Efforts to boost Oscars diversity gain support

By Gong Qian Source:Global Times Published: 2020/7/2 13:33:44 Last Updated: 2020/7/2 12:33:44

Film producer Becky Neiman-Cobb (left) and director Domee Shi pose with their Best Animated Short Film Oscars for Bao In Los Angeles on Sunday. Photo: IC

The Oscars have vowed to diversify by inviting more artists from different countries and ethnic backgrounds, which is a good move to make the US film awards more international. 

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) announced on Tuesday that the 2020 class includes 45 percent women, 36 percent underrepresented ethnic and racial communities and 49 percent international members from 68 countries in the world, aiming to advance inclusion efforts in Hollywood. 

According to the list, three Chinese artists - Wu Jing, the protagonist of hit films The Wandering Earth and Wolf Warrior, actor Huang Jue and actress Zhao Tao - have been chosen as new members. 

Meanwhile, five South Korean stars - Choi Woo-Shik, Jang Hye-Jin, Jo Yeo-Jeong, Park So-Dam and Lee Jung-Eun - and Indian actors Hrithik Roshan and Alia Bhatt are also on the list. 

The hashtag of "Wu Jing selected as a new member for 2020 Oscars" has earned 260 million views on China's twitter-like Sina Weibo as of Wednesday. 

Many Chinese netizens sent their congratulations to the Chinese actors and expressed their support for the Academy's parity goal. 

"It's a really good decision. Gender equality and racial equality have been achieved through practical actions. The Oscars has become fairer over the years and I fully support it," one Chinese netizen said on Weibo.

The new announcement is the Academy's further step following South Korean director Bong Joon-ho's Parasite became the first non-English-language film to win Best Picture at the 2019 Oscars.

The percentage of people of color among the members has been increasing slightly over the years. 

According to a report by the Guardian, a 2018 study found that people of color made up 16 percent of members in 2018, an increase of 8 percent from 2015.

However, if the changed member group will truly improve the fairness to the Oscars award and endow the award with more eye-catching stories, I think, it still needs the test of time.




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