Since Beijing launched a boycott of the Golden Horse Awards in 2018, China has not participated in the Taiwanese film awards.
However, this year, unlike in the past few years, multiple Chinese-themed films — featuring the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as women’s and labor issues — were nominated.
Despite difficulties, some Chinese filmmakers, actors and crews still visited Taiwan late last month to take part in the awards ceremony. On the Internet, many Chinese seem to believe that Taiwan is the only place that gives respect to Chinese-language films and cherishes film talent.
There is no right or wrong in art. To quote Taiwanese director Ang Lee (李安): “Art is art. I don’t want any politics to interfere with the Golden Horse Awards, and I hope that everyone will respect this and give respect to filmmakers as well.”
Looking back at China’s film and television creation over the past few years, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has imposed constant restrictions.
The highly criticized 34th Golden Rooster Awards in China in 2021 serve as an example, and the sorrow that many Chinese expressed online was understandable.
All six films nominated that year for Best Feature Film except Sister (我的姐姐) were “tributes” to the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CCP. Even the “little pink” CCP supporters asked: “Were they nominated to fill the vacancies because there were no good movies?”
The Golden Horse Awards, the Golden Rooster Awards and the Hong Kong Film Awards recognize the creations of Chinese-language filmmakers. For example, at the 60th Golden Horse Awards this year, the slate of outstanding nominees caused much discussion on major Chinese Web sites.
Although Beijing has not yet lifted its boycott of the awards, I believe that more filmmakers from all sides will participate in the event next year.
When walking under the sun, people cast a shadow, but when they are not afraid of the shadow, their works shine.
Liy Wu is a journalist.
Translated by Eddy Chang
With the Year of the Snake reaching its conclusion on Monday next week, now is an opportune moment to reflect on the past year — a year marked by institutional strain and national resilience. For Taiwan, the Year of the Snake was a composite of political friction, economic momentum, social unease and strategic consolidation. In the political sphere, it was defined less by legislative productivity and more by partisan confrontation. The mass recall movement sought to remove 31 Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators following the passage of controversial bills that expanded legislative powers and imposed sweeping budget cuts. While the effort
There is a story in India about a boy called Prahlad who was an ardent worshipper of Lord Narayana, whom his father considered an enemy. His son’s devotion vexed the father to the extent that he asked his sister, Holika, who could not be burned by fire, to sit with the boy in her lap and burn him to death. Prahlad knew about this evil plan, but sat in his aunt’s lap anyway. His faith won, as he remained unscathed by the fire, while his aunt was devoured by the flames. In some small way, Prahlad reminds me of Taiwan
When Hong Kong’s High Court sentenced newspaper owner Jimmy Lai (黎智英) to 20 years in prison this week, officials declared that his “heinous crimes” had long poisoned society and that his punishment represented justice restored. In their telling, Lai is the mastermind of Hong Kong’s unrest — the architect of a vast conspiracy that manipulated an otherwise contented population into defiance. They imply that removing him would lead to the return of stability. It is a politically convenient narrative — and a profoundly false one. Lai did not radicalize Hong Kong. He belonged to the same generation that fled from the Chinese
President William Lai (賴清德) on Sunday congratulated Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on their historic landslide victory in Japan’s general election. The LDP secured the largest single-party majority in post-World War II Japan, winning 316 seats. The win is expected to strengthen ties with Japan’s allies and potentially deter Chinese aggression in the region. American Institute in Taiwan Director Raymond Greene on Monday said that under Takaichi’s leadership, he anticipates deeper coordination among the US, Japan and Taiwan to promote regional stability and prosperity. US President Donald Trump has also shown his strong support for Takaichi,
RSS