Chinese Films Win Big at Golden Horse Awards

At the 61st Golden Horse Awards in Taiwan, two Chinese films addressing the COVID-19 pandemic and LGBTQ themes won major accolades, despite ongoing political tensions with Beijing. Chinese director Lou Ye's docu-drama 'An Unfinished Film' received the Best Film and Best Director awards, while Geng Jun's gay romance 'Bel Ami' earned Best Leading Actor and several other honors. This year's event featured the highest number of Chinese film entries in recent years, with over 200 submissions, as Chinese filmmakers seek platforms to express their works outside restrictive censorship. Following a 2019 ban on Chinese entertainers from participating due to political conflicts, some actors have recently begun attending again. Despite the challenges, the Golden Horse Awards continue to serve as a critical venue for independent Chinese cinema, which often lacks distribution in mainland China. The awards celebrate artistic freedom and diverse storytelling, providing a contrast to the censorship faced by filmmakers in China.