As a film enthusiast with a soft spot for historical documentaries and a keen interest in Asian cinema, I must say that the eligibility issue surrounding “The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru” has left me rather crestfallen. The story behind this ship, dubbed the “ship of death,” is one that deserves global recognition, especially since it highlights an often-overlooked aspect of World War II history.
According to an exclusive report by The Hollywood Reporter, it’s been decided that The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru, a documentary China submitted for consideration as the best international feature Oscar, is no longer eligible for that award.
The Motion Picture Academy informs The Hollywood Reporter that the movie “Lisbon Maru” didn’t qualify for an award due to not meeting the required percentage of non-English dialogue. To be considered, movies must have over half their dialogue in a language other than English, as per Academy guidelines. Unfortunately, since “Lisbon Maru” was submitted close to the October deadline, there was no time left for China to replace it with another film once this issue was identified.
The movie titled The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru, helmed by directors Ming Fan, Li Fang, and Lily Gong, narrates the chilling tale of the ship ominously known as the “ship of death.” This cargo vessel was seized by the Japanese military during World War II. On October 1, 1942, this ship was employed for transporting prisoners of war (POWs) from Hong Kong to Japan. Unfortunately, it was torpedoed in the East China Sea by an unaware American submarine. A fortunate 384 British POWs were saved by Chinese fishermen, but the tragic fate claimed 828 lives, as they either drowned, met their end due to gunfire from Japanese soldiers while attempting escape, or succumbed to other causes.
Despite no longer being qualified for the Best International Feature Film Oscar, the film remains eligible for the Best Documentary Feature Oscar. An effort is underway to secure this nomination, and it will first be screened at the Asian World Film Festival on November 18th. Following this, it will start its qualifying run at the Laemmle Monica Film Center in Santa Monica from November 22nd, with director Li Fang present during this period.
Two Chinese movies, “Ju Dou” from 1990 and “Hero” in 2002, were both nominated for the category of Best International Feature Film at the Oscars. However, neither movie ended up winning the award.
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2024-10-28 22:54