By Victor Wang
At this year’s award ceremony, Chen Shu-fang (陳淑芳) won the Golden Horse Award for best leading actress for her performance in Little Big Women (孤味), defeating four other nominees. The Golden Horse Awards are one of the most prestigious awards in Chinese-speaking cinema and Taiwan’s equivalent to the Academy Awards.
Chen was also named the best supporting actress for her part in Dear Tenant (親愛的房客), becoming the first actress to win both awards at a time and the most senior winner of acting awards since the Golden Horse Awards started in 1962.
Chen Shu-fang, awarded best actress, breaks record
Chen’s double-victory is unprecedented and is considered unlikely, if not impossible, to be broken.
Chen, 81, said she did not expect to come up to the stage twice in the same evening. “Thanks to the Golden Horse, the jury committee, and the director of Little Big Women, who picked me for such a great character.”
Chen, a graduate at the National School of Arts (now National Taiwan University of Arts), has starred in countless films and television shows during her 63-year career. She has been nominated many times for the Golden Bell Awards, the Taiwanese equivalent to the Emmy Awards, but was named to the Golden Horse Awards for the first time this year.
Breaking the record at her first nomination, Chen said, “Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall is very beautiful; it’s my first time here,” and was met with applause and laughter from the crowd.
Holding the prize for best actress, she joked, “I didn’t expect you’d torture an old lady in her eighties like me so much that I have to hold such a heavy trophy. But I’ll hold it tight despite the weight!”
The actress did not forget to express gratitude to Director Hou Hsiao-hsien (侯孝賢), who won the lifetime achievement award at the ceremony. “Thank you Director Hsiao. You’ve taught me a lot and I cannot thank you enough,” she said. “When I hit bottom for the first time in my life, you told me I have nothing to be afraid of. You said, ‘Getting divorced as a woman isn’t a big deal’ and offered me a starring role in The Boys from Fengkuei (風櫃來的人).”
“I’m the type of person who gets sick if I have nothing to do for one week,” Chen also said. “As an actress, I need to have stuff to do, so I won’t raise my price even though I’ve won these awards.”
Chen said, “I’m glad that both Dear Tenant and Little Big Women are still screened at movie theaters and I hope these two films become blockbusters and their box office revenue hits NT$100 million.”
Lastly, the actress gave a shout-out to local filmmakers. “Taiwanese actors, directors, and photographers are all extremely talented, so please don’t lose them. Keep them in Taiwan. I’m willing to play a part in students’ productions and since most of them dig into their own pocket for the work, I’ll charge half my rate for the performance!”
Mo Tzu-yi wins prize for best actor
Mo Tzu-yi (莫子儀), 39, was awarded the best actor for his part in Dear Tenant at the ceremony this year. He started to participate in film and theater productions in 1996 and has been starring in film, television, and stage productions for 24 years.
Dear Tenant is his second long drama collaboration with the director Cheng Yu-chieh (鄭有傑). In 2006, the two worked together on Cheng’s first long drama Do Over (一年之初).
After 14 years, Mo stepped on to the stage as the best actor for the Golden Horse. Speaking of the experience with Cheng, he said, “Thank you Director Cheng for creating everything.”
The actor also showed gratitude to his crew. “Thank you Aunt Shu-fang. You’re the best actress in my mind and I’m the happiest to see you win the award today,” Mo said. “Thank you to Runyin, Chun Yao, and all other partners, without whom I wouldn't be able to stand here on the stage.”
Modest as usual, Mo also said, “I’m here not because I’m the best actor, but because I have been inspired by all of you, I have received help from the cast and crew, and I was a little bit lucky.”
“Thank you all for the efforts in front of and behind the scenes and the filmmakers who have left this world,“ he said. “To freedom, equality, natural human rights, film, creation, and life.”
READ NEXT: ‘Memories to Choke On, Drinks to Wash Them Down’ Is a Minor Gem
TNL Editor: Bryan Chou, Nicholas Haggerty (@thenewslensintl)
If you enjoyed this article and want to receive more story updates in your news feed, please be sure to follow our Facebook.
