Taipei - Two Chinese actors on Saturday won awards at Taiwan's Golden Horse Film Festival, dubbed as the Oscar awards for Chinese-language films around the world. Yu Shaoqun, who portrayed Peking opera singer Mei Lanfang in Forever Enthralled (Mei Lanfang), won Best New Actor award in the 46th Golden Horse Film Festival, held at the Taipei County Government Auditorium outside Taipei.
Wang Xueqi, who played the role of Mei Lanfang's rival Beijing opera singer in the same film, grabbed Best Supporting Actor award.
This is the first time Chinese films freely competed in the Golden Horse Festival. In recent years, only Chinese films which were partially invested in by Taiwan producers were allowed to join the festival.
About half of the films nominated for the top 21 top awards were from China, led by Message (Feng Sheng) - a film about China's anti- Japanese war - which won five nominations.
Among Taiwan films, No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti (I can't leave without you, Bu Neng Mei You Ni) won eight nominations.
US-based Taiwan director Ang Lee, Hong Kong actor Daniel Wu and actress Maggie Cheung, and Chinese actor Zhang Hanyu and actress Li Bingbing took part in the Golden Horse Awards presentation ceremony.
As a sign of improved cross-strait ties, China's Central Television of China (CCTV) broadcasted the Golden Horse Awards Presentation live, Taiwan press said.
