Lee, 51, has made a career of depicting the struggles of outsiders, and his latest film explores the forbidden love between two cowboys.

Best known for his 2000 martial arts epic "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," which won four Oscars, Lee reshaped Hollywood filmmaking with his risky portrayal of gay sexuality in a mainstream movie.

Accepting his award, Lee thanked the fictional characters of his film, based on a short story by Annie Proulx.

"Their names are Ennis and Jack, and they taught all of us who made 'Brokeback Mountain' so much about not just the gay men and women whose love is denied by society but, just as important, the greatness of love itself."

The director, who has lived in the United States since 1978, also thanked his father, who encouraged him to accept the risky project after his big-budget feature "Hulk" flopped, but who subsequently died.

"I just did this movie after my father passed away. More than any other, I made this for him," Lee said, also thanking his wife and two children, telling them: "On Brokeback, I felt you with me every day."

Lee finished his acceptance speech by tapping into his Asian roots, thanking his "connections" in Taiwan, Hong Kong and China.