TIMES Nov 18, 2018

Acclaimed Chinese director Zhang Yimou finally took home the Golden Horse Award for Best Director - the first in his decades-long career - for his almost entirely black-and-white period piece Shadow, rendered in the style of a Chinese ink painting.

He picked up the award at the ceremony held in Taipei yesterday. The Golden Horse Awards are often dubbed the Oscars of Chinese-language film and, while Zhang is renowned, this was, remarkably, his first nomination for Best Director.

Speaking to reporters backstage, he said he did not prepare any speech as other directors who were nominated were "all very outstanding". "Although this was my first nomination, I thought maybe I would have other chances in future," he quipped.

Shadow, which was up for 12 awards, took home three other technical prizes.

Best Feature Film was won by An Elephant Sitting Still, which also won Best Adapted Screenplay. The movie's director, Hu Bo, who wrote the novel the film is based on, tragically committed suicide at the age of 29 last year.

Stars gather in Taiwan for 55th Golden Horse film awards

Hsieh Ying-xuan of Taiwan walked home with the Best Leading Actress honour for her portrayal of a widow fighting for her late husband's inheritance with his male lover in Dear EX. She edged out popular Chinese actresses Sun Li and Zhou Xun, among others.

Chinese actor Xu Zheng won Best Leading Actor for Dying To Survive, where he plays a man who becomes an exclusive agent of a pirated drug.

The 55th edition of the annual awards was one of the more star-studded ones in recent years.

Led by Oscar-winning Taiwanese-American director Lee Ang, who is chairman of the award's executive committee, this year saw the return of superstar Gong Li, who famously had an ugly feud with the awards in 2014 after she failed to win the Best Actress honour.

Gong chaired this year's jury, seemingly burying the hatchet with the awards show.

[GeneChing]

OCTOBER 1, 2019 5:32AM PT
Golden Horse Awards Almost Completely Devoid of China and Hong Kong Nominees
By PATRICK FRATER
Asia Bureau Chief


CREDIT: COURTESY OF 1 PRODUCTION FILM CO.

Films from mainland China are completely absent from the list of nominees announced Tuesday for the annual Golden Horse Awards. And with only a handful of titles from Hong Kong on the list, the competition has devolved into a mostly Taiwanese affair.

The awards, based in Taiwan and chaired by Oscar-winner Ang Lee, have traditionally been considered the most prestigious prizes for films in the Chinese language. But a political spat at last year’s ceremony, where a Taiwanese award-winner infuriated mainland Chinese attendees and the Beijing regime by giving a speech in favor of Taiwanese independence, sparked a pullout by mainland films from this year’s contest. China considers self-governing, democratic Taiwan as part of its rightful territory, to be retaken by force if necessary.

Hong Kong titles in the running for Golden Horse Awards include Ray Yeung’s “Suk Suk,” best song nominee “My Prince Edward,” and documentary “Bamboo Theatre.” Few of the other nominated films did not originate in Taiwan: “Wet Season” and “A Land Imagined” from Singapore and “The Garden of Evening Mists” from Malaysia. Even those three have Taiwan production or finance connections.

“Detention,” a thriller set during Taiwan’s so-called ‘White Terror’ period, narrowly leads the pack with 12 nominations, including best narrative feature. Directed by John Hsu, it will play at the Busan International Film Festival next week.

Close behind, with 11 nods, is “A Sun,” a family-focused crime drama directed by Chung Mong-hong (“The Fourth Portrait,” “Parking”). It premiered last month in Toronto and next plays in Busan.

“The Garden of Evening Mists,” a multinational co-production directed by Taiwan’s Tom Lin, collected nine nominations. The film stars Japan’s Hiroshi Abe, Taiwan’s Sylvia Chang and Malaysia’s Lee Sin-je, as well as the U.K.’s John Hannah and David Oakes.

The five contenders for the best narrative feature are “A Sun,” “The Garden of Evening Mists,” “Wet Season,” “Detention” and “Suk Suk.”

In August, mainland Chinese authorities ordered a boycott by mainland films and talent of this year’s Golden Horse Awards because of the incident at last year’s ceremony.

While Hong Kong is not directly a part of the tussle between mainland China and Taiwan, its own political unrest of the past three months has made the Golden Horse Awards another source of friction in the territory. Fearing damage to their careers in China if they were to participate, numerous Hong Kong stars and films have withdrawn from the awards. Prominent Hong Kong director Johnnie To had been announced as the president of the Golden Horse competition jury, but he withdrew a few days ago, citing “previously signed film production contractual obligations.” He has been replaced by Taiwanese director and designer Wang Toon.

After China announced its boycott, the number of feature film submissions for this year’s Golden Horse Awards fell from 228 in 2018 to 148 – the lowest level in four years, according to the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post.

In a counter-programming bid, China’s National Film Administration has also scheduled China’s own Golden Rooster Awards for the same day as the Golden Horse Awards, Nov. 23, in Xiamen, directly across the Taiwan Strait.

Even Tuesday’s announcement of Golden Horse Award nominees came on a politically sensitive date. Oct. 1 is the anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic, marking the Communist victory in a civil war over the Nationalists, whose forces fled to Taiwan. The 70th anniversary Tuesday was celebrated with huge military and civil parades in Beijing, and countered with widespread acts of civil disobedience in Hong Kong, where pro-democracy protesters have been demonstrating for months.

I couldn't find any of the films we've discussed here among the nominated films. But I did find this:

Lifetime Achievement Award
Jimmy WANG Yu

[GeneChing]

Hong Kong actor Gregory Wong may be stopped from attending ‘Chinese-language Oscars’ over his role in anti-government protest
Television star bailed and told not to leave city over unlawful presence inside Legislative Council on July 1
Wong had planned to go to Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival next month
Chris Lau
Published: 5:15pm, 3 Oct, 2019


Actor Gregory Wong arrives at Eastern Court ahead of his appearance. May Tse

An outspoken Hong Kong actor’s plan to visit next month’s “Chinese Oscars” in Taiwan are under threat, because a court has barred him from leaving town after he was charged over his role in an anti-government protest.
Gregory Wong Chung-yiu, 41, appeared at Eastern Court on Thursday morning alongside Ma Kai-chung, 30, a reporter for localist news outlet Passion Times, to face charges in relation to their presence inside the Legislative Council during a demonstration on July 1.
Both were charged with one count of entering or remaining in precincts of chamber on the day of city’s handover anniversary, contravening an administrative order under the Legislative Council (Powers and Privileges) ordinance.
Magistrate Veronica Heung Shuk-han released the pair on HK$2,000 bail, with the condition they not set foot in the Legislative Council, or the streets nearby including Lung Wo Road, Harcourt Road, Legislative Council Road, and Tim Wah Avenue.
She also ordered them not to leave Hong Kong, but told Wong he could apply for an exemption when he had plans to travel.
Outside court, Wong revealed his plan to attend the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival in November, an annual event dubbed the “Chinese-language Oscars”, which have been boycotted by Beijing amid tense relations with the self-ruled island.

The actor, known for his pro-democracy stance, said the idea to attend sprang from a discussion with a Taiwanese friend, and he thought it would be meaningful if he showed support to the event during this “wave of boycott”.
“It will be a worthy thing to attend this film awards ceremony fearlessly in the hope that it would no longer have to face persecution,” he said.
The actor, who rose to fame after starring in online television drama The Menu, in which he played a courageous reporter in search of the truth, said he felt he had become a target of persecution in real life.
“I believe that the police are trying to put out some sort of white terror towards people who come out to voice out their demands for Hong Kong, peacefully or otherwise,” he said.


Reporter Ma Kai-chung leaves Eastern Court after being released on bail. Photo: Chris Lau

Both Wong and Ma were not required to enter a plea. They will return to the same court on December 13.
Video footage is believed to have captured Ma’s presence inside Legco between 9.23pm and 10.37pm, while Wong made a brief appearance at 11.47pm.
On Monday, seven others, including former University of Hong Kong student union president Althea Suen, were also charged with entering Legco on the same day.


Former University of Hong Kong student union president Althea Suen arrives at Eastern Court. Photo: Handout

The July 1 protest started peacefully, as demonstrators took aim at the now-abandoned extradition bill.
But some protesters later broke into the Legco building and chambers, trashing it and causing millions of dollars worth of damage in the process.
In another courtroom, e-sport player Cheung Ho-fai, 23, faced a charge of conspiracy to riot, while construction worker Shum Hiu-lun, 25, was charged with one count of riot, and a further of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, before Principal Magistrate Bina Chainrai.
Cheung was accused of rioting in an unspecified location with unknown people on October 1. Shum allegedly took part in a riot outside the Wan Chan Police Headquarters on June 26, and is accused of assaulting off-duty officer Cheung Kam-fuk that day.
Shum was granted a cash bail of HK$10,000, while Cheung paid HK$5,000. They were both ordered to observe a curfew and not to leave Hong Kong.
Shum will return to court on October 31. Cheung will return on November 29.

THREADS
Golden Horse Film Festival
Hong Kong protests