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Hou’s “The Assassin” tops Golden Horse Awards

Taiwan Today
Date: November 23, 2015

“The Assassin” by renowned Taiwan filmmaker Hou Hsiao-hsien was the biggest

Internationally celebrated director Hou Hsiao-hsien (right) receives the Golden Horse Award for best director from fellow Taiwan filmmaker Ang Lee Nov. 21 in Taipei City. (CNA)

winner at the 52nd Golden Horse Awards Nov. 21 in Taipei City, walking away with five major honors including best director and best feature film at the most important Chinese-language movie event of the year.

Set in Tang dynasty (618-907) China, the martial arts epic follows the exploits of a female assassin struggling with her conscience. The film also picked up Golden Horse accolades for its cinematography, makeup and costume design, and sound effects.

The win capped off a fruitful year for “The Assassin,” which earned Hou the best director award at this year’s Cannes International Film Festival in May. Hou attributed the success to his longtime film crew, and said he will continue to pursue advances in cinema. [FULL STORY]

Politicians’ son caught in scuffle with cameraman

Taipei Times
Date: Nov 24, 2015
By: Stacy Hsu / Staff reporter

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chang Ching-chung (張慶忠) yesterday

Chang Chun-yung, center, reacts as he is caught on camera as he is trying to snatch a camera from CtiTV cameraman Kuo Hsien-yang at the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) 121st anniversary celebration in New Taipei City’s Banciao District on Sunday. Photo: Yu Heng, Taipei Times

said that a man caught on camera beating a television news cameraman at the KMT’s 121st anniversary celebration on Sunday afternoon was his youngest son.

Chang told the Chinese-language Apple Daily that it was his third son, Chang Chun-yung (張鈞詠), who was seen assaulting CtiTV cameraman Kuo Hsien-yang (郭先揚) at the event in New Taipei City’s Banciao District (板橋).

Chang said it was the first time his son had attended such an event.

“My wife [KMT New Taipei City Councilor Chen Ching-ting (陳錦錠)] will take care of the matter and she is very sorry about this,” he said. [FULL STORY]

Repeat goers make Our Times highest-grossing Taiwanese movie of all time in Singapore

Repeat moviegoers have helped make the coming-of-age film the highest-grossing Taiwanese movie of all time in Singapore

Straits Times
Date: Nov 22, 2015
By: Gwendolyn Ng

Ms Lim Ka Min loved the coming- of-age Taiwanese movie Our Times so much,

The hit Taiwanese film Our Times has drawn hordes of repeat moviegoers with its relatable themes and endearing characters. It stars Vivian Sung (left) as nerdy wallflower Truly Lin and Darren Wang (right) as bad-boy charmer Hsu Tai-yu in an unlikely romance.PHOTO: TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX

she watched it a second time – alone.

“I don’t want any one to judge me when I cry. I cried harder when I watched it again,” says the 21-year-old student.

Repeat moviegoers like her have contributed to making Our Times the highest-grossing Taiwanese movie of all time in Singapore, with more than $3.5 million earned at the box office. The high school romance is television producer Frankie Chen’s directorial debut.

Still screening at cinemas here, it surpasses the previous record of close to $3 million set by another Taiwanese youth romance You Are The Apple Of My Eye (2011).

It is also the second-highest grossing Chinese film this year, behind Jack Neo’s movie Ah Boys To Men 3: Frogmen ($7.63 million). [FULL STORY]

From Tokyo to Taipei, a growing acceptance for LGBT people

In a region imbued with the Confucian ideals of filial respect and saving face, the toughest battles are within families.

The Christian Science Monitor
Date: November 22, 2015
By Gavin Blair, Correspondent

Tokyo — When it come to homosexuality, the Confucian cultures of East Asia can

Revelers participate in a gay pride parade in Taipei, Taiwan, Oct. 31, 2015. Thousands took to the streets in support of gay pride in Taiwan last month.
Chiang Ying-ying/AP

be quite conservative, though they don’t share the religious or moral objections of Judeo-Christian-Islamic countries.

But across a region becoming steadily more urban and cosmopolitan, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people (LGBT) communities are experiencing a changes in attitudes and a greater legal recognition that echoes the trend in the West towards much greater acceptance of equality.

Last weekend some 80,000 people from around East Asia converged on Taipei for the Oct. 31 Taiwan Pride parade, the biggest such event in the region. It was followed by a record 10,000 marchers in the Hong Kong Pride Parade. In Japan, that same November evening saw the broadcast of “Transit Girls,” the first TV drama here about a lesbian couple. [FULL STORY]

Taiwan NGO shelves free trade zone referendum amid anti-China sentiment

Reuters
Date: Nov 22, 2015
By: Faith Hung and Yimou Lee

A Taiwan NGO that promotes engagement with China has called off its push for a

Soldiers from the mine disposal unit stand in front of anti-landing barricades along a coast in Kinmen in this May 18, 2009 file photo. REUTERS/Pichi Chuang/Files

referendum on whether to set up a free trade zone allowing unfettered Chinese investment, its founder said, amid growing anti-China sentiment on an island Beijing considers its own.

Chinese President Xi Jinping this month met his Taiwan counterpart, Ma Ying-jeou, in the first meeting between leaders of the two sides since China’s civil war ended in 1949.

Some observers saw the meetings as a step forward in improving ties, others as a polarization of positions weeks before Taiwan holds elections in which the pro-China ruling Kuomintang (KMT) is expected to be trounced. [FULL STORY]

Taiwan issues travel warning for Belgium following terror alert

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-11-22
By: Ko Lin, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Sunday issued a travel advisory for

Taiwan issues travel warning for Belgium. Associated Press

citizens planning to travel to Belgium following the terrorist attacks on Paris last week.

The ministry said it is signaling a “yellow” travel advisory for Belgium, warning people to exercise caution and to consider the postponement of such travel plans.

“Republic of China nationals are advised to exercise caution in public places and follow the advice of the local authorities,” the advisory read.

Under Taiwan’s four-color system, the lowest level is gray, followed by yellow, orange, and red, the highest warning level, which advises people to refrain from traveling to the country or area in question. [FULL STORY]

Taiwan bans imports of GM salmon from U.S.

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/11/22
By: W.T. Chen and Lillian Lin

Taipei, Nov. 22 (CNA) Genetically modified (GM) salmon from the United States

Non-GM salmon. (CNA file photo)

cannot be imported as foodstuffs or ingredients, unless it is inspected and licensed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the Ministry of Health and Welfare, a ministry official said Sunday.

Referring to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s recent announcement that it had given approval to GM salmon for food, Chou Pei-ju (周珮如), an FDA section chief, said since Taiwan’s food inspection authorities at the moment have no inspection procedure for GM salmon, such fish products from the U.S. are not allowed to be imported. [FULL STORY]

HQ for ‘voting out candidates’ opened

TAKING AIM:A spokesperson for one of the organizations that helped found the new headquarters said it has already targeted the KMT’s three worst incumbent lawmakers

Taipei Times
Date: Nov 23, 2015
By Stacy Hsu and Chang An-chiao / Staff reporters

A group of activist organizations yesterday established a “Headquarters for Voting

Supporters of Taiwan’s first Headquarters for Voting Out Candidates yesterday march through the streets of New Taipei City. Photo: Chang An-chiao, Taipei Times

Out Candidates” (落選總部) in New Taipei City, announcing Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislative candidates Liao Cheng-ching (廖正井), Chang Ching-chung (張慶忠) and Wu Yu-sheng (吳育昇) as their primary targets.

The headquarters — on Jingping Road in the city’s Jhonghe District (中和) — was jointly founded by four activist groups, including The People Rule, the Taiwan March, the Appendectomy Project and the Congressional Investigation Corps.

“Last year’s Appendectomy Project recall campaign, which was aimed at ousting unqualified legislators, successfully prompted the second recall referendum in the nation’s history,” Appendectomy Project spokesperson Lin Zu-yi (林祖儀) said at the headquarters’ launch ceremony. [FULL STORY]

Hou Hsiao-hsien grabs third Golden Horse best director

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-11-21
By: Central News Agency

Taipei, Nov. 21 (CNA) Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao-hsien captured his third

Hou Hsiao-hsien grabs third Golden Horse best director. Central News Agency (2015-11-22 00:05:56)

Golden Horse Award for best director on Saturday with the film “The Assassin,” a martial arts arthouse epic set in the Tang Dynasty.

“The Assassin” went into the event with a leading 11 nominations, including best feature film. It is the eighth time that Hou has been nominated for the best director award and his third win.

He previously won the award in 1989 with “A City of Sadness” and in 1995 with “Good Men, Good Women.” He was also named Outstanding Taiwanese Filmmaker of the Year at the Golden Horse Awards this year.

Judges praised Hou’s craftship in “The Assassin,” saying his “unique techniques have revitalized the genre of martial arts films.” “Thank you judges of the Golden Horse Awards. I haven’t won the best director award in a long time. I would like to thank my crew,” said the 68-year-old director, who received the award from Oscar-winning director Ang Lee and Taiwanese actress Shu Qi. [FULL STORY]

Golden Horse Awards 2015

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/11/21
By: Christie Chen

Taipei, Nov. 21 (CNA) The 52nd Golden Horse Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place at the National Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Taipei later Saturday.

A total of 39 films will compete for awards in 22 categories.

The ceremony will be hosted by model and actress Lin Chi-ling and TV host Mickey Huang, and broadcast by Taiwan Television Enterprise (TTV).

Oscar-winning director Ang Lee and Hong Kong action star Jackie Chan will be among the award presenters.

A red carpet event will begin at 5:30 p.m., followed by the award ceremony at 7 p.m. [FULL STORY]

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