Chinese stars are gathering in Taipei for Saturday's annual Golden Horse Film Awards, considered the Chinese-language "Oscars," amid controversy and claims of a lackluster year for regional cinema.

Best actor nominees Aaron Kwok, Francis Ng and Sam Lee, from Hong Kong, and best actress hopefuls Carina Lau of Hong Kong and Chinese mainland's Zhou Xun will be among the stars to tread the red carpet at the 43rd awards.

The run-up to the glamorous ceremony was overshadowed by the sudden withdrawal of nominations from internationally acclaimed director Tsai Ming-liang and noted Chinese contemporary Tian Zhuangzhuang.

An angry Tsai, who has won awards at the prestigious Cannes, Berlin and Venice film festivals, vowed to "forever boycott" the Golden Horse awards after judges criticized his latest work, "I Don't Want To Sleep Alone."

During the nomination process, the judges reportedly described the film as indulgent and said Tsai had failed to capture the audience's attention, prompting the Malaysian to withdraw the work in protest.

It had earnt two nominations for best supporting actress and sound effects.

Tian's "The Go Master", nominated for four awards including best actor, was also abruptly withdrawn with no official explanation given.

In a further controversy, Taiwan director Leste Chen -- nominated for four awards -- has been accused of copyright infringement by a screenplay writer and a composer for his hit "Eternal Summer."

The incidents came as cinema critics lamented there were no standout films from the region this year to win the 22 awards on offer.

"This year there is no particular film that catches the eye," said critic Liang Liang.

Fellow critic Steven Tu was equally downbeat, saying few fresh ideas were evident.

Hong Kong director Peter Chan's "Perhaps Love," a musical about a country girl striving to become a star and her relationships with two men, lead the nominations with 12 nods, including best film, best director and best actress.

His main rival is fellow Hong Kong director Johnnie To. A two-time winner for best director, To is vying for a third title with his signature gangster drama "Exiled" about a renegade hit man hunted by two former associates but protected by another pair of killers.

They face strong competition from Taiwan's Su Chao-ping for his ghost movie "Silk" and mainland newcomer Ning Hao for his comedy "Crazy Stone" about the discovery of a priceless stone by factory workers.

Critic Tu said Chan's "Perhaps Love" was not an entirely original idea saying he saw traces of Baz Luhrmann's Oscar-winning "Moulin Rouge."

Actor and singer Aaron Kwok is tipped to win consecutive awards for best actor with his impressive portrayal of a single father indulged in gambling in "After This Our Exile."

"The movie centers around Kwok's character as a bad-tempered, out-of-luck cook which is a breakthrough for him from his pretty boy image in the past," said critic Liang.

His rivals are Francis Ng ("Wo Hu") and Sam Lee ("Dog Bite Dog").

China's Zhou Xun, who recently won best actress at the Hong Kong Film Awards, is a favorite for best actress for her versatile performance in "Perhaps Love."

Her opponents are Siqin Gaowa ("The Postmodern Life of My Aunt"), Lee Sinje ("Re-cycle") and Carina Lau (Curiosity Kills The Cat.")

In the best feature film category, critic Liang favored "Perhaps Love" for its rich, elaborate scenes and strong production.

Vying for the gong are "Exiled," "Crazy Stone," "Silk" and "After This Our Exile."