BEIJING, Nov. 15 -- Hong Kong blockbusters swept the major prizes of Taiwan's 42nd Golden Horse Film Awards, considered one of the top awards events of the Chinese-language film industry.

Stephen Chow ("Kung Fu Hustle") was the big winner, with best picture and best director awards, his first Golden Horses. But he was not present to claim his prizes.

Set in 1930s Shanghai, Chow's trademark slapstick comedy has broken through to overseas distribution, particularly the United States.

In what may have been the biggest surprise of this year's Golden Horse awards, Aaron Kwok ("Divergence") edged out fellow Hong Konger Tony Leung for best actor.

Kwok said he had not starred in many movies and the award marked "another beginning" for his career.

Also vying with Leung in the best actor category were Taiwan's Chang Chen ("Three Times"), and Chen Kun ("A West Lake Moment").

Taiwanese screen siren Hsu Chi, five-time Golden Horse nominee, walked away with the best actress award for her role in the three-segment romance "Three Times."

Hsu's rivals were Chen Shiang-chyi ("The Wayward Cloud"), Miriam Yeung ("Drink, Drank, Drunk") and Michelle Krusiec ("Saving Face").

Taiwanese pop sensation Jay Chou, a singer-songwriter and one of the Chinese-language music industry's biggest names, won for best new performer with "Initial D," signaling the appearance of a new Asian film presence.

"I'm not very confident about acting, unlike my music," Chou said in his acceptance speech. "But after winning this award, getting this recognition, I'm very happy."

Six out of 10 film critics surveyed by the Taipei-based Ming Sheng Daily had favored Leung to take home one of the 18 Golden Horses for his role in "Election," the story of a bloody power struggle in a Hong Kong gang society.

Critics had expected Chow to win for best director following his sweep of the Hong Kong Film Awards earlier this year for "Kung Fu Hustle," the most commercially successful movie in the competition.

An array of stars paraded along the blue carpet at the cultural center in northern Keelung city, where police tightened security after the first death threat in the history of the Golden Horse awards.

A man who demanded five million Taiwan dollars (US$148,809) from event organizers was arrested earlier in the week.

"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" director Ang Lee and heart-throb actor Takeshi Kaneshiro attended the gala but Hong Kong superstar Jackie Chan and Andy Lau, injured on location in Beijing, were not in the VIP crowd.

Hong Kong blockbusters eclipsed Taiwanese art house films at this year's event, with Hong Kong director Johnnie To's "Election" up for 11 Golden Horses including best director and best picture, and "Kung Fu Hustle" nominated in 10 categories.

Legendary Taiwanese auteur Hou Hsiao-hsien's "Three Times" lost to Chow despite nine nominations.

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Wow! Super. Just wondering it is Gigi designing clothing, how come she dress like that? No offense. I like her too, but her choice of dresses this time is really

uHHH i don't know, but i think i've seen fei fei wear that dress before at the tvb anniversary...or maybe the dress is designed so they all look alike...awWW miriam looks nice. still can't believe shu qi won...she doesn't deserve it!

takeshi looks absolutely fabulous..and charlie yeung looks really reallynice too....miriam's dress is very formal but she looks nice in it...i quite like shu qi's dress too..somethin different...

it was a surprise for me that aron won i thought that other guy from 3 times was goin to win

Fei Fei dress is same with the one during Gala Spectacular 2005 (po leung kuk charity show). why she recycle her dress to attend such a grand event?

actually i think gigi purposely dress up a more conservative dress then later she change another one during the prize presentation.

miriam dress is way too formal, although she look ok in it but doesn't make her look radiant and outstanding..

shu qi got the best dressing sense among all taiwanese female artist that nite.

Wow ... Aaron got best actor...
so cool... i thought that he did
very good in teh movie...
I think that he might become next andy lau...hahahaha

Shu Qi looks great in that picture. Congratulation to Aaron for winning the best actor award.

nothing wrong w/ recyling the dress..and no offense but most of fei fei dress look alike...they are just in different colors...she doesnt have much options w/ her dress because they are usually cover up..either solid or w/ patterns

wow!..omg..takeshi kaneshiro looks so hot i swear to god..i was like hmmmMmm...drooling..lol..miriam dressed up so unlike her but i like it still...gigi leung dressed up so cute..lol..i like her hairdo...charlie yeung looks sexy too...

Miriam and Kelly looks very elegant in the dress and Kelly alwiz look so seductive.....Charlie looks great too for her age.....Shu Qi looks a bit weird in the dress or is it the dress that makes her look weird

aaron won?? hmmmm... it's a surprise.. i was voting for tony leung.. =D

i muz agree dat takeshi is HOT!~!~ hehehehehe

havent seen the movie election,but aaron must act pretty good to beat tony leung.have always liked aaron singing,but his acting is only ok.maybe he deserve this award this time.

ohhh miriam's dress looks so pretty ^^...Stephen Chow with best director woooot!

wow hk actually did really well... the stars all look so nice. although i don't like what gigi's wearing.. she still looks pretty. miriam and charlie look beautiful. aaron and takeshi look HOT. i'm glad aaron won best actor.. although it is a little surprising.

They all look great! I don't really like Gigi's dress though. Takeshi is always so hot!!

why is fay fay there, the fat women. she is so annoying , but i heard she has a gangster background

Miriam doesnt look like shes dressed for the red carpret. Her hair is too simply made for this event. I only thought Charile yeung anf Shi Qi looks glamrous for this event!!

i like Charlie and Shu Chi's dresses da most ... Miriam's dress is a bit too. i dunno now to say it, but if it didn't have da gwn shape at the bottom, it'll look a lot better. Lam Hei Lui's dress looks very elegant ... but dunno why it seems not as god as Charlie's and Shu Chi .. maybe it's becoz it's black .... she can try other colors too it'll loook definitel more lively ... and as for Gigi... I dunno.... it's too "exciting" when it's for an award ceremony ... she looks more like a model doing a catwalk....

really looking forward to the Hong Kong film award ...

i am surprised aaron won, i always thought he just sang, anywayz congrats to him

Shu Qi looks really gorgeous in her dress!! And Charlie's since I think wearing black is so somber and strange!!

I didn't know that divergence was so good, I watched and divergence was in a lot of nomination... I know that Kung Fu and Election will have a big fight over wards, but divergence was surprising... and the award went to aaron was surprising too

Honk Kong movie production is taking over the Golden Horse Award! Almost every award belongs to HK!

i couldnt believe that Aaron won the award... it's too surprising..~~~~ i love all the actor/actress dress~