Golden Horses begin ride with 'Tears'

Three-week festival ends with award ceremony

By Karen Chu

Nov 8, 2009, 01:44 PM ET

HONG KONG – Taiwan’s Golden Horse Festival opened with crime drama “Tears” from the island’s own Cheng Wen-tang and period fantasy “The Warrior and the Wolf” by China’s Tian Zhuangzhuang.
 
Over 100 films will be screened at the festival during its three-week run from November 5-26. I will close with Austrian Michael Haneke’s Cannes Palme d’Or winner “The White Ribbon” and American Lee Daniels’s Sundance Grand Jury Award winner “Precious." Sections are dedicated to Taiwan character actress Wen Ying, who passed away in August, as well as American indie pioneer John Cassavetes.
 
International filmmakers and thespians in attendance include “Warrior” helmer Tian and lead actor Joe Odagiri, French director Denis Dercourt and actor Vincent Perez of “Tomorrow at Dawn," Japanese director Kichitaro Negishiare of “Villon’s Wife” and Japan’s Watabe Atsuro of “Echo of Silence."
 
The festival is held in conjunction with film financing and co-production platform the 4th Film & TV Film Project Promotion, held from November 24- 26 for 25 selected projects; and the Golden Horse Film Academy, where 16 selected young Asian filmmakers will produce two short films under the tutelage of Taiwanese directors including academy dean Hou Hsiao-Hsien, Ang Lee, and Tsai Ming-Liang.
 
The festival will conclude with the 46th Golden Horse Awards on November 28, when 23 awards will be given to films and filmmakers in the Greater China region. Nominees includes Clara Law’s “Like a Dream,” Leon Dai’s “No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti” and Guan Hu’s “Cow."

Golden Horses begin ride with 'Tears'

Three-week festival ends with award ceremony

By Karen Chu

Nov 8, 2009, 01:44 PM ET