Hong King film ‘A Simple Life’ wins big at the Golden Horse Film Awards

A Simple Life, directed by Hong Kong’s Ann Hui, took home three of the four major awards at the Golden Horse Awards in Taiwan, which is also known as the Chinese-language Oscars. The film took home awards for best actor, best actress and best director. However, the film that took home the best picture award was Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Warriors of the Rainbow is a lengthy, four and a half-hour historical drama made in Taiwan. The film, which is shown in two separate parts, focuses on an aboriginal tribe’s fight against its Japanese colonial rulers. “I am very happy to be standing here,” director Wei Te-sheng said at the 48th annual ceremony.

A Simple Life features Deanie Ip as a domestic helper coping with her age while working for her younger master, played by Andy Lau, reports The Associated Press.

Ip, 64, said at the ceremony that she was happy to be able to be a part of a major film in her later career. "I want to thank director Ann Hui and Andy Lau for giving me this opportunity to play so I can be so lucky in my old days," she said, according to Agence France-Presse.

Mainland Chinese films mostly lost out at the ceremony, which is modeled after the Academy Awards and the Cannes Film Festival. Close to 30 films from China, Taiwan and Hong Kong were nominated for awards.