On December 15, the Chinese Film Directors Association launched its
first annual awards in Beijing with the announcement of
nominations.
According to Chen Guoxing, vice president of the association,
the competition will be held during the Eighth Hong Kong Film
Directors Symposium, which runs from January 8 to 11. The symposium
promises to attract 198 filmmakers from the Chinese mainland,
Taiwan and Hong Kong and precedes the 100th anniversary of the
country's film industry.
The Actors Association, the Producers Association and other
organizations have been invited to the awards ceremony, which will
be hosted by Taiwan director Zhang Aijia.
This year's competition will feature four regular panel
awards?-- for Best Director, Best Young Director, Best Actor
and Best Actress?-- and one based on box office takings, plus
a special Lifetime Achievement Award.
The judging committee of?11 professional directors will
choose the winners of the regular awards, whilst the Lifetime
Achievement Award will be balloted by the executive council of the
directors association and the top box office award will be based on
government statistics.
More than 200 Chinese films have been made this year, but less
than 40 that were screened in cinemas are eligible to compete for
the awards. "To a certain extent, this indicates the stagnancy of
the domestic film industry," organizers of the event commented.
Renowned filmmaker Chen Kaige assumes the chair of this year's
judicial committee, which also includes big names such as Jiang
Wen, Gu Changwei, Lu Xuechang and Zhang Yang.
Feng Xiaogang, vice president of the directors association, and
Li Shaohong
are excluded due to their participation in the competition.
According to the regulations, only directors who are under 35
and have shot more than three films are qualified for nomination as
best young director. In addition to the award, the winner will
receive US$36,000 in cash.
Huang Jianxin, president of the directors association, said the
money is to support young directors in their filmmaking work.
For a long time the domestic film sector has had only three
established awards: the government's Huabiao Awards (Palace Columns
Awards), the Golden Rooster Awards judged by film experts, and the
Hundred Flowers Awards decided by public voting.
Recently the credibility of awards has suffered due to
questionable judgments, including awards often being given jointly
to more than one film.
Director Xie Fei said bureaucracy has resulted in stagnation,
and disputes over awards epitomize this. "We cannot accomplish the
marketization of the industry without carrying out in-depth reforms
and establishing a competitive system."
"There is a lack of film awards in China," said
secretary-general of the directors association, He Ping, when asked
why they set up the awards, "Without a strong commercial flavor,
awards will be overly professional, respectable and
authorized."
Nominations for the 2004 Chinese Film Directors
Association Awards:
Best Director:
Tian Zhuangzhuang (Delamu); Lu Chuan (Ke Ke Xi
Li); Feng Xiaogang (A World Without Thieves)
Best Young Director:
Lu Chuan (Ke Ke Xi Li); Xu Jinglei (My Father and
I); Zhu Wen (South of the Clouds)
Best Actor:
Li Xuejian (South of the Clouds); Fan Wei (The Parking
Attendant in July); Ye Daying (My Father and I)
Best Actress:
Zhou Xun (Baober in Love); Zhang Ziyi (House of Flying
Daggers); Shu Qi (The Foliage)
(China.org.cn by Li Xiao, December 29, 2004)
