TAIPEI, Taiwan—A dark melodrama by a controversial Chinese director heads the entries in the best film category at Taiwan's Golden Horse Film festival—the Chinese-language Oscars—catapulting the mainland cinema to center stage at the event.

Lou Ye's "Mystery" tells the story of a mild-mannered woman who mounts a radical revenge after uncovering her husband's infidelity.

Aside from best picture award at Saturday's ceremony, Lou is also up for best director and female protagonist Hao Lei is a candidate for best actress.

Lou's films have long focused on sensitive subjects like sex, violence and politics and have repeatedly been censored by China's cultural authorities. He was prohibited from filmmaking for five years after submitting "Summer Palace" to the Cannes festival without government approval in 2006.