Taiwanese director Leon Dai holds his four trophies, including for best director and best feature film, at the 46th Golden Horse Awards. (Chiang Ying-ying/Associated Press)The father-daughter story No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti by Taiwanese director Leon Dai has triumphed at the Golden Horse Awards, taking home four trophies.

The prizes, considered the Asian equivalent of the Oscars, were handed out Saturday in Taipei.

"I want to thank my parents, my mentor Edward Yang and the actors of the film," Dai told the audience.

Dai's film, based on a true story and translated from the Spanish title as I Can't Live Without You, chronicles the efforts of a down-and-out man who fights the authorities to get custody of his daughter.

The movie captured a directing prize for Dai as well as awards for best feature film, best screenplay and outstanding Taiwanese film of the year.

The highly touted Like a Dream, by Australian-based filmmaker Clara Law, went in with nine nominations and was shut out. Law had previously been nominated four times in the director category.

The other big winner at the gala was the documentary KJ: Music Life, which was handed trophies for best film editing, sound effects and top documentary.

The non-fiction film examines the frustrations and ruminations of Hong Kong child prodigy Wong Ka-Jeng, who played with a professional orchestra in the Czech Republic at only 11 years old. Seven years later, he conducts an orchestra at his private school, leading his musicians to numerous prizes.

Hong Kong's Nick Cheung tied with China's Huang Bo in the best-actor category, a first ever in the event's 46-year history.

Cheung portrays a kidnapper in The Beast Stalker and Huang is a Chinese villager who protects a dairy cow from Japanese invaders in the black comedy Cow.

"I still want to thank my baby — my big dairy cow. I will give you some good feed when I get back," Huang joked upon accepting his prize. He then revealed how arduous the four-month shoot was, with scenes involving more than 100 takes.

Cow was also honoured with an award for best adapted screenplay for Guan Hu.

China's Li Bingbing, playing an intelligence official for the Japanese-allied government in 1940s China in the thriller The Message, nabbed best actress.

"There were no easy scenes in this movie," Li said in her acceptance speech.

"If you wanted to take it easy or let your form slip in a scene in the movie, you didn't have the chance to do so. This is a very serious movie. It doesn't allow you any margin of error."