Taipei Times
Date: Dec 26, 2015
By: Ho Ching-hsien, Tsou Nien-tsu and Chuang Pei-yi
Liberty Times (LT): Taiwanese films won in 12 categories at the latest Golden
Taiwanese director Wu Nien-jen gestures in an interview on Nov. 27 in Taipei.
Photo: Pan Shao-tang, Taipei Times
Horse Awards, which is a majority of the categories. By all appearances, it was a successful performance, but directors Hou Hsiao-hsien (侯孝賢) and Ang Lee (李安) said Taiwanese films did not win enough awards. What is your take?
Wu Nien-jen (吳念真): What does it matter how many awards were or were not won? The Golden Horse has an ongoing struggle with an identity crisis, although it should be said that it is improving in that regard.
In the past, the Golden Horse consistently rewarded Mandarin-language films and it is tough for Hoklo-language [commonly known as Taiwanese] films to participate. For example, Dust in the Wind (戀戀風塵) had very few lines in Mandarin and was licensed as a Hoklo-language film; it was very nearly excluded from the Golden Horse Awards.
In earlier times, the Golden Horse had a strong political flavor. Patriotic, anti-communist films were guaranteed to win an award. There was one year when they awarded the best film to a movie that was not even considered for best director or best screenplay. Now the Golden Horse is more fair and open. [FULL STORY]
