‘Dune,’ ‘Lucky Lu’ Star Chang Chen Named Golden Horse Awards Chair

Taiwanese actor Chang Chen has been elected chair of the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival Executive Committee, taking over from cinematographer Mark Lee Ping-bing, who completes his four-year tenure. The position carries a two-year term with the possibility of one re-election.

Lee, who assumed the role in 2021 from filmmaker Ang Lee, highlighted his focus during his tenure on maintaining the Golden Horse’s independence and impartiality while supporting emerging filmmakers on the international stage.

“After years of reflection and observation, I believe that the Golden Horse must stay innovative and energetic, and so must its chair,” Lee said in a statement. “The candidate who came to my mind was Chang Chen, whose cinematic achievements speak for themselves and whose ability to evolve with the times is especially rare.”

Lee noted that Ang Lee strongly supported the selection, and thanked Motion Picture and Film Promotion Recreation Organization Republic of China president Kevin Chu and the board of directors for their approval.

Chang made his acting debut in Edward Yang’s “A Brighter Summer Day” in 1991. He has earned six Golden Horse nominations for best leading actor, winning twice — for “The Soul” in 2021 and “Lucky Lu” in 2025. His performance in “Lucky Lu” also received a nomination for best lead performance at this year’s Film Independent Spirit Awards.

The actor has collaborated with some of Asia’s most acclaimed directors, including Hou Hsiao-hsien, Edward Yang, Ang Lee, Wong Kar Wai, Tian Zhuang-zhuang, John Woo and Chung Mong-hong. His international credits include Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune: Part One,” Sabu’s “Mr. Long” and Kim Ki-duk’s “Breath.”

“Through Mark’s explanations and those of CEO Wen Tien-hsiang, I began to reflect: beyond acting, what more could I contribute to cinema?” Chang said. “With the professional Golden Horse team in place, I felt reassured in accepting this entirely new challenge.”

Chang referenced a summer theater production directed by Sylvia Chang for the Gosh Foundation as inspiration for accepting the role, citing her decades-long dedication to performance and visual arts. He also invoked “Forrest Gump,” saying: “Perhaps, like ‘Forrest Gump,’ I should simply keep running. I hope the next Golden Horse will remain true to its spirit, as it has always been, and together we will keep running toward an even brighter day.”