SINGAPORE — Twenty-four hours after his debut feature film, Ilo Ilo, swept four awards at the Golden Horse Awards, writer-director Anthony Chen was still in shock.

On the 50th anniversary of Taiwan’s premier film award ceremony, the Singapore film beat out fierce competition from some of the most established names in Asian cinema to clinch the biggest prize of the night, Best Feature Film, as well as awards for Best Original Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress for Yeo Yann Yann and Best New Director.

“I think everyone could see from my expression on live TV that I was completely in shock!” Mr Chen told TODAY over the phone from Taiwan yesterday about his win over films directed by big names such as Wong Kar Wai and Johnnie To. “It still feels ridiculously untrue that our little film has won over these films by great masters with bigger budgets and bigger canvases.”

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong congratulated Mr Chen, as well as the film’s cast and crew on his Facebook page, saying he hopes that “this success will spur you and our other local film-makers to continue telling great stories”.

Ilo Ilo could yet make history again if it gets nominated for a Golden Globe and Academy Award in the foreign film category. The Oscars shortlist will be out in January.

The 29-year-old director, however, downplays the growing excitement over the possibilities. “I’m not sure what kind of effect Ilo Ilo will have in America. I don’t want to think about it. I’m just going to be grateful.”

What Mr Chen is already grateful for is the opportunity to meet his personal hero and Golden Horse jury chairman, Brokeback Mountain and Life Of Pi director Lee Ang. In fact, Mr Chen did not just get to meet him, he got to have a hotpot dinner with the Oscar winner at a post-award party organised by Ilo Ilo’s Taiwan distributor.

“He said that to have started so high in my career, it’s going to be really hard to follow up!” said Mr Chen, laughing. “But he did say that the most important thing is to follow my gut and follow my heart to make good decisions on what to do next.”

Ilo Ilo made just under S$1 million at the Singapore box office during its run — S$100,000 short of the target the team had hoped to achieve. Golden Village, however, is bringing the film back to cinemas following its Golden Horse wins. GENEVIEVE LOH