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Taiwanese family drama When Love Comes has won best film at the Golden Horse awards - seen as the Chinese-language Oscars - in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan.

The low-budget movie about the lives of four women beat Hong Kong martial arts epic Bodyguards and Assassins and China's Judge to win the top award.

China's Lu Liping won best actress for emotional drama City Monkey.

And Tawian pop idol Ethan Juan Ching-tien was named best actor for his role in gangster movie Monga.

Acclaimed Taiwanese director Chang Tso-chi collected his second best picture award for When Love Comes, which led the race with 14 nominations and took another two technical prizes.

"I want to thank my team and my parents. I didn't let them down," he said at the ceremony.

Chang last won the coveted prize for the 2002 drama The Best of Times.

The best director award went to Taiwan's Chung Mong-hong for The Fourth Portrait about marriages of convenience and domestic violence.

It was a surprise win for Chung, who saw off favourites Chang and Hong Kong's Teddy Chen for Bodyguards and Assassins.

"I am so happy. This is such a surprise. I thought director Chang Tso-chi deserved it more," he said as he collected his award.

The film, which touched on other social issues including child abuse and prostitution, also picked up awards for outstanding Taiwanese film of the year and best supporting actress for China's Hao Lei.

Despite being nominated for nine awards, Teddy Chen's film only picked up one for best makeup and costume design.

Hong Kong martial art master Sammo Hung won his second consecutive award for best action choreography for Ip Man 2, the life story of the mentor of kung fu star Bruce Lee.

The awards, in their 47th year, judge Chinese-language films from Taiwan, China including Hong Kong and Macau, and Malaysia and Singapore.

Once closed to films from mainland China, the Golden Horse began allowing movies from there in the 1990s. Past winners mainly came from Hong Kong and Taiwan.