Chinese director Lou Ye’s An Unfinished Film won best narrative feature and best director at this year’s Taipei Golden Horse Awards in Taiwan.
The film, which premiered as a Special Screening at this year’s Cannes film festival, is a docufiction about a film crew that gets trapped in Wuhan while filming in the early days of the pandemic. Set up as a Singapore-German co-production, the film is not approved for release by mainland Chinese authorities.
As Lou was undertaking jury duties at Tokyo Filmex, his wife Ma Yingli, who is a co-writer and producer on the film, accepted the award on his behalf. Ma said on stage: “This was not a normal production, but it was the happiest and most special for Lou Ye.” She added that the film will be released in Taiwan on December 20.
Talent from mainland China was also recognised in other categories, with Zhang Zhiyong winning best actor for his role in Bel Ami, and Wang Xiaoshuai taking best adapted screenplay for Above The Dust, which premiered at this year’s Berlin film festival without Chinese government approval.
Bel Ami, an LGBT-themed drama directed by Geng Jun, also won awards for best cinematography and best editing, as well as the Audience Award.
Best actress went to Chung Suet-ying for her role in Hong Kong filmmaker Adam Wong’s The Way We Talk, which explores the lives of young deaf people in Hong Kong.
Taiwanese horror comedy Dead Talents Society was another big winner at the awards, taking five prizes in the technical categories, including best visual effects for the work of Reno Studios’ Tomi Kuo and Chiu Chun-yi, as well as best art direction, best make-up and costume design, best action choreography and best original film song (see full list of award winners below).
Recognised as the most prestigious awards ceremony for Chinese-language films, Taiwan’s Golden Horse Awards have been boycotted by mainland China since 2018 when a prize winner made an acceptance speech referencing Taiwan independence. China hosts its own film prize-giving ceremony, the Golden Rooster Awards, in Xiamen at the same time as the awards in Taiwan.
GOLDEN HORSE AWARDS 2024:
Best Narrative Feature: An Unfinished Film, Yingfilms, Essential Films
Best Director: Lou Ye, An Unfinished Film
Best Leading Actor: Zhang Zhiyong, Bel Ami
Best Leading Actress: Chung Suet-ying, The Way We Talk
Best Supporting Actor: Shih Ming-shuai, Gatao: Like Father Like Son
Best Supporting Actress: Yang Kuei-mei, Yen and Ai-Lee
Best New Director: Chaing Wei-liang, Yin You-qiao, Mongrel
Best New Performer: Feifei Cheng, Big
Best Original Screenplay: Huang Xi, Daughter’s Daughter
Best Adapted Screenplay: Wang Xiaoshuai, Above The Dust
Best Cinematography: Wang Weihua, Bel Ami
Best Visual Effects: Tomi Kuo, Chiu Chun-yi, Dead Talents Society
Best Art Direction: Wang Chih-cheng, Liang Shuo-lin, Dead Talents Society
Best Makeup & Costume Design: Lore Shih, Dead Talents Society
Best Action Choreography: Teddy Ray Huang, Dead Talents Society
Best Original Film Score: Thomas Foguenne, Stranger Eyes
Best Original Film Song: Dead Talents Society
Lyricist: Chen Hong-ren, Composer: Joanna Wang, Performer: Joanna Wang
Best Film Editing: Chen Ho-ping, Bel Ami
Best Sound Effects: Eddie Huang, Chen Yi-ling, Yannick Dauby, From Island To Island
Best Documentary Feature: From Island To Island, dir: Lau Kek-huat
Best Animated Feature: [None]
Best Live Action Short Film: Side A: A Summer Day, dir: Wan Kin-fai
Best Documentary Short Film: Colour Ideology Sampling.mov, dirs: Chan Cheuk-sze, Kathy Wong
Best Animated Short Film: Father Figure, dir: Shek Ka-chun
Outstanding Taiwanese Filmmaker of the Year: Li Si-jian
Lifetime Achievement Award: Lin Wen-chin
Lifetime Achievement Award: Cheng Pei-pei
Audience Choice Award: Bel Ami, Blackfin Production
FIPRESCI Prize: Some Rain Must Fall, Cinema Inutile, Aurua Yangshuo, La Fonte, Wild Grass Films