TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwanese actress Sylvia Chang (張艾嘉) won her third Golden Horse best actress award on Saturday (Nov. 19) after a long drought of 36 years.

On Saturday, Chang won best actress for her role as Mei-heung in the Hong Kong film "A Light Never Goes Out (燈火闌珊)." Chang, who was born in Chiayi County, plays a Cantonese-speaking woman who struggles to carry on the legacy of her husband's neon sign making business after his death.

The 69-year-old actress has been nominated for the Golden Horse Awards 20 times so far and has been nominated for best actress a record 10 times. Prior to Saturday's win, Chang had previously been awarded best supporting actress in 1976 for her part in "Posterity and Perplexity" and best actress in 1981 and 1986 for her roles in the films "My Grandfather" and "Passion."

When accepting the award, Chang tightly embraced the trophy and said that in recent years, she has become accustomed to watching other people win awards from off the stage. She lamented that LED lights are rapidly replacing Hong Kong's neon lights and likewise feared that films will also soon disappear.

Chang expressed her hopes that films will always exist and will not be replaced by the small screen. She then dedicated her award to her 95-year-old mother who "once dreamed of becoming an actress, but the environment did not allow it at the time, so she left this job to me. I am very grateful to her and the judges. Thank you Golden Horse, I will continue to work hard."

Chang holds up her award. (CNA photo)

Chang with her award. (CNA photo)