This year's Golden Horse Film Awards in Taiwan will be highlighted by many mainland film talents and Ang Lee's spy thriller Lust, Caution vying for half of the awards.

On the list of nominees announced on Saturday, Lust, Caution appears 11 times, almost half the number of total awards, including best director, best actor, best actress and best film.

The other four competitors for best film are Qing Fei De Yi, The Home Song Stories, and mainland films Getting Home and Tuya's Marriage.

Challenging Taiwan-born Ang Lee in the best director category are veteran Hong Kong script writer and first-time director Yau Nai-Hoi (Eye in the Sky), Wang Quan'an (Tuya's Marriage), and Li Yang (Blind Mountain). The last two are both from the mainland.

Lust, Caution's Tony Leung is up for the best actor award. His rivals include Hong Kong singer and actor Aaron Kwok (The Detective) and prominent mainland comedian Zhao Benshan (Getting Home).

Best actress will be selected from four mainland-born actresses, namely Yu Nan (Tuya's Marriage), Joan Chen (The Home Song Stories), Li Bingbing (The Knot), and Tang Wei (Lust, Caution).

Tang Wei was also nominated for best new performer.

Mainland actor and director Jiang Wen's The Sun Also Rises, which lost Venice's Golden Lion award to Lust, Caution, got two nominations for best screenplay adaptation and best editing.

Taiwan pop king Jay Chou's directorial debut, Secret, managed to bag five nominations, including best original film song and best Taiwan film of the year.

Jay Chou will also vie to be named best Taiwan filmmaker of the year along with Ang Lee and Qing Fei De Yi director Doze Niu.

The final winners will be announced on December 8.
 
(CRI.cn October 29, 2007)