The last piece of Utopia of Chinese filmmakers, why do we need the Golden Horse Award?

Author / Wu Nian


This afternoon, the 57th Golden Horse Awards announced the shortlist of all awards. In the past, the Golden Horse Awards would be selected to announce the nominations on October 1st of the National Day, but this year, it was one day earlier.


Since the 18th Golden Horse Awards ceremony, the documentary director said that after winning the award. The subsequent series of events are like a chain reaction triggered by dominoes, which caused waves of waves. The chairman of the jury, Gong Li, refused to come to the stage to present the award. The mainland award-winning filmmakers were absent from the ceremony and dinner. The following year's Golden Rooster Award was scheduled to be held on the same day as the Golden Horse Award...Finally, the National Film Bureau issued a message to suspend mainland films and personnel from participating in last year’s The 56th Golden Horse Film Festival.


This is a situation that Li Ang, chairman of the executive committee, did not expect, and it is also a situation that even he can hardly save. In the face of fierce media inquiries, Uncle An, who has always been amiable and smiling, could not help but lower his eyebrows, revealing a trace of embarrassment: "I hope that art belongs to art. There should be no political or other factors to disturb. I hope everyone will give it to filmmakers. A little respect." Although we did not have the participation of mainland China and most Hong Kong films, we regret to lose a very powerful Golden Horse Award. "


. But even so, in the end, regardless of whether it is the shortlist or the winner, last year's Golden Horse Awards still maintained its consistently high level, tolerance and fairness, and did not lower the standard because of this. The Taiwanese film "Sunshine", which reached the top, has a high score of 8.5, which undoubtedly ranks among the top ten Chinese-language annual rankings.


This may be an important reason why the Golden Horse Award has always been so high in the minds of many people. In the entire Chinese and Asian regions, no matter how difficult the environment is, the Golden Horse Award is always the Golden Horse Award. Its artistry, fairness and openness Sex will never be reduced or missing because of this, and the historical status and value weight will never be shaken.

Then another year has passed. Are there any mainland films for this year's Golden Horse Awards? What kind of answer sheet will the Golden Horse Award hand over?


Is the mainland film absent this time?


Let’s first briefly analyze this year’s shortlist.


received the most nominations this year, not everyone beforeThe predicted "Classmate Mynasi" is from "The Vanished Valentine's Day" directed by Chen Yuxun.


The film leads the Golden Horse Awards with 11 nominations, including five awards for Best Feature Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Original Screenplay. This is also the director Chen Yuxun's "Tropical Fish" 15 years ago, another finalist for the Golden Horse Awards. His last work was the 2017 co-production "Forgetful Village". This is the only work he has ever introduced to the mainland, and it has won more than 16 million box office in the mainland.


Huang Xinyao 's "Classmate Manas" followed closely, with nine nominations. The previous " Big Buddha Plus " received a super high score of 8.7 on Douban, which also allowed him to quickly gain a high reputation in the mainland. However, at the Golden Horse Awards that year, "Big Buddha Plus" lost to "血观音" in the competition for the best feature film, and Huang Xinyao took away the best new director and the best adapted screenplay. Jackpot.


"Big Buddha Plath" is adapted from the director's award-winning short film "Big Buddha", and this time "Classmate Mynas" is adapted from his documentary "The Three Little Girls". Following the "plus" in the previous movie, the director once again enjoyed the cold and humorous homophonic stalk and continued to launch "minus". Not surprisingly, this film is also the biggest hit of this year's Golden Horse Award Best Film .


Next, there are a total of two nominations, one is "Dear Tenant" and the other is "Hand-rolled Cigarettes", both of which were nominated for best feature feature film.


The former director is Zheng Youjie. In 2001, he won the Golden Horse Award for Best Creative Short Film with "Summer of Shiding". This is also the first time he was shortlisted for the Golden Horse Award after nearly 20 years. In 2015, his "Children of the Sun" won the best original song of the 52nd Golden Horse Awards.


The latter "Hand-rolled Cigarette" is a Hong Kong movie, and it is also the only movie to be launched in Hong Kong during the epidemic this year. This film won in the junior college group of Hong Kong's first feature film project in 2018, and received 3.25 million financial support from the Hong Kong government. His tie-in win was "Golden Capital", which was shortlisted for the Golden Horse Awards last year. The film is co-starred by the Hong Kong Film Awards actor Lin Jiadong and China Pacific Insurance. With this film, Lin Jiadong was nominated for the first Golden Horse Award actor in his life.


In addition to the above four works, the last place for the best feature film is "Days" directed by Cai Mingliang. This is also the work of the main competition unit of this year's Berlin Film Festival, which won the Jury Prize of the Teddy Bear Unit. With this film, Director Cai was once again nominated for Best Director. Prior to this, his record was shortlisted for best director seven times and won two awards. Jinma's executive committee chairman Wen Tianxiang called the competition for the best feature film unit "death group".


The above five works, in addition to the "Hand-rolled Cigarette" director Chen Jianlang who was shortlisted for the best new director, there is also a Hong Kong director Chen Guo who was shortlisted for the best director with "Abortionist". This is the fifth time that he has been shortlisted for Best Director at the Golden Horse Awards. He has previously been on the throne of Best Director twice with "Made in Hong Kong" and "A Hollywood in Hong Kong" respectively. It is worth mentioning that Bai Ling, the heroine of "Abortioner", was also shortlisted for this year's Golden Horse Award. She previously won the Golden Horse Award and the Golden Image Award for supporting actress with the horror film "Dumpling".

Now that we are talking about the best actress, let’s take a look at the other shortlisted candidates, namely Gui Lunmei from "Legs" and "Gu Wei"Chen Shufang, Xie Xinying in "Freaks" and Li Peiyu in "The Vanished Valentine's Day". Among them, Gui Lunmei is undoubtedly the most popular candidate for the film queen. She was nominated for the Golden Horse Awards four times and won the 49th Golden Horse Award for "Girlfriend, Boyfriend". Xie Xinying has won the Golden Horse Award for Best Supporting Actress. At the age of 81, Chen Shufang was shortlisted in this year's Golden Horse Women's Matching Doubles, just like Wen Qi in the previous two years.


Let’s look at the best actor again. In addition to Lin Jiadong, there are also Lin Bohong ("Freak") and Liu Guanting ("Disappearing Valentine's Day") who have won the Golden Horse Award for Best Supporting Actor. And Mo Ziyi, winner of this year's Taipei Film Awards for Best Actor ("Dear Tenant"). The last one is Li Guohuang from Singapore. He is a well-known comedian in Singapore. This time he was shortlisted for the film "The King of Men" and played a cross-dresser in the film, which made a breakthrough in performance. Among the best supporting actor finalists

, Zheng Renshuo and natto are familiar to everyone. This is also the third time that Shuo is nominated for the best supporting actor at the Golden Horse Awards, and natto is nominated for the second time. For the others, Zhang Shaohuai was also shortlisted for the second time, and Dai Liren was shortlisted for the sixth time, but he won it in the first shortlisting. As for the last one, Jin Xuanbin is a South Korean actor.

Best Supporting Actress Unit, only Xie Yingxuan, who once took the actress, is familiar with everyone. The other four are relatively unfamiliar to everyone, but they are all excellent actors in Taiwan, such as the aforementioned Chen Shufang. There is Zhang Yaling, who has been nominated for the best supporting actress at the Taipei Film Festival.


In addition to the films mentioned in the above important awards, there are some films that are also worthy of attention.


For example, the horror film "The Wizard" from Malaysia, starring Yang Yanyan, the last Golden Horse movie queen, and director Zhang Ji'an was also shortlisted for the best new director; the annual important same-sex movie "The Name Engraved in Your Heart" was also shortlisted Five awards; Hong Kong films "Dance Party 3" and "Phantom Love" have been recognized in different awards, including best new actor, best adapted screenplay, best sound effects, etc. There are also "Silent", "Freaks", "Zong Xie 2: Kui Jiang" and so on.

Finally, come to the question that everyone cares about, are there any mainland films this year?


The answer is: yes!


The best documentary unit, there is a film called "Grandpa and Father", produced by Hunan Eryou Culture Media Co., Ltd., this film can even be found on the official website of the National Film Bureau.


The other shortlisted is "Soul of Zhongshan" in the animation feature film unit. It has four producers, one of which is China Film Animation Industry Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of China Film; and the other Zhongshan International Culture Media Co., Ltd., this is a Taiwanese company. On their official website, you can see the film and television plan agreement signed with Jiangsu Radio and Television. The film and television animation media Co., Ltd. under Jiangsu Radio and Television is also one of the four producers of this film. one. Therefore, this should be an animated cartoon between the mainland and Taiwan.


official cooperation, will this be a positive sign? It is not yet known. However, at least this year's Golden Horse Awards finally have mainland movies.


Chinese filmmakers' last piece of utopia


Wen Tianxiang told reporters that there were a total of 465 film registrations this year, which is a lot less than last year's 588. However, the number of applications for documentaries is the calendar yearAt most, up to 102. The pull between the reality of life and the art of film is being staged all the time.


If you look at the main visual posters of the Golden Horse Awards of the past year, you will never forget the dark horse with its head down and its pupils shining in the dark. Although it is entrusted with good wishes, it is hoped that more and more dark horses will emerge in the film industry, and they will be reborn from the ashes. However, the overall black tone and serious style have still been interpreted by people with a hint of politics: are they facing such a situation without the participation of the Golden Horse Awards for mainland films? Leading the neck and being slaughtered, tens of thousands of horses go together.

The main visual poster for this year's Golden Horse Awards continues to be designed by last year's design team JL DESIGN, with "TAKE ONE on the road to tomorrow" as the design concept. "TAKE ONE" is a shooting term in the film industry, which indicates that every moment in the present can be the beginning of a better future; and "the road to tomorrow" has also been interpreted as a golden horse award for the current status quo. look forward to.

Indeed, another year has passed. The relationship between mainland and Taiwan has not been eased, and the exchanges in film have not been loosened. Today, the Golden Rooster Awards have been held every two years to once every year. It is still unknown when mainland films and filmmakers will return to the Golden Horse Awards.


Now that I think about it, I still feel a bit pity. If none of this happened, what a star-studded Golden Horse Awards last year!


"Long and Tian Long", "The Gathering at Southern Station", "You are the Younger", "Lanxin Theater", "One Second", "Qi Ball", "Nezha's Devil Child Comes into the World", and There are "Under the Sun", "Mu Ling, Yiming, Weiming", "Spring River Plumbing", "Sherlock on the Plain", "Send Me Up to the Clouds"... plus Hong Kong's "Anti-drugs" 2", "Chasing the Dragon 2", "Apostle Walker 2" and other industrial genre films, as well as Taiwan’s "Sunshine" and "Your Face", as well as "Tropical Rain" and "Evening Fog Garden" in Singapore and Malaysia, What a gorgeous Golden Horse Award this should be! Just thinking about it is exciting.


It's a pity, now I really can only think about it.


People say, "Politics belongs to politics, and art is returned to art." But more often, this is probably just a beautiful fantasy. Politics has always been involved in artistic creation in various forms, and filmmakers in mainland China may be even tacitly aware of this, but generally regard it as the elephant in the room. On the other hand, not only is politics interfering with art at all times, but art also participates in politics at all times. Especially for Taiwan, where the creative environment is relatively relaxed and free, speaking up on various political issues is an important source of creation for many artists.


That’s why Uncle An said: "We can't control the outside affairs." A stage that is friendly, fair and full of honor. In this hall of light and shadow, people from all over the world gather together, share the glory, temporarily put aside the strangeness and prejudice, and move towards the same goal, sharing the touch with each other. Its purity and openness are unattainable by many other film awards. The words of the documentary director


are more like a fuse. She brought the sensitive issue of ideology to the awards ceremony of the film art industry, and instantly tore apart this harmonious and peaceful piece of pure land, and the harmonious atmosphere that had been carefully cared for by the two sides of the strait for more than two decades was quickly broken.


This is why, in this situation, for both sides of the strait, there is no winner.


Why do we still need the Golden Horse Award?

Golden Horse Awards has always been waiting for mainland films to be not thin.


is the oldest award in the history of Chinese-language films. At the beginning of its establishment, the Golden Horse Awards cast its sights on the entire Chinese-speaking region. There are no geographical restrictions and it is open to all Chinese-language films and Chinese filmmakers.


In 1992, the establishment of the "92 Consensus" established a bridge for exchanges between the mainland and Taiwan. Since 1993, mainland filmmakers began to organize groups to participate in the Golden Horse Awards related activities. However, mainland films formally participated in the selection of awards since 1996.


In that year, Jiang Wen's "Sunny Day" became the first mainland film to formally participate in the Golden Horse Awards. As a result, he won the Golden Horse Awards including best film, best director, best actor, and most The six awards for best adapted screenplay, best photography, and best sound effect can be said to be a big win. After that, mainland films began to participate in the Golden Horse Awards more and more, to compete with filmmakers from Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Two years later, in 1998, Chen Chong's "Heavenly Bath" was almost swept, winning seven awards including best picture, best director, and best actor and actress in one fell swoop. The heroine Li Xiaolu became the youngest actress in the history of the Golden Horse Awards, at only 16 years old.


Entering the new century, with the development of the mainland film industry in recent years, more and more mainland films and filmmakers have been nominated or finally won, and the power from the mainland has become more unstoppable.


In 2004, a mainland film "Kekexili" won the golden horse award for best film. In 2009, mainland filmmakers accounted for three of the four performance awards, and the actor, actress, and supporting actor were included in the bag. In 2012, the mainland film "Detective Hunter Zhang" finally won the best film upset.

In 2013, at the 50th Golden Horse Awards, the organizing committee unexpectedly invited the previous award-winning film kings and actresses to reunite on stage. A spectacular picture of the century moved countless people. This is a victory for the filmmakers, but also for the film. victory.


's best film of that year, from mainland China's "Destined", from Taiwan's "Outing", from Hong Kong and mainland co-productions "The Grandmaster" and "Drug War", and Singapore's dark horse "Parents Are Not Home" Compete on the same stage. In the end, Singaporean director Chen Zheyi took over the golden horse trophy from the chairman of the jury, Li An. In a harmonious atmosphere, everyone felt that the Golden Horse Awards had opened another new era.

In 2014, mainland actor Chen Jianbin won three Golden Horse Awards alone. In 2016, the Golden Horse Awards for best film, best director, and actor and actress were all dominated by mainland films and filmmakers. Even in the unexpected 2018 edition, four of the five best film nominations were from the mainland, and even the five best director shortlisted candidates were all taken by the mainland.


All filmmakers who have participated in the Golden Horse Awards have said that the atmosphere there is "like home." Even filmmakers such as Cai Mingliang, Feng Xiaogang, and even Gong Li, who claim to be "having grudges" with the Golden Horse Awards, are willing to "regardless of the past", put aside their prejudices, and return to this stage again. This is enough to show the appeal and reputation of the Golden Horse Awards. .


Today, the general absence of the mainland team is indeed a huge loss for itself.In the short term, the desire for awards of mainland films that rely on market value may be compensated by box office performance; but in the long run, the artistic considerations for films and cross-strait cultural exchanges will definitely have a certain impact. Especially those mainland films that are difficult to be released on the mainland. The Golden Horse Awards have played an excellent role in dissemination, such as "Destined to Heaven", "Easy + Pleasure", "Prisoner", etc., and their situation may be even more difficult. .


For the Golden Horse Award itself, with its extremely high degree of freedom and recognition, I believe it will not lower the standard, but if it goes on for a long time, the brand effect of the Golden Horse Award itself and the creation of local movies will definitely be A kind of loss.


As for the other two Chinese gold awards, the Golden Image Award is too protective for local films, and the political meaning of the Golden Rooster Award is too strong. I am afraid that this cannot be changed. Under this circumstance, the status of the Golden Horse Awards is still unshakable in the short term. Even if it returns to the point where it only commends local filmmakers, its embrace is always open.

The winner of the Golden Horse Awards for Lifetime Achievement is directed by Hou Xiaoxian. The final award ceremony will be held on November 21. Although there will be mainland films this year, the overall situation remains unchanged. What will happen in the future is still unknown, but the intelligence man still hopes to be able to return to those glorious moments of the past. Chinese films from the mainland, Taiwan, and Hong Kong gather together, and the filmmakers enjoy themselves. Everything is for the film and for the common goal of everyone. Move forward.