The Golden Horse Awards, once a pinnacle of cinematic excellence across Taiwan and beyond, have undergone a significant transformation since the political turbulence of 2018. This shift has seen cross-strait film exchanges come to a standstill, while mainland China's Golden Rooster Awards have risen in prominence after relocating to Xiamen.
Last month, the 61st Golden Horse Awards marked a return to normalcy with entries from the mainland and Hong Kong, suggesting a restoration of relations. However, a deeper examination of the nominees and winners reveals potential political manipulation. Three mainland directors—Lou Ye, Wang Xiaoshuai, and Geng Jun—dominated key categories like Best Feature Film and Best Director. Notably, their works had previously faced censorship or lacked approval in the mainland, hinting that the Golden Horse Awards might be leveraging these films to create an illusion of freedom and fairness.
Despite claims of inclusivity with 276 mainland film entries, the selection process remains opaque, only revealing shortlisted nominees and keeping out non-nominated films from public scrutiny. This lack of transparency casts doubts on the integrity of the awards, suggesting that the Golden Horse Awards may no longer serve as a credible showcase for the best in Chinese-language cinema.
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Golden Horse Awards: From cinematic pinnacle to political pawn
cgtn.com
