A sleeper hit about saving the Tibetan antelope from poachers
became the first movie from Chinese mainland to win Taiwan's Golden
Horse Award on Saturday.
Hoh Xil: Mountain Patrol, also known as Ke Ke Xi
Li, was picked over two star-studded Hong Kong
blockbusters?-- Infernal Affairs III and
2046?-- in the 41st edition of the annual
ceremony.
??
The director of Hoh Xil Lu Chuan expressed gratitude in
his acceptance speech to Hollywood studios Sony Columbia and Warner
Brothers for investing in his movie about volunteers protecting
Tibetan antelope from ruthless poachers in remote western
China.
"I hope you can continue to trust me, because I will certainly
make different movies," the 33-year-old director said.
Hong Kong's Andy Lau was honored as best actor for his role as a
gangster in the thriller Infernal Affairs III. A modest
Lau told the judges, "To make everybody believe I can act is a bit
difficult, but in the future, my acting will not embarrass
you."
The best actress award went to Taiwan's Yang Kuei-mei, who
portrayed a divorcee trying to salvage her life in the The Moon
Also Rises.
As she grabbed her Golden Horse, Yang noted that she was
nominated four times before but never won. "Can my speech be a
little bit longer, because I have four years' experience," joked
Yang, who starred in the 1994 romantic comedy Eat, Drink, Man,
Woman.
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 heartthrob 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 noted that when he started out in
movies, he was "a fool with no ideas. Now I am a fool with an
award."
The best cinematography award went to Cao Yu for Hoh Xil:
Mountain Patrol, shot in western China's rugged Qinghai-Tibet
Plateau.
(China Daily December 5, 2004)