The 26th Taipei Film Festival recently announced that mainland Chinese director Wang Xiaoshuai will serve as the chairman of the “International New Directors Competition” jury. However, he has recently been rumored to have treated the late Golden Horse Award-winning new director Hu Bo in a rough manner, sparking controversy over his suitability. In response, the Taipei Film Festival has issued a statement regarding this matter.
The 26th Taipei Film Festival revealed that Wang Xiaoshuai, a winner of the Berlin Silver Bear Award, will lead the jury for the “International New Directors Competition” along with five other international film industry professionals with rich experiences from around the world. Together, they will select the winners of the “Best Film” and “Jury Special Award.” However, this announcement has also triggered some criticism within the industry.
This controversy stems from the relationship between Wang Xiaoshuai and director Hu Bo, who posthumously won the Best Feature Film award at the 55th Golden Horse Awards for his film “An Elephant Sitting Still.” Hu Bo tragically passed away before he could personally accept the award, and there were rumors that he was pressured to death during the production of the film. Subsequently, accusations were directed at Chinese director Wang Xiaoshuai, with online screenshots circulating criticizing his works as “terrible” and “greedy,” leading to speculation about his involvement in Hu Bo’s death.
As a result, Wang Xiaoshuai has faced questions about his suitability as the chairman of the “International New Directors Competition” jury for this edition. In response to these concerns, the Taipei Film Festival has issued a statement (click here) stating: “The Taipei Film Festival’s International New Directors Competition is the only competition in Taiwan specifically for international feature film new directors. When inviting international jurors, the focus has always been on film expertise and international perspective. Director Wang Xiaoshuai has been recognized at the Berlin Film Festival with the Silver Bear Award, and his latest work was selected for the Berlin Film Festival this year, meeting the qualifications in terms of professionalism and international reputation. However, after considering various opinions, the Taipei Film Festival has decided to rescind the invitation to Wang Xiaoshuai as a jury member and will seek another chairman to ensure the normal operation of the film festival. We apologize for any concerns raised among the public and the difficulties faced by director Wang Xiaoshuai.”