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Opposition stirs controversy over festival funding

"As a regulator of the film industry, the GIO should try its best to encourage filmmakers rather than giving them a hard time."

Shen Chih-hwei, PFP legislative leader

More politicians yesterday entered the fray over the Golden Horse film festival as opposition lawmakers blasted the government for threatening to end funding for the festival for political reasons.

But legislators from the ruling camp defended the move, saying the festival has long been accused of unfair play.

The controversy surfaced Thursday when the Chinese-language media revealed that organizers of the film festival turned down advice to invite President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) to the annual event.

Arthur Iap (葉國興), director-general of the Government Information Office (GIO), told reporters later the same day his agency considered halting financial aid to the event in line with the call to "separate politics from arts."

PFP legislative leader Shen Chih-hwei (沈智慧) took issue with Iap's speech and said that her caucus would seek to remove Iap's perks from next year's budget plan if the GIO withholds funding for the festival in the future.

"As a regulator of the film industry, the GIO should try its best to encourage filmmakers rather than giving them a hard time," Shen said. "Having the president or other officials address the ceremony does nothing to realize that end."

Fellow PFP Legislator Diane Lee (李慶安) also criticized the government, saying the country's film industry has long been in recession.

"Political influence of any kind is improper and undesirable if the film industry is to survive," she said. "By seeking to withhold financial aid, the GIO apparently aims to punish the organizers for failing to heed its order."

This year's film festival will culminate in a glamorous awards ceremony tonight in Kaohsiung City.

DPP Legislator Lee Ming-hsien (李明憲) said there would be nothing wrong in having President Chen attend an event in which other politicians have already taken part.

He pointed out that KMT Legislator Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) delivered a speech at the ceremony during his stint as Kaohsiung mayor.

Lee supports calls to deny the festival funding, noting that, over the years, film critics have questions the fairness of the event's rules.

"It seems odd that an increasing number of award-winners are from China and Hong Kong," he said.
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