Chong's The Fourth Portrait takes three major prizes at Taipei Film Awards

Chong Mong-hong’s drama The Fourth Portrait took the best narrative feature prize

Let the Wind Carry Me documented the world of Taiwanese cinematographer Mark Lee, who is known internationally for his collaborations with Wong Kar-wai and Hou Hsiao-hsien. Co-directors Chiang Hsiu-chiung and Kwan Pun-leung were also given cash prize of $31,000 (NT$1m) for the grand prize.

The Fourth Portrait is Chung Mong-hong’s second feature, starring mainland Chinese actress Hao Lei (Summer Palace) and Leo Dai. It is a dark family drama telling about missing child and his distorted family. The film’s child star Bi Xiao-hai was given the Best Actor prize on Saturday night. It also won the audience award in the festival’s New Talent Competition.

Best actress was awarded to Ivy Chen for her role in romantic drama Hear Me. The best new talent prize was awarded to Amber Kuo for her leading role in Arvin Chen’s romance drama Au revoir Taipei, co-produced by Wim Wenders and his Green Sky Films.

Cheng Wen-tang took the best director prize for drama Tears, while Essay Liu is awarded best screenplay for drama Seven Days in Heaven, which she also co-directed.

Taiwanese gangland drama and 2010 box office hit Monga is awarded with best art direction for Max Huang and Chen Po-jen.

The Taipei Awards are selected by a jury of nine, including screenwriter Hsiao Yeh, film directors Silvia Chang and Arthur Chu and international festival consultants Philip Cheah, Roger Garcia and Meenakshi Shedde.

TFF opened June 25 with Brazilian Jose Padilha’s Elite Squad and Chung Mong-hong’s The Fourth Portrait and closed with Wang Shiao-di’s drama Fantôme, où es-tu. Around 140 films are showcased during the period of three weeks.

List of winners
Grand Prize
LET THE WIND CARRY ME by CHIANG Hsiu-chiung, KWAN Pun-leung 

Best Narrative Feature
THE FOURTH PORTRAIT by CHUNG Mong-hong 

Best Documentary
LET THE WIND CARRY ME by CHIANG Hsiu-chiung, KWAN Pun-leung

Best Short film
DAD’S NOT HOME by Bo-Yan CHEN 

Best Animation
A PIECE OF CAKE by WU De-Chuen 

Best Director
CHENG Wen-Tang — TEARS

Best Screenplay
Essay LIU — SEVEN DAYS IN HEAVEN

Best Actor
Xiao-Hai BI — THE FOURTH PORTRAIT

Best Actress
Ivy CHEN Yihan — HEAR ME

Best Supporting Actor
CAI Zhen-Nan — ENDING CUT

Best Supporting Actress
CHEUNG Si-Yin — SEVEN DAYS IN HEAVEN

Best New Talent
Amber KUO — AU REVOIR TAIPEI

Best Editing
KWAN Pun- leung, HSU Hung-Yuan — LET THE WIND CARRY ME

Best Cinematography
LIAO Peng Jung — FACE

Best Music
Summer LEI, HO Zhi-Jian — TAIPEI EXCHANGES

Best Art Direction
HUANG Mei-Ching, CHEN Po-Jen — MONGA

Industry Award for Narrative Feature
PINOY SUNDAY by HO Wi-Ding 

Industry Award for Short
REAL SNIPER by CHENG Wei-hao 

Media’s Choice Award
A PIECE OF CAKE by WU De-Chuen 

Audience’s Choice Award
TAIPEI EXCHANGES by HSIAO Ya-Chuan