TAIPEI: A Chinese film set during the Covid-19 pandemic won the top prizes in Taiwan’s prestigious Golden Horse Awards, which saw the highest number of entries from China in recent years despite political tensions.

Beijing banned its entertainers from joining Golden Horse — dubbed the Chinese-language “Oscars” — in 2019 after a Taiwanese director voiced support for the island’s independence in an acceptance speech in 2018.

China claims Taiwan as part of its territory, which the Taipei government rejects, and Chinese A-listers and big commercial productions have largely avoided the event ever since.

Despite the sensitivity of the awards, more than 200 Chinese films entered this year’s competition, which Taiwan’s Main­land Affairs Council (MAC) said was the highest number in “recent years”.

Acclaimed Chinese filmmaker Lou Ye was awarded best director late Saturday night for his docu-drama “An Unfinished Film”, which was also named best picture. Lou was absent from the ceremony but his wife Ma Yingli read his acceptance speech, describing the film set during China’s lockdown of Wuhan in the earliest stages of the pandemic as “the most special directing job I have ever done”.

Chinese actor Zhang Zhiyong, who also did not attend the awards, won best actor for his performance in Chinese director Geng Jun’s same-sex drama “Bel Ami”.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2024