Movie Box Review

Qin Hailu

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Carina Lau and Sandy Lam.  Carina Lau receives 99 white roses from someone anonymous despite her Best Actress defeat. courtesy of mingpao.com

The Golden Horse Award has come to an end.  One of the jury members Sylvia Chang (Cheung Ngai Ga) stated that this year's judging process was fair and sensible.  Most of the jury did not know the final result.  The longest discussion was for the "Best Director" award, after three rounds of vote Ann Hui On Wa edged out LET THE BULLETS FLY's Jiang Wen and WARRIORS OF THE RAINBOW: SEEDIQ BALE's Wei Te-Sheng.  The second high scorer for Best Actress was Shu Qi, and Best Actor Andy Lau Tak Wa narrowly beat Ge You.

Ko Chen-Tung won the Best New Performer.  Cheung Ngai Ga said, "The New Performer award passed with one round, relying on the actor's strength and performance."  Back stage she praised Eddie Peng Yu-Yen for his infinite potential, only that this year's Best Actor competition was too strong.  As for Best Feature Film SEEDIQ BALE, Korean jury member Lee Chong-Dong said that the film won due to its inspiration for national films worldwide.

Mainland Best Actress Qin Hailu was nominated for Best Actress but finally won Best Original Screenplay.  Before presenting the award to herself, she joked on stage that the Golden Horse had a conspiracy.  Yet when director Fruit Chan Gor announced her name, she was very surprised.  She joked, "If you knew I really would win, I wouldn't have said that!"

Chen Bo-Lin, Aoi Miyazaki

Wai Ying Hung

Eric Tsang and Tsang Bo Yi

The SEEDIQ BALE team

A-Lin performs Leslie Cheung's CHASE in memory of film professionals  who passed away this year

S.H.E.'s Ella and Vic Chou

Chie Tanaka and Joe Chen

Boken Kosang, Tang Qun

Sandy Lam performs classic film songs courtesy of on.cc

Shu Qi

courtesy of singtao.com

courtesy of takungpao.com

The 48th Golden Horse Awards took place last night.  With its Venice Film Festival success earlier, A SIMPLE LIFE (TOH JEH)'s master and maid pair Andy Lau Tak Wa and Deanie Ip Tak Han won Best Actor and Actress respectively.  Director Ann Hui On Wa won Best Director.  With 11 nominations Taiwan film WARRIORS OF THE RAINBOW: SEEDIQ BALE won four awards including Best Feature Film and Best Supporting Actor to become the big winner.  With 9 nominations LET THE BULLETS FLY won two awards.

Wa Jai defeated Ge You, Eddie Peng Yu-yen, and Wang Qianyuan to win Best Actor.  He said, "Like I said, I paid to win Best Actor.  Honestly, I never imagined it.  After I saw A PIANO IN THE FACTORY I  fell in love with him (Wang Qianyuan).  After Taiwan film toughed out its most depressed period, now Hong Kong film is at its lowest.  I too hope we will be able to tough it out."  After winning the Venice Best Actress, Ip Tak Han again won the Golden Horse Best Actress.  After "sonny" Lau Tak Wa announced her victory, he went on one knee to present to present the award to Ip Tak Han.  She said, "In the film I had a stroke, now I won an award.  Thank you Hui On Wa, Lau Tak Wa for giving luck in my old age."  Before unveiling Best Actress, Wa Jai critiqued the nominees.  He joked that Qin Haliu could act, direct and was cheap so she could go to work at his company.  Eric Tsang Chi Wai joked, "I understand who at your home doesn't spent money."  Wa Jai glared at him; Wa Jai continued and said that Shu Qi was the best woman to hold and even pushed Chi Wai to give it a try; as for Michelle Chen he directly said he loved her, which made Michelle Chen so happy that she made a heart gesture with her hands.  Chi Wai's daughter Bo Yi said Chi Wai was daring but finally still did not dare to ask whether Wa Jai's wife Chu Lai Sin was pregnant.  Chi Wai only dared to ask whether Wa Jai would have a child.  Wa Jai continued to avoid the question, "Let's see the nominees!"

When Hui On Wa heard that she won Best Director she immediately hug Lau Tak Wa.  After accepting the award she joked, "I am afraid that I am about to have a stroke!  Hopefully in the future when I receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, Big Brother Wang (Jimmy Wang Yu) will present it to me."  She said that this was a very gratifying film.  She was very happy to win an award, so happy that she would have a stroke.  Later she also wanted to share this award with Roger Lee because the story was his.  She also said that she did not have a hard time with Lau Tak Wa and Ip Tak Han.  Both gave a lot of opinions and exchanged ideas, their suggestions were great.  This was the film's second award after the Venice Film Festival.  She hoped that the film will be able to win even more awards and be a bigger hit.  She also hoped to more people would make this type of movies.

Best Supporting Actor and Actress went to SEEDIQ BALE's Bokeh Kosang and RETURN TICKET's Shanghai actress Tang Qun.  Boken Kosang defeated WU XIA nominee Wang Yu to win his first Golden Horse Award.  He said that he finally could breathe a sigh of relief.  He also said that he worked very hard on this character and thus he was more confident about acting in the future.  He also said that he never thought that he would win and thanked his mother and wife.  The award was worth all the hard work.  Later when Wang Yu presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to his late friend Ting Shan-Hsi he did not forget to poke fun at himself.  "I had a stroke but I definitely won't have an award."  Speaking of her award, Tang Qun said that she was just lucky.  Although this was her first film award, it might be her last.  She will always learn from her colleagues; Carina Lau Ka Ling, Wai Ying Hung and others lost to their elder Tang Qun before still congratulated her.

Best New Performer went to YOU ARE THE APPLE OF MY EYE's Ko Chen-Tung, who not only thanked director Giddens Ko for encouraging him to play this character but also Michelle Chen for continuously teaching him.  Only because of them did he have the chance to stand on the stage.  He said, "You have made my age 20 very perfect!"  Ko Chen-Tung was so happily back stage that he jumped.  Last night he said that he would wear a pair of red underwear for luck, finally he really won.  Reporters asked him to show everyone his red underwear.  At first he said that he had to ask his company, but after reporters persuaded him he finally dropped his pants for press photos.  Giddens Ko lacked a little luck and lost the Best New Director.

Becoming the New Taiwan Goddess with YOU, Michelle Chen said that she loved Lau Tak Wa the most.  Reportedly she called Lau Tak Wa Hubby.  Last night when she and Simon Yam Tat Wa presented an award, Yam Tat Wa who was also called Wa Jai joked, "Michelle Chen actually wants to work with this Wa Jai instead."  He then held her hands and could not let go, she could only awkwardly giggle.

Although this year's venue only had a capacity of 1,000 people and has been criticized as the smallest Golden Horse venue in history, the event was still star studded and attracted a lot of press coverage.

Before the race on the red carpet, Lau Tak Wa, Vic Chou Yu Man, Ethan Juan (Yuen King Tin) and Peng Yu-yen all wore suits and looked very handsome.  The ladies as usual dressed up.  Vivian Hsu (Tsui Yeuk Suen) walked the red carpet with the over 50 people SEEDIQ BALE team.  Because the entire team danced the Seediq dance of joy and celebration for their entrance, she perhaps did not want to destroy the beauty and just stood in the middle dumbfounded.  Later she admitted that she did not take any wardrobe malfunction precaution because the material was bigger than her chest.  Shu Qi's long dress look was low key yet sexy.  Solo attendee Carina Lau Ka Ling appeared in a gray and black evening gown that was elegant and graceful.  Others like Angelica Lee Sinjie, Rene Liu (Lau Yeuk Ying) and Wai Ying Hung all appeared in low cut evening wear.

Japanese star Aoi Miyazaki walked with Chen Bo-Lin.  Aoi Miyazaki was very happy to be a part of this event and praised Bo-Lin as a very gentle gentleman.  The hosts were father and daughter Eric Tsang Chi Wai and Tsang Bo Yi.  Bo Yi hoped to work with her father to make the program its best.  She also said that this year was Taiwan film's take off year so she believed it definitely would be very exciting.  When Lau Tak Wa appeared with Deanie Ip Tak Han and director Ann Hui On Wa on the red carpet, fans cheered enthusiastically.  Speaking of his wife Chu Lai Sin's pregnancy rumors, Wa Jai continued to keep his mouth shut about his family, "Don't ask about family matter, don't ask about our home now."

During the opening, Chi Wai and Bo Yi both wore aboriginal costumes and school uniform for a SEEDIQ BALE and YOU ARE THE APPLE OF MY EYE nominated film medley.  Chi Wai's facial tattoo turned out to be seaweed accessories.  Bo Yi delivered YOU's classic line, 'Big idiot, you are a big idiot!"  Chi Wai said, "If I wasn't an idiot why would I have you."  Bo Yi also joked that many people wanted to asked Lau Tak Wa a question but did not dare to, but her father dared to raise his middle finger at the the Great Hall of the People so only he would dare to ask.

GOLDEN HORSE AWARD WINNERS
BEST FEATURE FILM: WARRIORS OF THE RAINBOW: SEEDIQ BALE
BEST DOCUMENTARY: HOMETOWN BOY
BEST SHORT FILM: THIEF
BEST DIRECTOR: Ann Hui On Wa (A SIMPLE LIFE)
BEST LEADING ACTOR: Andy Lau Tak Wa (A SIMPLE LIFE)
BEST LEADING ACTRESS: Deanie Ip Tak Han (A SIMPLE LIFE)
BEST NEW DIRECTOR: Wuershan (THE BUTCHER, THE CHEF AND THE SWORDSMAN)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Boken Kosang (WARRIORS OF THE RAINBOW: SEEDIQ BALE)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Tang Qun (RETURN TICKET)
BEST NEW PERFORMER: Ko Chen-Tung (YOU ARE THE APPLE OF MY EYE)
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Yang Nan-Chian, Teng Yung Shing, Qin Hailu, Ge
  Wen-Zhe, Xi Ran (RETURN TICKET)
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Zhu Sujin, Shu Ping, Jiang Wen, Guo Junli, Wei
  Xiao, Li Bukong (LET THE BULLETS FLY)
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: Zhao Fei (LET THE BULLETS FLY)
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS: Yung Kwok Yin, Andy Kang (WU XIA)
BEST ART DIRECTION: Yee Chung Man, Sun Li (WU XIA)
BEST MAKEUP & COSTUME DESIGN: Hao Yi (THE BUTCHER, THE CHEF AND THE SWORDSMAN)
BEST ACTION CHOREOGRAPHY: Donnie Yen Chi Tan (WU XIA)
BEST ORIGINAL FILM SCORE: Ricky Ho (WARRIORS OF THE RAINBOW: SEEDIQ BALE)
BEST ORIGINAL FILM SONG: PERFECT LANDING (JUMP ASHIN!)
BEST FILM EDITING: Chen Hsiao-Tung (THE MAN BEHIND THE BOOK)
BEST SOUND EFFECTS: Tu Duu-Chih, Tang Hsiang-Chu, Wu Shu-Yao (WARRIORS OF
  THE RAINBOW: SEEDIQ BALE)
OUTSTANDING TAIWANESE FILMMAKER OF THE YEAR: Wong Wei-Liu
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD: WARRIORS OF THE RAINBOW: SEEDIQ BALE
FIPRESCI PRIZE: THE PIANO IN A FACTORY
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Ting Shan-Hsi

courtesy of takungpao.com

The 48th Golden Horse Film Festival's 10+10 film joint creative project opened already.  The film consisted of 20 directors' 5 minute short films.  Participating directors included Kevin Chu Yen Ping, Wu Nien-Jen, Chang Tso-Chi, Sylvia Chang (Cheung Ngai Ga), Chen Kuo-Fu, Leon Dai, Wei Te-Sheng, Hou Hsiao-Hsien and others.  Golden Horse chair Hou Hsiao-Hsien worked with Shu Qi and Mei Fang on THE GOLDEN STRING.  In the story a mother was afraid that her daughter would need money after marriage and left her a gold tile, which symbolized inheritance.  Hou Hsiao-Hsien said that "gold" was something that absolutely would not change, and "string" was a value and a belief.  "Golden String" meant a value that would not change.

Shu Qi, Mei Fang and Director Hou earlier appeared at the opening ceremony press conference.  Director Hou praised Shu Qi's deeper and deeper acting abilities.  She only needed the slightest of hints to be able to perform the feeling that he wanted.  However Shu Qi said that some of THE GOLDEN STRING's content was too impractical.  For example in the film the mother wanted to give her daughter gold for emergency money.  Shu Qi said that after the film she went home and asked her mother for gold.  Finally her mother said, "You have to give it to me, not me to you."  She joked that now the times have changed, daughters had to buy gold for mothers.

Shu Qi with BEAUTIFUL LIFE received a Golden Horse Best Actress nomination.  When asked about her confidence, Shu Qi humbly said, "Actually I feel like I already got it.  The nomination to me already is a type of recognition.  The competition actually is very strong."  As for the now very popular Michelle Chen, Shu Qi had nothing but compliment for her potential.  She said that in HEAR ME Michelle Chen has already touched her.  Director Hou said that Taiwan film's potential has already reached a mature level and even saw a lot of variety in Taiwan film development, which was Taiwan's advantage.

courtesy of takungpao.com

courtesy of takungpao.com

Sylvia Chang (Cheung Ngai Ga)

Eric Tsang Chi Wai, Tsang Bo Yi

courtesy of on.cc

courtesy of on.cc

courtesy of singtao.com

Li Bingbing

CROSSING HENNESSY's Tang Wei