[VOD / Photo & News] Lau Ching-wan & Gwei Lun-mei Best Actor and Best Actress of '2012 Golden Horse Film Awards' Winners.

[VOD / Photo & News] Lau Ching-wan & Gwei Lun-mei Best Actor and Best Actress of '2012 Golden Horse Film Awards' Winners.
Cr. - TWSSG TEAM, BBC News, http://www.brecorder.com/

Chinese films, actors and directors have won several awards at the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival - seen as the Chinese-language Oscars.

A Golden Horse Award is considered by many to be the highest accolade for Chinese-language films. The 49th awards judged films from Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore and China, including Hong Kong and Macau.

Analysts say the success is a sign of China's growing prominence in the huge Chinese-language film industry. Once closed to films from mainland China, the Golden Horse changed its policy in 1996.

Past winners mainly came from Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Hollywood pressure

The awards ceremony was held at the Luodong Cultural Working House in Ilan county, in north-eastern Taiwan.

The coveted best feature film award went to Beijing Blues - a Chinese film that also won awards for best editing and best cinematography.

It examines the struggles of ordinary people, and is told through the encounters of a police detective who hunts down thieves, con artists and illegal hawkers.

The best supporting actress award went to a Chinese performer - Liang Jing.

Previously turning out mainly propaganda movies and historical epics, Chinese filmmakers have in recent years explored wider subjects closer to people's lives, says the BBC's Cindy Sui in Taipei.

But many Chinese films that win awards overseas are banned in China because of content deemed inappropriate or politically sensitive by the censors, she says.

And Chinese productions also face pressure from Hollywood films, which do the best in Chinese cinemas.

Beijing is increasingly recognizing the importance of films as a type of soft power, seeing the powerful influence of Hollywood, adds our correspondent.

But the question is whether it can be hands-off enough to give its talented filmmakers the freedom they need to perhaps produce global box office hits, she adds.

Hong Kong's Johnnie To took home the best director's award, while Hong Kong's Lau Ching Wan won the best actor award for Life Without Principle, and Taiwan's Gwei Lun-Mei won the best actress award for her performance in Gf-Bf (Girlfriend-Boyfriend).

Another Chinese film, Mystery, received the most nominations of the evening jointly along with a Taiwanese film.


Following is a list of the winners of Taiwan's 49th annual Golden Horse Film Awards, announced Saturday:


Best Picture: Beijing Blues

Best Director: Johnnie To (Life Without Principle)

Best Leading Actor: Lau Ching-wan (Life Without Principle)

Best Leading Actress: Gwei Lun-mei (Gf*Bf)

Best Supporting Actor: Ronald Cheng (Vulgaria)

Best Supporting Actress: Liang Jing (Design of Death)

Best New Director: Chang Jung-chi (Touch of the Light)

Best New Performer: Qi Xi (Mystery)

Best Original Screenplay: Milkyway Creative Team, Au Kin Yee, Wong King Fai (Life Without Principle)

Best Screenplay Adaptation: Bao Jingjing (Love Is Not Blind)

Best Cinematography: Wu Di (Beijing Blues)

Best Visual Effects: Wook Kim, Frankie Chung, Josh Cole (Flying Swords of Dragon Gate)

Best Art Direction: Lin Mu (Design of Death)

Best Make-up/Costume Design: Stanley Cheung (The Bullet Vanishes)

Best Action Choreography: Chin Ka Lok (Motorway)

Best Film Editing: Yang Hongyu (Beijing Blues)

Best Original Film Score: Peyman Yazdanian, Johann Johannsson (Mystery)

Best Original Film Song: Do Re Mi (Romancing in Thin Air)

Best Sound Effects: Kinson Tsang, Lai Chi Hung (Nightfall)

Best Documentary: China Heavyweight

Best Short Film: The Home Gleaners

Outstanding Taiwanese Filmmaker of the Year: Huang Yu-siang (Touch of the Light)

Lifetime Achievement Award: Shih Chun

'Lau Ching Wan was awarded the Best Actor Award'






'Gwei Lun Mei was awarded the Best Actress Award'





Jay Chou '49th Taiwan Golden Horse Ceremony'