At the 2023 Hong Kong Film Awards ceremony, a series of unexpected events are reminiscent of the 2019 Oscars. The top awards in the world film industry should be a festival for filmmakers, but in this era of political controversy and social division, even the literary and artistic world is not immune to strife.
The most striking thing in this award competition is the dialogue and actions of Wu Zhenyu and Liu Qingyun. Before the award results were announced, a fierce debate broke out between art and politics, honesty and hypocrisy.
It began with the "Best Actress" award session, when Chen Desen on the stage was about to announce the winners, and the "Academy Awards Exit Plan" advocate - anti-extradition organization banners appeared on the scene, and then the Hong Kong Academy staff urgently removed these signs.
This sudden incident made everyone's mood tense, in order to ease the atmosphere of the scene, the host invited Wu Zhenyu and Liu Qingyun to perform on stage. With years of acting experience and eloquence, the two successfully brought the atmosphere back to the awards themselves.
But after the turmoil subsided, the conversation between Wu Zhenyu and Liu Qingyun caused new controversy. Wu Zhenyu, who won the "Best Actor", pointed out Hong Kong's small circle culture, malicious ratings, scalpers buying tickets and other behaviors in his acceptance speech, saying that these phenomena distorted the Hong Kong film market and made it impossible for truly excellent works to be fairly recognized.
When Liu Qingyun came on stage to accept the award, he frankly admitted that he was not the most suitable candidate for the award, and admitted that his work still needed more effort and breakthroughs.
The different statements of these two actors are reminiscent of the 2019 Oscars. At that conference, many award presenters talked about the immigration issue of the US government to varying degrees, making the Oscar red carpet a stage for expressing political positions.
Wu Zhenyu and Liu Qingyun's remarks at the Hong Kong Film Awards actually show a broader social phenomenon: in this era of transparent information and pluralistic values, artists are no longer pure "creative machines", but people with thoughts, positions, and statements. They pay attention not only to their own artwork, but also to the social and political environment around them, trying to influence and change the world through their words and actions.
But this expression is not always understood and accepted. Just like the incident at the Hong Kong Film Awards, Wu Zhenyu and Liu Qingyun's remarks have also been abused and criticized by many netizens and viewers. Some people believe that their words are just taking advantage of the hype or attacking competitors in Hong Kong's film industry. Others believe that art should be detached from politics and should not be mixed up in these controversies.
However, we cannot deny that the intersection and interaction between art and politics, culture and society has become a reality that cannot be ignored in the current world. As the movie "The Big Winner" says, "Each of us is a small existence, but our lives touch every corner of this world deeply." ”
Wu Zhenyu and Liu Qingyun's remarks are not a moral and value debate, but a more reasonable and meaningful way out for the relationship between art and society. What they criticize is not film ratings or small circle culture itself, but the accolades of works that distort the rules of the market and deny true quality.
This kind of discussion is exactly what the film industry needs today. In the era of information explosion, the audience's requirements for the quality standards of cultural products have increased, and the functions of cultural products themselves are quietly changing. Film is no longer just a pure entertainment activity, it carries more and more ideas, cultures and values, and plays an important role in promoting social and cultural development.
In the face of such changes, filmmakers need to reflect and deepen. They should not limit themselves solely to performances and productions, but should focus on broader and deeper social values and impacts. Only in this way can film truly become an important force to promote social progress and people's spiritual pursuit.
Finally, we should also make it clear that there is no absolute boundary between art and politics. While expressing their positions and attitudes, filmmakers also need to carefully handle and balance the interests of all parties and maintain channels for dialogue and communication. Only on this basis can the film face a future full of challenges and opportunities with a more free, open and inclusive attitude.
At the 2023 Hong Kong Film Awards ceremony, the remarks of Wu Zhenyu and Liu Qingyun attracted widespread attention and discussion. Before the results of the awards were announced, the slogans of the "Academy Awards Exit Plan" advocates, anti-extradition organizations, appeared on the scene, and then the staff of the Hong Kong Film Awards urgently removed these signs. This sudden incident made everyone's mood tense, in order to ease the atmosphere of the scene, the host invited Wu Zhenyu and Liu Qingyun to perform on stage. With years of acting experience and eloquence, the two successfully brought the atmosphere back to the awards themselves. But after the turmoil subsided, the conversation between Wu Zhenyu and Liu Qingyun caused new controversy.
Wu Zhenyu, who won the "Best Actor", pointed out Hong Kong's small circle culture, malicious ratings, scalpers buying tickets and other behaviors in his acceptance speech, saying that these phenomena distorted the Hong Kong film market and made it impossible for truly excellent works to be fairly recognized. He said: "The problems facing the Hong Kong film market now are not only box office and market, but also cultural and social problems. Most films are considered entertainment industries, but in reality, film is also a cultural form that represents the values and ideas of an era. ”
Wu Zhenyu's remarks resonated with and supported many people. His view is a powerful attack on the current situation of the Hong Kong film market, and it is also a wake-up call to those unscrupulous businesses that sell fake tickets and deceive the market. Film is an art form that requires strict selection and fair evaluation to present true cultural connotation and value. Wu Zhenyu's clear position on this issue has provided important thinking and guidance for the development and expansion of Hong Kong films.
Liu Qingyun frankly admitted that he was not the most suitable candidate for the award, and admitted that his work still needs more effort and breakthroughs. "I have always believed that film is a global art form that transcends national and cultural boundaries and conveys common human emotions and values," he said. I hope that my works can better present the connotation and value of this culture, and bring more inspiration and thinking to the audience. ”
Liu Qingyun's words are a deep reflection and self-criticism of his own works, as well as a love and pursuit of film art. As an excellent filmmaker, you not only need to have excellent performance and creative ability, but also need to have the pursuit and exploration of art. Only in this way can film truly become a cultural form, allowing the audience to feel the common emotions and cultural connotations of human beings.
Wu Zhenyu and Liu Qingyun's remarks highlight the deep connection between film, culture and politics. Film is not only a commodity or entertainment product, but also a cultural form and artistic expression, representing the changes of human spirit and culture. Filmmakers should remain socially and culturally sensitive and reflective, influencing and changing the world through their works, words and deeds.
However, Wu Zhenyu's ridicule and Liu Qingyun's frankness also reveal the "disguise" of the Academy Awards and the Hong Kong film industry. Under the pressure of business and the market, it is often difficult to be fair, objective and independent in the selection of awards such as the Academy Awards. Problems such as the culture of small circles in the film industry, malicious ratings, and scalpers buying tickets have also seriously distorted market rules and harmed the interests of truly excellent works.
Wu Zhenyu and Liu Qingyun's remarks are revealing the root cause of the Hong Kong film industry and trying to promote change through their own voices. Their words are not to attack or denigrate others, but to objectively attack and think about the existing model of the film industry. Only in this way can Hong Kong films truly move towards a healthy, fair and open development path.
Film is not only an industry and business, but also an art and culture, representing the spiritual outlook and values of an era and country. Filmmakers should be deeply aware of their own time and environment, and contribute to the development of society and culture through their own works and thinking. The selection of awards such as the Academy Awards should also uphold the principles of impartiality, objectivity and independence, and provide a broader and more fair platform and opportunity for outstanding film works.
Wu Zhenyu's ridicule and Liu Qingyun's frankness tore off the "disguise" of the Hong Kong Film Awards and opened up new ideas and directions for the way forward for Hong Kong films. It is hoped that Hong Kong films can get out of the trough as soon as possible and become an art brand with real cultural connotation and value.