Gao Qunshu won best feature film for ‘Beijing Blues.’ [Photo: The Wall Street Journal]
Mainland China and Hong Kong scored big at the 49th Golden Horse Awards on Saturday, while host Taiwan mostly took a back seat in the night’s major prizes.
Chinese director Gao Qunshu’s “Beijing Blues” won best feature film. The story of a policeman who roams the streets investigating and solving the crimes of small-time crooks and con artists, it’s populated by a cast of mostly nonprofessional actors and mixes drama with droll humor in a splintered narrative. Critics praised the movie at its June premiere in Shanghai. It also picked up awards for best cinematography and film editing.
Mr. Gao thanked the jury for the award, saying that he didn’t expect to win.
“There were times when I was frustrated—complaining why people didn’t give me any professional awards,” he said. “But starting today, I can say I have passed.”
“Life Without Principle,” a modern morality tale that weaves three stories about money-hungry Hong Kong people amid an unstable global economy, won a trio of major awards: best director for Johnnie To; best actor for Lau Ching-wan, who plays a triad underling trying to raise bail to get a friend out of jail; and best original screenplay.
“Starring in movies isn’t for awards,” Mr. Lau said as he received the trophy, adding, “I’m kidding—of course it’s for awards.” He also thanked his wife’s father, who lives in Taipei: “Every time when my movies were shown here, he would ring me to give me a pat on my shoulder and tell me how the movie was received among local media. I’m really thankful for them.”
Mr. To didn’t attend the ceremony.
The coming-of-age drama “GF*BF” represented Taiwan’s best chance at picking up major awards. The film—set against the political backdrop of Taiwan’s transition from martial law to democracy—received seven nominations, including best feature film and best director. By the end of the night, however, it managed to earn just one prize: best actress for Gwei Lun-mei, who plays a spirited young woman caught up in a love triangle with two men.
“While I’m still learning, receiving this award is the biggest encouragement for me,” Ms. Gwei said as she accepted the award. “I really love movies, and I will continue to do it unsparingly.”
Best supporting actor and actress awards went to Ronald Cheng, for his outlandish portrayal of a mainland gangster in the gross-out Hong Kong hit “Vulgaria,” and Liang Jing, for her role as a rural Chinese midwife in the dark comedy “Design of Death.”
Another Taiwan film, “Touch of the Light,” picked up a pair of honors: best new director for Chang Jung-chi and “outstanding Taiwanese filmmaker of the year” for blind piano prodigy Huang Yu-siang, who plays himself in the true-life story of how he left his family and rural village as a young man to study music. “Touch of the Light” has been submitted to represent Taiwan for consideration in the best foreign-language category for the Academy Awards, which will announce the five nominees in January.
The Golden Horse Awards, launched in Taiwan in 1962, is one of Asia’s most-prominent film events and focuses 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 was held in northeast Taiwan’s Yilan County.
Best Feature Film
WINNER: Beijing Blues
Mystery
Life without Principle
Gf * Bf
The Bullet Vanishes
Best Short Film
6th March
WINNER: The Home Gleaners
The Present
My Graduation Travel
Best Documentary
Hand in Hand
Voyage in Time
WINNER: China Heavyweight
Money and Honey
Best Director
Gao Qunshu, Beijing Blues
Lou Ye, Mystery
WINNER: Johnnie To, Life without Principle
Yang Ya Che, Gf * Bf
Doze Niu Chen-Zer, LOVE
Best New Director
Yang Yi-Chien, Jim Wang, Cha Cha for Twins
Fung Kai, Din Tao: Leader of the Parade
Hero Lin, Silent Code
Tsai Yueh Hsun, Black & White: The Dawn of Assault
WINNER: Chang Jung-Chi, Touch of the Light
Best Leading Actor
Nick Cheung, Nightfall
WINNER: Lau Ching Wan, Life without Principle
Joseph Chang, Gf * Bf
Chapman To, Vulgaria
Nicholas Tse, The Viral Factor
Best Leading Actress
Bai Baihe, Love Is Not Blind
Hao Lei, Mystery
Denise Ho, Life without Principle
WINNER: Gwei Lun-Mei, Gf * Bf
Sandrine Pinna, Touch of the Light
Best Supporting Actor
Wu Gang, White Deer Plain
Chang Shu-Hao, Gf * Bf
WINNER: Ronald Cheng, Vulgaria
Zhuang Kai-Xun, Stilt
Chapman To, DIVA
Best Supporting Actress
Dada Chan, Vulgaria
Amber Kuo, LOVE
Ivy Chen Yi-Han, LOVE
WINNER: Liang Jing, Design of Death
Fan Hsiao-Shuan, The Silent War
Best New Performer
Peijia Huang, Cha Cha for Twins
Chun-Mei Guo, Flying Dragon, Dancing Phoenix
Zhang Zixuan, Love Is Not Blind
WINNER: Qi Xi, Mystery
Eric Lin Hui Min, Starry Starry Night
Best Original Screenplay
Yang Yi-Chien, Cha Cha for Twins
Dai Yan, Gao Qunshu, Beijing Blues
Mei Feng, Yu Fan, Lou Ye, Mystery
WINNER: Milkyway Creative Team, Au Kin Yee, Wong King Fai, Life without Principle
Yang Ya Che, Gf * Bf
Best Adapted Screenplay
Wang QuanAn, White Deer Plain
WINNER: Bao Jingjing, Love Is Not Blind
Xu Haofeng, Judge Archer
Tom Shu-Yu Lin, Starry Starry Night
Guan Hu, Design of Death
Best Cinematography
Lutz Reitemeier, White Deer Plain
Cao Dun, Love Is Not Blind
WINNER: Wu Di, Beijing Blues
Jake Pollock, Gf * Bf
Song Xiao Fei, Design of Death
Best Visual Effects
Kent Chen, Horn Hsu, Cha Cha for Twins
Xiao Yang, Chang Hong Song, Wang Jing Pu, Lee Ming Hsiung, LI Jin-Hui, Starry Starry Night
WINNER: Wook Kim, Frankie Chung, Josh Cole, Flying Swords of Dragon Gate
Frankie Chung, Black & White: The Dawn of Assault
Koan Hui, Chang Hong Song, Painted Skin: The Resurrection
Best Art Direction
Huo TingXiao, White Deer Plain
Penny Pei-Ling Tsai, Starry Starry Night
Yee Chung Man, Lau Man Hung, Flying Swords of Dragon Gate
WINNER: Lin Mu, Design of Death
Man Lim Chung, The Silent War
Best Makeup & Costume Design
Fang Chi Luen, Li-Wen Hsu, LOVE
WINNER: Stanley Cheung, The Bullet Vanishes
Lin Mu, Design of Death
Tim Yip, Tai Chi 0
Man Lim Chung, The Silent War
Best Action Choreography
Xu Haofeng, Judge Archer
WINNER: Chin Ka Lok, Wong Wai Fai, Ng Hoi Tong, Motorway
Yuen Bun, Lan Hai Han, Sun Jian Kui, Flying Swords of Dragon Gate
Cyril Raffaelli, Li Chung Chi, Chen Chun Kun, Black & White: The Dawn of Assault
Sammo Hung, Tai Chi 0
Best Original Film Score
Lin Zhaoyang, Ding Wei, Love Is Not Blind
WINNER: Peyman Yazdanian, Johann Johannsson, Mystery
An Wei, Wang Fan, Judge Archer
Chen Chien Chi, LOVE
Teddy Robin, Tomy Wai, The Bullet Vanishes
Best Original Film Song
She & Me, Cha Cha for Twins
WINNER: DoReMi, Romancing in Thin Air
Din Tao, Din Tao: Leader of the Parade
Best Film Editing
Chen Po-Wen, Weng Yu-Hong, Money and Honey
Cheung Ka Fai, Nightfall
WINNER: Yang Hongyu, Beijing Blues
Simon Jacquet, Mystery
David Richardson, Life without Principle
Best Sound Effects
WINNER: Kinson Tsang, Lai Chi Hung, Nightfall
Phyllis Cheng, The Bullet Vanishes
Dong Xu, Design of Death
Frank Cheng, Ding Yi Hu, Feng Shu Chien, Chan Chung Chen, Cheng Chou, Black & White: The Dawn of Assault
Traithep Wongpaiboon, Nopawat Likitwong, The Silent War
Outstanding Taiwanese Filmmaker of the Year
Chen Po-Wen
Liao Su Jen
Jimmy Huang
WINNER: Huang Yu-Siang
Audience Choice Award
Gf * Bf
FIPRESCI Prize
Touch of the Light
Lifetime Achievement Award
Shih Chun