Taiwan indie drama wins Chinese-language 'Oscars'

Taiwan indie drama wins Chinese-language 'Oscars'

Updated at: 0737 PST, Sunday, November 29, 2009 TAIPEI: Taiwanese director Leon Dai's low budget family drama on Saturday swept the Golden Horse Film Awards, considered the Chinese-language "Oscars," bagging the best picture and best director gongs. "I want to thank my parents, my mentor Edward Yang and the actors of the film," an emotional Dai told the audience in Taipei. His "No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti," based on the true story of a diver's desperate fight for custody of his daughter, was the first local movie in seven years to win best picture. "The film was nurtured by Taiwan and it absorbed full energy from this land," he said earlier while picking up a special outstanding Taiwanese film of the year award for the movie, which has a Spanish title meaning "I Can't Live Without You." Dai beat more acclaimed rivals -- including Malaysian art-house director Tsai Ming-liang and Hong Kong's Clara Law as well as China's Guan Hu. The independent film, which also brought a best original screenplay prize for Dai, was shot in black and white and cost only six million Taiwan dollars (187,500 US dollars) to produce. However, the night's biggest surprise came when the best actor gong went to two people -- a split unprecedented in the Golden Horse awards' 46-year history. Huang Bo from the critically-acclaimed Chinese black comedy "Cow" and Hong Konger Nick Cheung from the action flick "The Beast Stalker" shared the top honour. Chinese actress Li Bingbing outshone strong rival Zhou Xun, both nominated for the espionage thriller "The Message," to be crowned best actress. "I didn't expect to be recognised and I didn't think about what I would say.... I feel really lucky to be here," said a tearful Li. China's Wang Xueqi won best supporting actor prize for "Forever Enthralled," a biopic of legendary Peking opera singer Mei Lanfang, while Yu Shaoqun took best new performer for playing the teenage Mei.