The 26th Taipei Film Awards has announced its list of nominees. Chen Muyi, who won the Golden Horse Award for Best Supporting Actor for “Old Fox,” failed to secure a nomination for Best Actor this year due to insufficient screen time. On the other hand, actress Zeng Peiyu from “Zhou Chu Eliminates Three Evils” did not submit her entry but still managed to snag a nomination for Best Supporting Actress, sparking controversy. In response to this, Lee Yamei, the director of the Taipei Film Awards, made a statement on Facebook on the 17th.
The distinct contrast of having nominees who did not submit entries and not having nominees who did submit entries has led Chen Muyi to suspect that he was overlooked by the Taipei Film Awards due to his political stance. He expressed his incomprehension towards the reason given by the judges that his screen time was insufficient, voicing his displeasure in two separate posts and drawing attention from the public.
The debate over the length of screen time and qualification for a Best Actor nomination has stirred discussions among film critics and viewers. Some pointed out that if the judges deemed Chen Muyi’s role too short, they should have the authority to consider him for Best Supporting Actor instead of completely ruling him out of the running. Additionally, the fact that Zeng Peiyu was “invited” to complete the entry process and successfully secured a nomination has raised concerns about procedural fairness, prompting director Li Huijun to question whether such actions align with the principle of procedural justice and urging the Taipei Film Awards to address the issue.
In response to these matters, Lee Yamei also shared her thoughts on her personal Facebook page. She began her post by stating, “Because many people have inquired about the well-being of the Taipei Film Awards, I will write a short piece to respond.” Regarding Chen Muyi’s recent query about whether his failure to secure a nomination was due to his political stance, Lee Yamei wrote: “Firstly, as mentioned in the Taipei Film Awards’ previous response, the judges discuss each selection solely based on professional performance and do not consider external factors. The composition of the judging panel changes every year, with many participants adhering to this fundamental principle in the selection process.”
Regarding the subject of Zeng Peiyu from “Zhou Chu Eliminates Three Evils,” who was not initially registered but was brought up by preliminary judges, she was contacted by the organizers to confirm her willingness to be considered before eventually receiving a nomination for Best Supporting Actress. While this kind of nomination process has raised questions about fairness, Lee Yamei pointed out that such practices are not unprecedented.
Lee Yamei emphasized that the essence of film festivals is to encourage filmmakers. “Hence, judges can proactively suggest nominations or adjust the submissions for lead and supporting roles,” she said, citing an example from the 22nd Taipei Film Awards where actress Wu Mei-he from director Zhang Zuji’s “The Dearest Stranger” was put forward for nomination as Best Supporting Actress. She also mentioned an incident from the 21st edition where judges suggested changing the entry of Zheng Renshu of “Cold Single” from Best Supporting Actor to Best Actor, but this mechanism was not utilized by the Taipei Film Awards this year.
Using a metaphor of a family dining together, she likened the film selection process to a meal where not every dish may appeal to everyone’s taste, emphasizing the importance of respecting the considerations and choices of the judging panel and the aesthetic preferences of each viewer. She concluded by stating, “Diversity is always a good thing.”