The Ten Years fall-out continues: Hong Kong Film Awards will not be televised in China
Mainland web portal pulls out of screening Hong Kong ceremony despite contractual arrangement after backlash against ‘absurd and pessimistic’ film
Mainland Chinese audiences will be unable to catch Andy Lau Tak-wah, Jacky Cheung Hok-yau and Aaron Kwok Fu-shing on official broadcast as the former Heavenly Kings of Canto-pop vie for best actor glory at this year’s Hong Kong Film Awards ceremony at the Cultural Centre on April 3.
In what is generally believed to be a response to the best picture nomination of Ten Years – a politically sensitive film previously slammed by Communist Party mouthpiece Global Times for being absurd and pessimistic – the mainland web portal QQ.com has pulled out from airing the ceremony, despite pre-existing contractual agreement with the awards association.
READ MORE: Ten Years earns best picture nod in Hong Kong Film Awards after Global Times panned it
The association will lose out on a purported broadcasting fee of up to HK$5 million if the cancellation is confirmed, said Derek Yee Tung-sing, chairman of the association’s board of directors, in an interview with Ming Pao Daily. “We can understand why this film exists, and why this has become an issue,” he said.
This year’s nomination list was decided by 1,149 registered voters – including this writer – of which more than 63 per cent have cast their votes. The best picture nod is Ten Years’ only nomination at the awards. Port of Call , a grisly murder story that is anticipating a censored release in the mainland later this year, leads the pack with 13 nominations.