China has forced two mainland directors to withdraw their films from contention for Golden Horse Awards, saying Chinese films cannot compete in a Taiwanese event.
The Golden Horse Awards, the most prestigious prize ceremony for Chinese-language films, allows entry of films from all over the world, including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and mainland China.
Chinese actress Nan Yu and director Wang Quan'an pose in Berlin in February with the Golden Bear they won for Tuya's Marriage. Their names have been withdrawn from nominations for the Golden Horse.
(Hermann J. Knippertz/Associated Press)
China's insistence that the films Tuya's Marriage and Blind Mountain withdraw has forced Golden Horse organizers to rejig the nomination list, released two weeks ago.
Tuya's Marriage, a Wang Quan'an movie that won the Golden Bear prize at the Berlin Film Festival in February, was nominated for best film at the Golden Horse Awards and Wang earned a nomination for best director.
Its star, Nan Yu, who played an Inner Mongolian herdswoman considering a second marriage to a wealthy man so she can afford to care for her handicapped husband, has withdrawn from the best actress competition.
Blind Mountain director Li Yang has withdrawn from nominations for best director.
On Monday, Golden Horse organizers announced a new nomination list, saying Hong Kong police thriller Eye in the Sky is the new nominee for best film.
It will be competing with Ang Lee's spy thriller Lust, Caution as well as The Home Song Stories, Getting Home and What on Earth Have I Done Wrong.
China's Jiang Wen and Hong Kong's Derek Yee have earned nominations for best director and Taiwan's Rene Liu of Kidnap is the new nominee for best actress.
Beijing doesn't allow fully Chinese-financed films to compete at the Golden Horse, which it views as a Taiwanese event, according to Luan Guozhi, director of international co-operation at China's Film Bureau.
"The Golden Horse Awards evaluates Taiwanese movies. We don't think mainland-made movies can be considered Taiwanese movies," he said.
China-Taiwan and China-foreign co-productions don't fall under the ban, so Lee's Lust, Caution, which bagged a leading 12 nominations, is unaffected.
Luan said the Golden Horse Awards "isn't an international festival, like Cannes or Berlin."
China and Taiwan split in 1949, but China still views Taiwan as part of its territory and objects to any moves by the island nation to assert its independence.
It also seeks to restrict Taiwan's international standing in sports and cultural events for fear that may formalize its de facto independence.
With files from the Associated PressRelated
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