BANCIAO, Taiwan — Taiwanese social drama "No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti" won Chinese cinema's top honor — a rare victory for an industry that has been overshadowed by big-budget blockbusters from rival mainland China.

It opens today at Kahala 8 as part of its Spotlight Asia! film series.

While Taiwan — the self-ruled island that split from China in a 1949 civil war — has produced world-class directors like Oscar winner Ang Lee and art-house standouts Edward Yang and Hou Hsiao-hsien, younger filmmakers have struggled to produce commercial hits.

Meanwhile, China's movie market has been booming, churning out lavish historical epics that have drawn talent from Taiwan and Hong Kong.

But the tables were turned when "No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti," a Taiwanese black-and-white film about a working-class single father who struggles to retain custody of his daughter, clinched best picture and best director at the Chinese-language equivalent of the Oscars in November.

Leon Dai's "No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti" also won best original screenplay and outstanding Taiwanese film of the year at the 46th Golden Horse Awards.

While the annual event is held in Taiwan, it is Chinese film's most representative award, drawing jurors from Taiwan, Hong Kong and China.

Not only did Dai direct "No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti," he also produced, edited and wrote the screenplay — highlighting the difficulty Taiwanese filmmakers face in raising funds.