11 nominations for Lust, Caution

Spy thriller Lust, Caution, directed by award-winning filmmaker Ang Lee, finally had its identity settled in Taiwan after it netted 11 nominations for the Golden Horse Awards yesterday.

The news was of some consolation to Lee after the movie was barred from the Hong Kong Film Awards and the US Academy Awards' best foreign language movie category because it was neither Hong Kong nor Taiwanese enough.

The US awards' entry rules required artists from a particular region to have a majority control in the film-making, and the Hong Kong awards required the movie to at least be made by a local director and a locally registered film company.

The movie had two US and two Japanese film companies involved.

The organiser of the Golden Horse Awards, which will be on December 8, announced that the film was shortlisted for 11 awards, including best film, best director, best actor and best actress. Also competing for best film are What on Earth Have I Done Wrong? directed by Taiwanese director Niu Chen-zer, Tuya's Marriage by mainland director Wang Quanan, his compatriot Zhang Yang's Getting Home and Tony Ayres' The Home Song Stories.

Meanwhile, at the Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival gala held in Suzhou last night, Hong Kong actress Carina Lau Ka-ling shared the best actress prize with mainland actress Yan Bingyan. Lau starred in Curiosity Kills the Cats, and Yan won for her performance in Teeth of Love.