Celebrating Asian representation at Oscars
LOS ANGELES: Movie fans worldwide have been celebrating the massive Asian representation during this year’s Oscars ceremony, capped by a win in the Short Film (Animated) category for Chinese-Canadian Domee Shi.
Shi’s film Bao tells the story of an ageing Chinese mother who takes care of a stuffed bun that suddenly comes to life.
Also competing in the same category was One Small Step from directors Andrew Chesworth and Bobby Pontillas. This animated short was produced by ChineseAmerican Zhang Shaofu , who also co-wrote the film, and his Taiko Studios, which is based in Wuhan, Central China’s Hubei Province.
Among the luminaries given the privilege to present the awards was Ipoh-born veteran actress Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh.
Her Crazy Rich Asian co-star, Betong-born Henry Golding also showed up, as did cast members like Constance Wu, Gemma Chan and Awkwafina.
The films Free Solo and Minding the Gap went up against each other in the Best Documentary Feature category.
Minding the Gap, directed by Chinese-American director Liu Bing, delves into the lives of three young men trying to escape from bad homes in their Rust-Belt town.
Directed by husband and wife team Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, both of Chinese parentage, Free Solo depicts the story of free climber Alex Honnold, who decided to achieve his dream of climbing the face of the 1,000-metre-tall El Capitan without a rope or any safety equipment. It seems the adage “two heads are better than one” has its merits, as the couple ended up taking home the Oscar for the category.
Every year, the entertaining speeches delivered by the night’s host is one of the biggest attractions for Chinese film fans. However, with this year’s Oscars going host-less, Chinese audiences had one less reason to tune in to the Oscar live stream.
One might think this meant that more time would be given to acceptance speeches, but according to a report from ABC News, the Oscar producers were still keeping these speeches confined to certain time limits, much to the disappointment of Chinese film lovers.
After the ceremony, Chinese netizens took to the internet to post their feelings about the new format. Although there was a small group that felt the lack of a host did not take away from the night, a majority spent their time reminiscing about their memories of previous hosts’ performances.
“I really miss Ellen’s speech at the 86th Oscars; it was really humorous and wise,” Netizen Kopei Stack posted on Sina Weibo.
“Billy Crystal is my favourite. He was versatile and knowledgeable. There hasn’t been another host like him. He captured your attention immediately,” said netizen Lao Xu.
While watching the Oscars in China proved difficult in the past, the rise of the internet has made it easier than ever. Fans can watch the ceremony live through platforms such as Chinese movie website 1905.com or Chinese streaming platform Mango TV.
Both platforms broadcast in real time with the original sound accompanied by Chinese translation. To ensure the quality of the broadcast, 1905.com hired professional interpreters to provide simultaneous interpretation and also brought in well-known film critic Zhou Liming as a commentator.
“The cinematography is superb, and streaming in 1080p is also available. But I still miss the host… It’s like missing a good talk show,” Chinese netizen Zhuxiaojieshuo wrote.
While some of netizens were excited about the number of overseas Chinese filmmakers at the Oscars, many users of social media believed that it wasn’t worth getting worked up over.
“Those directors are ChineseAmericans, not us Chinese, please do not deceive yourselves,” wrote netizen Tabuaiwo on Sina Weibo, in a post that attracted 2,319 likes but also a lot of criticism.
“Don’t you think the point is that Chinese-Americans are promoting Chinese culture? This is a good thing. And their films are brilliant, why do you care about nationality?” netizen Little Earthworm posted in reply.
“Why you are so mean and narrow-minded? I believe many Chinese-Americans love Chinese culture more than many Chinese,” posted Nuanwodexin.
“I think we should congratulate those directors. They are bridging the gap between Chinese and US culture. None of the keyboard warriors on Sina Weibo are able to do that,” social media user Wang Yancang figured.
Don’t you think the point is that Chinese-Americans are promoting Chinese culture? This is a good thing. And their films are brilliant, why do you care about nationality? Little Earthworm, moniker for social media user