[2009.11.29] LI BINGBING WINS BEST ACTRESS

The 46th Annual Taiwan Film Golden Horse Award took place last night in Taipei. Li Bingbing in absence of opponent Zhou Xun won Best Leading Actress with THE MESSAGE as the favorite. The Best Leading Actor result was unexpected as two winners were announced: BEAST STALKER (JING YUN)'s Nick Cheung Ka Fai and Chow's Huang Bo. Kara Hui (Wai Ying

Hung) also with AT THE END OF DAYBREAK (SUM MOR) won Best Supporting Actress. Leon Dai with NO PUEDE VIVAR SIN TI won both Best Director and Best Picture, the big winner of the evening with five awards.

This year's Golden Horse winners were all favorites except for the first Best Leading Actor duo winners in the Golden Horse history. Both were very surprised when they accepted from last year's Best Leading Actor and Leading Actress Zhang Hanyu and Prudence Liew Mei Kwan. On

stage Ka Fai said a few words then made room for Huang Bo as he said he still had to think a little more. Huang Bo joked, "This is the Best Actor in the legends." Ka Fai said, "Taiwan truly is too beautiful, the first time I step on Taiwan's Golden Horse stage I am able to accept this

award. I am truly very proud." Ka Fai pointed out that working in Taiwan was very tough but it was well worth it. He also said that after watching Huang Bo's performance he felt he had to work even harder. When he heard that he won with Huang Bo he felt it was the best ending. Huang Bo also thought the jury for giving him a chance because this was the hardest and

the toughest film for him. He truly thanked the director for giving him a chance.

The event arranged for Ng Yin Cho and Shu Qi to present the Best Leading Actress award. Shu Qi made fun of Ng Yin Cho that he should not have a chance at Best Leading Actor and told him to first give his thank you speech. After Li Bingbing learned that she won, she choked up during

the speech. She expressed that she never thought about the chance to be on stage. This was her second Golden Horse Award and she never thought that she would receive the recognition. She thanked the jury and gave a deep bow to the jury. She said, "Life truly is very meaningful, I

appreciate that in my life something this wonderful has happened." She also thanked the boss, Zhou Xun and other cast and crew. Bingbing said, "The film is truly quite a torture, but it is worth it. I thank my team, which never gave up on me, for my performance today." Because her speech was too long, the event played music to hurry her up. Fellow favorite Zhou Xun was absent reportedly she knew that Bingbing won. Although the result was the same, Zhou Xun's manager stressed that Zhou Xun really wanted to attend but her schedule did not allow her to.

The event arranged for four directors Johnnie To Kei Fung, Stanley Kwan Kam peng, Hou Hsiao-Hsien, and Ang Lee to present Best Director. The host had a little fun with the directors and asked them to perform their expression at the moment of victory. Ang Lee and To Kei Fung's

performance made the entire crowd laugh. NO PUEDO VIVAR SIN TI's Leon Dai Lap Yan won Best Director. When he reached the stage he was crying with excitement. Maggie Cheung Man Yuk's Bst Picture presentation brought the event to its climax. Reportedly the event originally wanted to invite Carina Lau Ka Ling but Ka Ling declined in order to avoid Man Yuk. Last night Man Yuk expressed that the rumor was a joke and asked Hou Hsiao-Hsien to consider invite her, Ka Ling and Tony Leung Chiu Wai to present together. The director might be afraid that they would fight on stage. Later Man Yuk clarified her rumor with Wai Jai.

Cheung Ka Fai and Li Bingbing presented Best Supporting Actress. Ka Fai forgot his lines and his conversation with Li Bingbing cracked up the crowd. Wai Ying Hung won with THE END OF DAYBREAK (SUM MOR). Siu Hung shed tears of joy on stage and expressed that she never thought that she would win. She thought Cheung Ka Fai was joking because at a Hong Kong award she has been fooled once. She expressed that four years ago the director approached her to make RAIN DOGS (TAI YEUNG YU). At the time because she could not accommodate the schedule she did not accept it. This time originally she had another scheduling conflict, she only had eight days but the director expressed it was fine. Three days before the shoot she kept eating ice cream and chocolate in order to gain eight pounds. After the shoot she did not eat or drink for two days and successfully returned to her original weight. She pointed out that this

award was the best present in her over 30 year career, it absolutely was a dream come true. She also thanked her mother as she put her mother's shadow into the character.

As for Best Supporting Actor, FOREVER ENTHRALLED's Wong Xueqi won. Because he was busy with John Woo (Ng Yu Sum)'s new film he did not attend. Yu Shaoqun after winning with FOREVER ENTHRALLED at the Golden Rooster Hundred Flower Award again won Best New Performer. Sammo Hung Kam Bo and Tony Leung Siu Hung won Best Action Choreography with IP MAN, but Sammo did not attend. Leung Siu Hung's speech was too long and was rushed

with music. NO PUEDO VIVAR SIN TI director Dai Lap Yun and Guey Lun-Mei finally had a chance to appear on stage together. Dai Lap Yan accepted the Best Original Screenplay from Guey Lun-Mei and they hug to celebrate. Dai Lap Yun thanked Siu Mei for supporting him without regret. As for a wedding date, he joked that he was sweating and did not know how to

answer. The event also arranged for Siu Mei to introduce the Best Picture nominee NO PUEDO VIVAR SIN TI, which seemed to be a deliberate arrangement. Faye Wong's former husband Dou Wei and Bi Xiaodi with THE EQUATION OF LOVE AND DEATH won Best Original Music Score. This year's Golden Horse also added a memorial segment of late artists as photos of

Chan Hung Lit, Shing Fui On, Shek Kin, Spencer Lam Seung Yi and Chang Lu were shown. Many guests like Shu Qi and Maggie Cheung Man Yuk were teary eyed from it.