Golden Horse Awards: Zhang Yimou finally bags coveted Best Director prize with Shadow

Acclaimed Chinese director Zhang Yimou, 68, finally took home the Golden Horse Award for Best Director - the first in his decades-long career - for his almost entirely black-and-white period piece Shadow, rendered in the style of a Chinese ink painting.

He picked up the award at the ceremony held in Taipei on Saturday night (Nov 17). The Golden Horse Awards is often dubbed the Oscars of Chinese-language film and while Zhang is renowned, this was, remarkably, his first nomination for Best Director.

Shadow, which took home three other technical prizes, was nominated for 12 awards.

Speaking to reporters backstage, Zhang said he did not prepare any speech as other directors who were nominated were "all very outstanding".

"Although this was my first nomination, I thought maybe I would have other chances in future," he quipped.

Best Feature Film was won by An Elephant Sitting Still, which also won for Best Adapted Screenplay. The movie's director Hu Bo, who wrote the novel the film is based on, committed suicide at the age of 29 last year.

Hsieh Ying-xuan, 38, of Taiwan went home with the Best Leading Actress honour for her portrayal of a widow fighting with her late husband's male lover for his insurance payout in Dear EX. She edged out popular actresses Sun Li and Zhou Xun, among others.

The film, which touches on themes of homosexuality and its place in society, comes at a time when Taiwan will be holding a referendum on whether the island's civil law should recognise same-sex marriage later this month.

Chinese actor Xu Zheng, 46, won Best Leading Actor for Dying To Survive - a smash hit in China based on the story of Lu Yong, who was arrested in 2013 after illegally importing a generic cancer drug in a case that sparked public debate about high medical costs.

The 55th edition of the annual awards was one of the more star-studded ones in recent years.

Led by Oscar-winning Taiwanese-American director Lee Ang, who is chairman of the award's executive committee, this year saw the return of superstar Gong Li, who famously had an ugly feud with the awards in 2014 after she failed to win the Best Actress honour.

Gong chaired this year's jury, seemingly burying the hatchet with the awards show, which she once deemed amateur and unprofessional.

This year also saw guests like Hong Kong actor Andy Lau walk the red carpet, as well as A-list celebrities Carina Lau, Rene Liu and Eason Chan.

Taiwanese and Hong Kong talents took home the first crop of acting awards. Ding Ning, 48, dressed in a slinky gold number, won Best Supporting Actress for Cities Of Last Things while veteran Hong Kong stage actor Ben Yuen, 54, took home the honour for Best Supporting Actor with his role in Tracey.

Best New Performer went to Long Time No Sea's Si Pangoyod, a child star and a member of the indigenous Tao people of Taiwan. The 14-year-old star embraced his mother, who cried with joy when his name was called. The boy appeared on the red carpet in a vest and underwear - his people's traditional wear - but changed into a shirt and pants for the main ceremony.

The Best New Director award was scooped up by Wen Muye for Dying To Survive. He beat singer Rene Liu, who made her directorial debut with Netflix film Us And Them - about two strangers who meet on a train and develop a bond.

Singapore director James Leong's documentary Umbrella Diaries: The First Umbrella - on the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong in 2014 - lost out to Our Youth In Taiwan.

Best feature film: An Elephant Sitting Still

Best director: Zhang Yimou

Best leading actor: Xu Zheng

Best leading actress: Hsieh Ying-xuan

Best supporting actor: Ben Yuen

Best supporting actress: Ding Ning

Best new director: Wen Muye

Best new performer: Si Pangoyod

Best documentary: Our Youth In Taiwan

Best original screenplay: Dying To Survive

Best adapted screenplay: An Elephant Sitting Still

Best art direction: Shadow

Best make-up and costume design: Shadow

Best action choreography: Hidden Man

Best film editing: Dear EX

Best visual effects: Shadow

Best sound effects: Long Day's Journey Into Night

Best original film score: Long Day's Journey Into Night

Best original film song: Bali Song by Lee Ying-hung (Dear EX)

Best animated feature: On Happiness Road

Best live action short film: A Final Reunion

Best animated short film: Where Am I Going?

Best cinematography: Long Day's Journey Into Night

Special contribution award: Liao Ching-sung

Outstanding Taiwanese film-maker of the year: Saburo Liu