Golden Horse Awards: 'Stonewalling' named best film, 'OLD FOX' leads trophy haul

Taipei, Nov. 25 (CNA) "Stonewalling" (石門) by Chinese-Japanese directing duo Huang Ji (黃驥) and Ryuji Otsuka was named best narrative feature on Saturday at the 60th Golden Horse Awards ceremony, while OLD FOX, directed by Taiwanese director Hsiao Ya-chuan (蕭雅全) led the pack with four awards.

"Stonewalling," which received four nominations, is a documentary-like drama capturing the angst and helplessness of a young student having to resign herself to fate after a chance pregnancy.

The film, the finale of Huang's trilogy that looks into the struggles of young Chinese women in the country's rural areas, also won best film editing.

In her acceptance speech, Huang said that receiving the Golden Horse award was like pushing open a stone wall, and hopefully the win would allow her and Otsuka, her husband, to take on more ambitious projects.

She also thanked all the great Taiwanese directors, including Ang Lee (李安), Hou Hsiao-hsien (侯孝賢), and Tsai Ming-liang (蔡明亮) whose works she studied "frame by frame."

She thanked her husband, who had to take on multiple extra roles such as the movie's art editor and lighting designer, in addition to being the "man around the house."

Noting that none of the actors in the movie were professionals, Otsuka expressed his gratitude for the entire cast, including Huang's parents.

Before leaving the stage, the husband and wife gave each other a cuddle and made a heart with their hands, drawing applause from the audience.

The battle for best leading actor saw Taiwanese actor Wu Kang-ren (吳慷仁) come out on top, while 12-year-old Taiwanese actress Audrey Lin (林品彤) became the youngest-ever winner of the best leading actress award.

Nov. 25: Wu Kang-ren grabs best leading actor award

Nov. 25: Taiwanese prodigy becomes youngest best actress winner

The best director award went to Taiwanese director Hsiao Ya-chuan (蕭雅全) for his fourth feature film, "OLD FOX" (老狐狸), which also bagged best supporting actor (Akio Chen 陳慕義), best makeup & costume design, and best original film score awards.

"OLD FOX" depicts the story of a young single father and his son leading a frugal life to save for a house of their own but the persistent financial hardship and an encounter with a selfish landlord gradually push the family to take a different path.

Nov. 25: Hsiao Ya-chuan wins best director for 'OLD FOX'

The best new director award went to Hong Kong director Nick Cheuk (卓亦謙) for the drama "Time Still Turns the Pages" (年少日記).

In his acceptance speech, Cheuk said he developed depression while making the movie, and thanked his girlfriend, whom Cheuk said was "a beautiful soul who helped him out of darkness."

The film follows the story of high school teacher Mr. Zeng, portrayed by Hong Kong actor Lo Chun Yip (盧鎮業), who discovers a suicide note in his classroom and in his efforts to prevent a tragedy, gets pulled into childhood memories of violence and regret.

Nov. 24: Hong Kong films won Audience Award, FIPRESCI Prize

The best animated feature went to "Pigsy" (八戒) by Taiwanese director Chiu Li-wei (邱立偉). Set in the future where the world relies heavily on advanced technology, the film is a re-imagination of the Chinese classic "A Journey to the West." A new resident of the "new world," Pigsy discovers a plot by construction company owner Bull Demon King and must stop him from taking people's lives.

The best new performer award went to Hong Kong actress Yoyo Tse (謝咏欣), 21, who portrays Yuen (子圓) in the drama "Fly Me to the Moon" (但願人長久) who moves from Hunan to Hong Kong at the age of eight to reunite with her father, a drug addict who cannot seem to shake his addiction.

As Yuen struggles to escape her alienated father, she thinks back to certain moments in her childhood and realizes how much her father really loves her and how her father's love has come to define who she is.

In her acceptance speech, a tearful Tse thanked her co-star Wu Kang-ren, who played Yuen's father, and her parents and vowed to keep working hard to keep putting in great performances.

Nov. 25: Brigitte Lin, Chen Kun-hou receive lifetime achievement awards

Legendary actress Brigitte Lin (林青霞) and director-cinematographer Chen Kun-hou (陳坤厚) won Golden Horse lifetime achievement awards.

Born in Taipei County (now known as New Taipei), Brigitte Lin, 69, made her cinematic debut with the 1973 romance "Outside the Window." Lin's role as the unrivaled androgynous martial artist "Dongfang Bubai" in the 1989 wuxia movie "Swordsman II" cemented her status as a cinematic icon in the Chinese-speaking world.

She later gained international fame by starring in award-winning director Wong Kar Wai (王家衛)'s 1994 films "Chungking Express" and "Ashes of Time."

In 1990, Brigitte Lin was named by the Golden Horse jury as best actress in a leading role for her performance in the drama "Red Dust."

Although Brigitte Lin is mostly retired from acting except for taking on occasional roles, her elegant persona on and off the silver screen has come to embody ageless beauty in the hearts of many movie fans.

Meanwhile, Chen, 84, began his career as an assistant cinematographer in the 1960s and became a director of cinematography in the 1970s. In the 1980s, Chen collaborated with Hou on "Lovable You," "Cheerful Wind," "The Sandwich Man," and "The Boys from Fengkuei."

Since then, Chen has also directed and in 1983, his "Growing Up" took home the Golden Horse Best Feature Film award.

The star-studded gala was graced by the presence of two of the biggest names in the film industry: Ang Lee and legendary Japanese director Takeshi Kitano, who presented awards.

Other high-profile award presenters included Japanese heartthrobs Satoshi Tsumabuki and Koji Yakusho, Japanese actress Hikari Mitsushima, Golden Horse best leading actor Chang Chen (張震), and Taiwanese model and actress Lin Chih-ling (林志玲).

Known as the Chinese-speaking Oscars, the Golden Horse Awards is one of the most prestigious film awards in the Chinese-speaking world.

Full list of the 60th Golden Horse Award winners:

★ Best narrative feature: "Stonewalling" (石門)

★ Best director: Hsiao Ya-chuan (蕭雅全) / "OLD FOX" (老狐狸)

★ Best leading actor: Wu Kang-ren (吳慷仁) / "Abang Adik" (富都青年)

★ Best leading actress: Audrey Lin (林品彤) / "Trouble Girl" (小曉)

★ Best supporting actor: Akio Chen (陳慕義) / "OLD FOX" (老狐狸)

★ Best supporting actress: Beatrice Fang (方志友) / "Day Off" (本日公休)

★ Best new director: Nick Cheuk (卓亦謙) / "Time Still Turns the Pages" (年少日記)

★ Best new performer: Yoyo Tse (謝咏欣) / "Fly Me to the Moon" (但願人長久)

★ Best animated feature: "Pigsy" (八戒)

★ Best animated short film: Ellis Chan Ka-yin (陳嘉言), Wong Hiu-kit (黃曉傑) / "Monsoon Blue" (夏夢迴)

★ Best documentary feature: Wang Bing (王兵) / "YOUTH (Spring)" (青春(春))

★ Best documentary short film: "The Memo" (備忘錄)

★ Best live action short film: Ho Sze-wai (何思蔚) / "Before the Box Gets Emptied" (直到我看見彼岸)

★ Best original screenplay: Sun Jie (孫杰) / "The Mountain Is Coming" (大山來了)

★ Best adapted screenplay: Wu Chin-jung (吳瑾蓉), Cheng Wei-hao (程偉豪) / "Marry My Dead Body" (關於我和鬼變成家人的那件事)

★ Best original film score: Chris Hou (侯志堅) / "OLD FOX" (老狐狸)

★ Best original film song: "The Usual" (同款) / "Day Off" (本日公休)

★ Best cinematography: Yu Jing-pin (余靜萍) / "Fish Memories" ((真)新的一天)

★ Best film editing: Liao Ching-sung (廖慶松), Ryuji Otsuka/ "Stonewalling" (石門)

★ Best art direction: Huang Mei-ching (黃美清), Tu Shuo-feng (涂碩峯) / "Eye of the Storm" (疫起)

★ Best makeup & costume design: Wang Chih-cheng (王誌成), Shirley Kao (高仙齡)/ "OLD FOX" (老狐狸)

★ Best visual effects: ArChin Yen (嚴振欽) / "Eye of the Storm" (疫起)

★ Best sound effects: Tu Duu-chih (杜篤之), Wu Shu-yao (吳書瑤), Chen Kuan-ting (陳冠廷) / "Snow in Midsummer" (五月雪)

★ Best action choreography: Hung Shih-hao (洪昰顥) / "The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon" (周處除三害)

★ Outstanding Taiwanese Filmmaker of the Year: Lin Shih-ken (林仕肯)

★ Lifetime achievement award: Chen Kun-hou (陳坤厚) and Brigitte Lin (林青霞)