Malaysian-born directors Chong Keat Aun (張吉安) and Lau Kek-Huat (廖克發) have been making waves recently with their feature films, “Mother Bhumi (地母)” and “The Waves Will Carry Us (人生海海)”. In addition to receiving rave reviews, their projects are also up for several awards at the upcoming Taipei Golden Horse Awards (第62屆金馬獎).
On 1st October 2025 (Wednesday), the Taipei Golden Horse Awards announced the nominees for its 62nd edition, taking place on 22nd November 2025 (Saturday). As one of the major award ceremonies in the Chinese-speaking film industry, all eyes were on the nominees. As announced during the nomination ceremony, “Mother Bhumi” and “The Waves Will Carry Us” scored an astonishing eight and five nominations, respectively.
“Mother Bhumi”, directed by Chong Keat Aun, has received critical acclaim since its film festival debut earlier this year. The film follows a female farmer in late 1990s Malaysia who seeks the truth behind her husband’s mysterious death. The movie received eight nominations for the upcoming Golden Horse Awards, including Best Narrative Feature, Best Director for Chong Keat Aun and Best Leading Actress for Fan Bingbing (范冰冰).
Likewise, “The Waves Will Carry Us” also received rave reviews since its release. The movie by Malaysian-born director Lau Kek-Huat talks about a Malaysian-Chinese man who returns to his homeland for his father’s funeral, only to learn about his father’s secret conversion to Islam, leading him on a darkly comedic journey to reclaim the body. The film is up for five awards, including Best Narrative Feature, Best Original Screenplay and Best Director for Lau Kek-Huat.
The complete lists of nominations for both movies are as follows:
“Mother Bhumi”
- Best Narrative Feature
- Best Director – Chong Keat Aun
- Best Leading Actress – Fan Bingbing
- Best Original Film Score – Chong Keat Aun, Yii Kah-hoe
- Best Original Film Song – “Bhujanga”: Lyrics by Chong Keat Aun, Composed and performed by Penny Tai
- Best Cinematography – Leung Ming Kai
- Best Sound Effects – Tu Duu-chih, Fiona Chang, Chen Kuan-ting
- Best Make-up & Costume Design – Elaine Ng, Gary Chan, Kate Kua, Daphne Wong
“The Waves Will Carry Us”
- Best Narrative Feature
- Best Director – Lau Kek-huat
- Best Supporting Actress – Vera Chen
- Best Original Screenplay – Lau Kek-huat
- Best Original Film Score – Thomas Foguenne
With both films going up against each other in several categories, the competition is undoubtedly fierce. Nevertheless, we wish the best for both projects and filmmakers.
Sources: Golden Horse Awards, Screen Daily
