Chen Shiang-chyi wins Golden Horse's Best Actress

24 Nov – Taiwanese actress Chen Shiang-chyi, has trumped the likes of Kwai Lun-mei, Gong Li, Zhao Wei, and Tang Wei to win the 51st Golden Horse Awards' Best Leading Actress at the awards ceremony held on 23 November 2014.

According to Mingpao News, Chen, who won the coveted award after being nominated three times in the course of her acting career, shed happy tears for the result, saying, "I want to thank the director and producer for casting me in this movie. I would also like to thank my family and friends as they are the greatest blessing in my life."

"After many years of sowing, this year, the flower finally blooms and bears fruit. As part of a Taiwanese film, I am happy to win the Golden Horse's 51st Best Actress," she continued.

In a later interview, Chen revealed that she was at first hesitant about making "Exit", but finally agreed in order to support the work of new filmmakers.

In Chienn Hsiang's "Exit", Chen plays the role of a Kaohsiung garment worker who has to face various issues including her rebellious teenage daughter, a bad apartment, and hospitalised parents whose medical care she has to bear, on top of losing her job and facing the onset of menopause.

While it was earlier speculated that Gong Li will have the biggest chance at winning the accolade, member of the jury, Joan Lin, revealed that the decision was hard to make and that it took them hours to determine the Best Actress winner before choosing Chen over Gong in the very last stage of the selection. The winners of the 51st Golden Horse Awards are as follows:

BEST FEATURE FILM: "Blind Massage"

BEST DIRECTOR: Ann Hui ("The Golden Era")

BEST LEADING ACTOR: Chen Jianbin ("A Fool")
BEST LEADING ACTRESS: Chen Shiang-chyi ("Exit")

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Chen Jian-bin ("Paradise in Service")
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Wan Qian ("Paradise in Service")

BEST DOCUMENTARY: "Cotton"

BEST SHORT FILM: "The Hammer and Sickle are Sleepings"

BEST NEW DIRECTOR: Chen Jian-bin ("A Fool")
BEST NEW PERFORMER: Zhang Lei ("Blind Massage")

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Yee Chih-Yen ("Meeting Dr. Sun")
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Ma Yingli ("Blind Massage")

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: Zheng Jian ("Blind Massage")
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS: Tong Ka-wai, Ken Law, Lucky Tracy Hannah ("The Midnight After")

BEST ART DIRECTION: Liu Qiang ("Black Coal, Thin Ice")
BEST MAKEUP & COSTUME DESIGN: Liang Tingting ("Brotherhood of Blades")

BEST ACTION CHOREOGRAPHY: Jack Wong ("As the Light Goes Out")
ORIGINAL MUSIC AWARD FOR BEST FILM: Qigang Chen ("Coming Home")

BEST ORIGINAL FILM SONG AWARD:
The Road We Pass ("The Continent")
Lyrics: Pu Shu, Han Han
Composer: Pu Shu
Performer: Pu Shu

BEST FILM EDITING: Kong Jinlei, Jolin Zhu ("Blind Massage")
BEST SOUND EFFECTS: Fu Kang ("Blind Massage")

OUTSTANDING TAIWANESE FILMMAKER OF THE YEAR: Jimmy Huang
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD: "KANO"

FIPRESCI PRIZE: "KANO"

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Tian Feng

(Photo source: gettyimages.dk)