Hollywood Hong Kong scoops record number of Golden Horse nods

Fruit Chan's Hollywood Hong Kong has scored a record number of nominations - 14 in all - for the 39th Golden Horse Awards, Taiwan's equivalent of the Oscars, including best picture, best director, best actor for Glen Chin and best actress for China's Zhou Xun.

The film, which beat Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon's previous haul of 13 nominations in 2000, also picked up nods for best supporting actress (Hu Wei-Men), best newcomer (Wong You-Nam), best original screenplay, best cinematography, best art direction, best make-up and costume design, best original film score, best song, best editing and best sound effects.

Taiwanese feature The Best Of Times, directed by Chang Tso-Chi, scooped the second highest number of nominations with nine nods including best picture, best director and best actor for Fan Wing. The film, which screened in competition at this year's Venice, also picked up nods for best supporting actor and best newcomer (Gao Meng-Jie), best original screenplay, best cinematography, best original film score and best editing.

Also competing in the best picture category are three other Hong Kong titles - Ann Hui's July Rhapsody, Lam Wah-Chuen's Runaway Pistol and Peter Chan's segment of horror omnibus Three.

Three was also nominated for best director, best actor (Leon Lai), best cinematography (Chris Doyle), best art direction, best make-up and costume design and best editing. July Rhapsody also bagged seven nods including best actress (Anita Mui), best supporting actress and best newcomer (Karena Lam), best original screenplay, best art direction and best make-up and costume design.

Rounding out the best actor category is Leslie Cheung for Inner Senses. Also vying for best actress are Sammi Cheng for My Left Eye Sees Ghosts and Lee Sin-Jie for the Pang Brothers' horror hit The Eye.

The awards ceremony has moved from its traditional December slot and will take place on November 15 in Taiwan's second largest city Kaohsiung. It is linked to a film festival of the same name which will be held October 31 - November 14 in Taipei.

The Best Of Times (Chang Tso-Chi Film Studio)
Hollywood Hong Kong (Nicetop Independent)
July Rhapsody (Filmko Pictures)
Three (Going Home) (Applause Pictures)
Runaway Pistol (Teamwork Motion Pictures)

Chang Tso-Chi - The Best Of Times
Fruit Chan - Hollywood Hong Kong
Peter Chan - Three (Going Home)
Lam Wah-Chuen - Runaway Pistol

Fan Wing - The Best Of Times
Glen Chin - Hollywood Hong Kong
Leslie Cheung - Inner Senses
Leon Lai - Three (Going Home)

Sammi Cheng - My Left Eye Sees Ghosts
Zhou Xun - Hollywood Hong Kong
Anita Mui - July Rhapsody
Lee Sin-Jie - The Eye

Gao Meng-Jie - The Best Of Times
Tuan Chun-Hao - Fancy 25
David Morse - Double Vision
Anthony Wong - Princess D

Hu Wei-Men - Hollywood Hong Kong
Yang Kuei-Mei - Crusoe's Robinson
Karena Lam - July Rhapsody
Zhao Wei - Chinese Odyssey 2002

Gao Meng-Jie - The Best Of Times
Wong You-Nam - Hollywood Hong Kong
Erica Lam - Let's Love Hong Kong
Karena Lam - July Rhapsody

Chang Tso-Chi - The Best Of Times
Fruit Chan - Hollywood Hong Kong
Ivy Ho - July Rhapsody
Lam Wah-Cheun - Runaway Pistol

Chang Yi-Min - The Best Of Times
Cheng Siu-Keung - Running Out Of Time 2
O Sing-Pui - Hollywood Hong Kong
Christopher Doyle - Three (Going Home)

Stephen Ma - Running Out Of Time 2
Wick Wang, Peter Webb - Double Vision
Centro Digital Pictures - The Eye
Wu Jian-Rong, Chiu Cheng-Ning, Daniel Ho, Alan Tuan - Princess D

Oliver Wong - Hollywood Hong Kong
Man Lim-Chung - July Rhapsody
Yee Chung-Man - Three (Going Home)
Huang Mao-Sen - Drop Me A Cat

Jessie Dai - Hollywood Hong Kong
Man Lim-Chung - July Rhapsody
Dora Ng - Three (Going Home)
William Chang Suk-Ping - Chinese Odyssey 2002

Bruce Mang - Running Out Of Time 2
Sam Wong - Give Me A Chance
Poon Kin-Kwan - Chinese Odyssey 2002