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HK movies to steal the show of 'Chinese Oscars'
Hong Kong movies are likely to take center stage at the Chinese-language version of the Oscars in Taiwan on Saturday, with Wong Kar-wai's latest art house movie "2046" topping the list of nominations.
Finished just in time to debut in the Cannes film festival last May, "2046" is another example of an Asian movie that has transcended language and cultural barriers to hit international screens.
The film looked to be the strongest contender, said film critic Li Ya-mei.
"It's not just Chinese movies. Korean movies especially are also gaining interest in Hollywood. The rise of Asian movies shows audiences are tired of a lack of creation by Hollywood and are trying to find good movies elsewhere," Li said.
But Taiwan director Alex Yang, whose "Taipei 21" won the top prize for best film at this year's Asia Pacific Film Festival, was less certain about the prospects for Asian films, which face much tighter budget constraints than Hollywood rivals.
The director said Asian movies that have enjoyed huge following around the world, such as Ang Lee's martial arts epic, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and Zhang Yimou's "Hero" and "House of Flying Daggers," are rare exceptions.
It is still difficult for independent Asian filmmakers to compete in Hollywood, he said.
"Movies that are popular in the West have similar characteristics. They have the backing of well-funded international movie companies and the stories fulfil the fantasy of Western audiences about the East," Yang said.
"You need the necessary ingredients to be recognized internationally and be commercially successful," he said.
DARK HORSE
Taiwan has played host to the Golden Horse awards, which showcases films from Taiwan, Hong Kong and China, for 41 years. This year they will be held in the central city of Taichung.
But contestants from Hong Kong and China have stolen the spotlight in recent years with Taiwan's once-thriving movie industry in decline.
Critics say Taiwan's slow-moving art films have lost support at home as viewers find them dull and difficult to understand and opt instead for more nail-biting U.S. blockbusters.
Apart from "2046," which stars a bevy of top Asian actors including best actor nominee Tony Leung and best actress nominee Zhang Ziyi, Chinese director Lu Chuan's "Kekexili" is seen as a dark horse candidate for best film.
"Kekexili," a bleak portrayal of life on the Tibetan plateau, was nominated in four categories, including best director and best actor.
Other contestants for best film are "Breaking News," which combines Hong Kong's favorite cop drama genre with its paparazzi-style journalism, and "One Nite in Mongkok," which is about gang fighting -- another popular tale.
Taiwan's "The Moon Also Rises," directed by Lin Cheng-sheng, is also vying for best film and tells the story of a divorced single mother and her adolescent daughter in their sunny but isolated seashore hometown. The melancholy drama competes in five other categories, including best actress and best screenplay adaptation. To revive the past glory of Taiwan cinema, once the darling of international film festivals, the government is offering tax breaks and state subsidies to the industry. "Korean movies were no better than ours in the past. If they can do it, so can we," said Liu Ching-hsiung, a cabinet adviser with the job of drafting plans to reinvigorate Taiwan movies. For a full list of nominations, go to www.goldenhorse.org.tw.
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