TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Jurors at the 61st Golden Horse Awards Saturday night (Nov. 23) honored Chinese-language cinema that tackled difficult social themes such as physical disabilities, same-sex romance, migrant caregivers, and COVID-19.
The event at Taipei Music Center presented the top film prizes. "An Unfinished Film" (一部未完成的電影) won “Best Narrative Feature,” while the film’s director, Lou Ye (婁燁), won “Best Director.” The film is a co-production involving Germany and Singapore.
The film follows a crew trapped in Wuhan, China during the COVID-19 pandemic. It leads viewers on a harrowing return to pandemic years through documentary footage, online videos, and other media.
"Bel Ami" (漂亮朋友) was another big winner, bagging “Best Leading Actor,” “Best Cinematography,” and “Best Film Editing.” The black-and-white film is a personal, non-traditional look at middle-aged gay and lesbian communities. The film was produced in France and directed by Chinese director Geng Jun (耿軍).
Taiwanese horror comedy "Dead Talents Society" (鬼才之道) walked away with the most awards, earning accolades for “Best Art Direction,” Best Makeup and Costume Design," "Best Action Choreography,” and “Best Original Film Song.” The film honors the unsung actors who play ghosts and ghouls in films, giving them human qualities and a behind-the-scenes look.
Hong Kong actress Chung Suet-ying (鍾雪瑩) walked away with “Best Leading Actress” through the touching portrayal of a hearing-impaired individual in the dramatic feature "The Way We Talk" (看我今天怎麼說).
In her acceptance speech, Chung invited her sign language teacher onstage to provide instantaneous translation. She dedicated the award to everyone with hearing impairment and said, "Without your help, we would not have been able to complete this film," per PTS.
Chung was emotional during her acceptance speech, battling poor health and wanting to encourage everyone in a similar situation. Chung, the youngest nominee in the category, also works as a radio DJ and musician.
Other major awards went to Chiang Wei Liang (曾威量) and Yin You-qiao (尹又巧), who were named best new directors for "Mongrel" (白衣蒼狗), a film about the daily challenges experienced by foreign caregivers. Chiang, from Singapore, said he hoped the film would draw more attention to the plight of foreign workers who often struggle to care for the elderly and disabled.
Another major award for “Best New Performer” went to Taiwanese actress Cheng Fei-fei (鄭又菲) for her role in the "BIG" by Taiwanese director Wei Te-sheng (魏德聖). At just 11 years old, Cheng played the lead role of a child diagnosed with cancer. It was her first movie role, and she looks forward to taking on different roles.