Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival Executive Committee announces on Sep 6th the recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award for the 58th Golden Horse Awards: cinematographer LIN Tsan-ting and director TSAI Yang-ming, both of whom witnessed the high and low of Taiwanese dialect films and pioneered the rise of color motion pictures in Taiwan. When notified of the awarding, LIN says "my gratitude goes to the peers who work with me on motion picture and its techniques"; TSAI also expresses, "films make my life joyful with no regrets"

LIN Tsan-ting (92 yrd) began his film career in 1949, as one of the first apprentices in Agriculture Education Motion Pictures, the predecessor of Central Motion Picture Corporation. In 1957, he officially took the role of cinematographer in LOVE’S CROSSROAD; he shot over 50 Taiwanese dialect films. LIN is one the key person for the transition from B&W to color film in Taiwan film history, taking the lead to learn the techniques of color cinematography in Japan. He then collaborated with director BAI Ching-zue for several significant works like LONELY SEVENTEEN (1967), HOME SWEET HOME (1970), GOOD-BYE DARLING (1970) and THE COLDEST WINTER IN PEKING (1981); LIN has also worked with Steven LIU, CHEN Yao-chi, WANG Toon, LIN Ching-chieh and WAN Jen, promoted younger generation; in 2003, LIN worte and edited the book Cinematography in Taiwan 1945-1970, History and Technical Development. His professional career spanned over 130 films, winning four Golden Horse Awards for Best Cinematography: LONELY SEVENTEEN, LOVE BEGINS HERE (1973), GIRL FRIEND (1975) and THE VICTORY (1976); he also won the Best Cinematography at the Asia Pacific Film Festival for FALLING SNOWFLAKES (1974). LIN is the first cinematographer to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at Golden Horse Awards.

TSAI Yang-ming (82 yrd) started out in 1963 and performed in over 200 Taiwanese dialect films like THE GOLDEN SPEARS (1964), CITY OF SORROW (1964) and LIFE IN THE BACK STREET (1966) under the name “Yang-ming”. TSAI then turned to directing with a varied genres like Wuxia (BIG LAND FLYING EAGLES, 1978), Kung fu (THE PRODIGAL BOXER, 1973), supernatural (GHOST CHASERS, 1985), comedy (HAPPY UNION 2, 1985), gangster (NEVER TOO LATE TO REPENT, 1979; WOMAN REVENGER, 1981) and literary (THE FIRST STITCH, 1984; LOVE IS GROWN WITH FLOWER, 1987). In addition to leading the trend, as Hong Kong gangster movies emerged, TSAI’s directorial works GANGLAND ODYSSEY (1988), FATAL RECALL (1989), AH DAI (1992) brought about a unique flavor and he was thus named "Godfather of Taiwanese Gangster Movies." TSAI received the Star Asia Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2013 New York Asian Film Festival. From a movie star to a film director, TSAI’s career represents significant chapters of Taiwanese film history; in recent years, he continues to collaborate with Taiwan Film & Audiovisual Institute for oral history documenting.

Both recipients have successors to inherit their passion for cinema: LIN’s son Jong LIN is the cinematographer for Ang LEE’s PUSHING HANDS, THE WEDDING BANQUET, EAT DRINK MAN WOMAN, as well as BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM and BLIND MOUNTAIN; TSAI’s son TSAI Yueh-hsun is also an actor-turned-director, helming METEOR GARDEN, THE HOSPITAL, and BLACK & WHITE (TV drama and movie).

The 58th Golden Horse Awards Ceremony will be held on Saturday, November 27th at National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Taipei City, Taiwan. For more info, please check the official website.