Taipei - US-based Taiwan director Ang Lee's film Lust, Caution scooped seven awards at Taiwan's Golden Horse Awards Saturday, becoming the biggest winner at the world's largest film competition for Chinese-language films.
Chinese actress Tang Wei (R) looks at Taiwanese director Ang Lee as he gestures during a press conference promoting their movie 'Lust Caution'. EPA/FRANCK ROBICHON
Lust, Caution, a film about an attempt by patriotic students to kill a spy for Japanese invaders during Japan's invasion of China in the 1930s, was nominated for 11 of 22 awards at the 44th Golden Horse Film Festival.
It scooped seven awards: Best Director, Best Feature Film, Best Leading Actor (Tony Leung), Best New Performer (Tang Wei), Best Makeup & Costume Design, Best Screenplay Adaptation and Best Original Film Score.
Ang Lee was also named Best Taiwan Film Worker of the Year.
Lee said he was excited that Lust, Caution had received the awards at the Taiwan Film Festival in his homeland and he was proud to be a Taiwan film director.
'I have been trying to promote Taiwan at international occasions, but have met many setbacks. I hope we all remember that Taiwan's film industry has great potential because Taiwan has freedom and culture traditions, and we should take advantage of that,' Lee said.
In a reference to Taiwan and China and Chinese people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, Tang Wei, who was in tears, said, 'I hope we that many many years later, we can still be together like this,' before hugging Ang Lee.
There was a huge presence of Chinese and Hong Kong films at the Golden Horse Film Festival, with China's Fan Bingbing winning the Best Supporting Actress award for her role in the Hong Kong-China film, The Matrimony, while Hong Kong star Leung Ka Fai won Best Supporting Actor for his role as a bandit in Hong Hong film The Drummer.
Joan Chen, China's veteran star, who now resides in the United States, won Best Leading Actress for her role in the Australian film the Home Song Stories.
The film, directed by Tony Ayres, won Best Feature Film at the Hawaii International Film Festival as well as awards and nominations at several other international film festivals.
A Chinese film, Getting Home, about a man who carried his friend's body for thousands of miles so that his friend could be buried at home, was voted the best film voted by Taiwanese audiences, but actor Zhao Benshan failed to win the Best Leading Actor's award.
The Best Action Choreography award went to Hong Kong kung fu star Donnie Yen, while Best Documentary went to the film Hollywood Chinese (US).
A total of 94 Chinese-language films from various countries are vying for 22 awards.
Taiwan, China and Hong Kong have their own annual domestic and international film festivals, but the Golden Horse awards are open to Chinese-language films from all countries.
List of winners of the 44th Golden horse Film Wards:
Best Director: Ang Lee (Lust, Cuation HK/China/Taiwan)
Best Feature Film: Lust, Caution
Best Leading Actor: Tony Leung (Lust, Caution)
Best Leading Actress: Joan Chne (The Home Song Stories, Australia)
Best Supporting Actor: Leung Ka Fai (The Drummer, HK)
Best Supporting Actress: Fan Bingbing (The Matrimony, HK/China)
Best Action Choreography: Donnie Yen (Flash Point, HK)
Best Makeup & Costume Design: Pan Lai ) Lust, Cuation, US/China/Taiwan)
Best Documentary: Hollywood Chinese (US)
Best Short Film: Fly Out Blue (Taiwan)
Best Cinematography: Lee Ping-bin (The Matriony, HK/China)
Best Original Film Score: Alexandre Desplat (Lust, Caution, US/China/Taiwan)
Best Original Film Song: Jay Chou (Secret, Taiwan)
Best Sound Effect: Tu Duu Chih, Kuo Li Chi, Tang Xiang Zhu (The Most Distant Course, Taiwan)
Best Film Editing: Zhang Yi-fan, Jiang Wen (The Sun Also Rises, China)
Best Visual Effects: Wong Wang Tam Wong Wang Hin, Cheung Yiu Ming, Donnie Lai (Secret, Taiwan)
Best New Performer: Tang Wei (Lust, Caution, US/China/HK)
Best Taiwan Film Worker of the Year: Ang Lee
Lifetime Achievement Award: Edward Yang (Taiwan)
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
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