Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City Government

To recognize filmmakers who played important roles in the shaping of the local movie industry, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin announced the winners of the 2009 Taipei Film Festival (Taipei FF) Lifetime Achievement Award on July 11.
The mayor noted that in addition to existing awards such as the International New Talent Competition, the city has followed the trend of film festivals around the world to set up awards honoring individuals who has contributed to the development of the local film industry. The winners of the new Taipei FF Lifetime Achievement Award are Director Lee Hsing and the former president of Central Motion Picture Corporation Min Chi.
During his address, the mayor also welcomes moviemakers to film their works in Taipei. He noted that the City has established the Taipei Film Commission to promote the city as an ideal venue for films; furthermore, the city government offers up to NT$25 million in production subsidies and other forms of support for filming efforts in the city.
Lee Hsing is well-known for his works since the 1960s, including classics such as “Beautiful Ducking” (1964), “Four Loves” (1965), “The Silent Wife” (1965), “A Boat in the Ocean” (1978), and “Good Morning, Taipei” (1979). He also won numerous awards throughout his career, such as Best Film Award at the Golden Horse Award and Best Director Award at the Asia-Pacific Film Festival.
Min Chi, the former head of Taiwan’s Central Motion Picture Corporation, was a key figure in promoting a new age of Chinese cinema by sponsoring a number of young talents (many of these are celebrities in the Chinese film industry today) such as Hou Hsiao-hsien, Chen Kun-ho, and Wu Nien-jen. Many classical Chinese films were launched during his tenure as the head of the company, including “Growing Up” (1983), “The Sandwich Man” (1983), and “Run Away” (1984),