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China's film wins best picture at Golden Horse Awards
2004-12-04
TAIPEI, Taiwan - ``Hoh Xil: Mountain Patrol,'' a movie about volunteers trying to protect the Tibetan antelope from poachers, on Saturday became the first film from China to win Taiwan's Golden Horse Award - the premier event for the Chinese-language movie industry.The sleeper hit, also known as ``Kekexili,'' beat out the police thriller ``Infernal Affairs III'' and the science fiction romance ``2046'' - Hong Kong films that were loaded with many of the biggest stars in the Chinese film business. China's movies rarely compete in the annual Golden Horse Awards because of the longstanding political feud between Taiwan and China, split by a civil war five decades ago. But in recent years, cultural exchanges have been increasing between the rivals. Lu Chuan, the director of ``Hoh Xil,'' thanked Hollywood studios Sony Columbia and Warner Brothers for investing in his movie. ``I hope you can continue to trust me, because I will certainly make different movies,'' the 33-year-old director said. ``This is not the time yet to be thanking my parents because I haven't made my best movie yet,'' Lu said. Taiwan's Yang Kuei-mei won the best actress award and Hong Kong's Andy Lau was honored as best actor. Yang played a divorcee trying to salvage her life in the ``The Moon Also Rises,'' and Lau starred in ``Infernal Affairs III.'' Hong Kong's Johnnie To won the best director award for his action movie ``Breaking News,'' which explored the relationship between the media and the fight against crime. Hong Kong heart-throb Daniel Wu won the best-supporting actor award for his role beside kung fu king Jackie Chan in the action movie ``New Police Story.'' Receiving his prize, Wu joked that when he started out in movies, he was ``a fool with no ideas. Now I am a fool with an award.'' Bai Ling of China was named best supporting actress for her role in the horror movie ``Three ... Extremes: Dumplings'' by Hong Kong director Fruit Chan. Bai didn't attend the ceremony but expressed her thanks in a prerecorded message. She played an aging actress who eats dumplings stuffed with embryos because she believes it will keep her young and help her win her husband back. Bai angered China's communist government in her 1997 Hollywood debut, ``Red Corner.'' She played a lawyer defending a U.S. attorney (Richard Gere) framed in a murder while on a business trip to Beijing. The best cinematography award went to Cao Yu for ``Hoh Xil: Mountain Patrol,'' shot in western China's rugged Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Until 1996, Taiwan's staunchly anti-communist government banned Chinese films from the competition. The ban was lifted as Taiwan's government began encouraging cultural exchanges with China to help ease tensions. Taiwanese officials were also worried that if they continued to bar Chinese films from the festival, Hong Kong film producers might boycott the event. The former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997. China's government has also helped keep mainland movies out of the ceremony by withholding permission to compete in the event. AP
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