Golden Globes to Allow Foreign Language Films to Compete for Best Picture

이윤영 / 2021-07-01 15:21:39

▲ This photo provided by the Golden Globes' Facebook page shows the movie 'Minari' winning Best Motion Picture in the Foreign Language category. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, July 1 (Yonhap) -- The Golden Globes, which are considered one of the top two film awards in the U.S. along with the Academy Awards, announced Wednesday (local time) that it will include foreign language films and animated films to be able to compete in Best Picture, Director and Actor.

As the awards show faced backlash for making critically-acclaimed movie ‘Minari’ ineligible for the top prize, and being accused of discrimination, the change of rules stands as a manifestation of the acceptation of society’s criticism.

“As we reexamined our guidelines this year and listened to the industry, we decided to adopt new approaches for future shows ensuring these films receive the attention they deserve,” Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) president Ali Sar said in a statement to international news agency AFP.

‘Minari’, directed by Lee Isaac Chung and produced by ‘Plan B’, a film producer founded by actor Brad Pitt, swept numerous awards at various international film festivals. The plot also takes part in the U.S., but the movie was classified as a foreign language film because the lines were mainly Korean.

The original guidelines of the Globes state that a movie is sorted as a foreign language film if more than 50 percent of the lines are Korean. For the same reason, the South Korean movie ‘Parasite’ was classified as a foreign language film at the Golden Globes early last year.

In the face of growing controversies, the HFPA announced a reform plan last month to increase the number of members in a way that embraces diversity. It also included banning members from receiving gifts and opening a report hotline to prevent corruption.

"The changes will immediately go into effect," the HFPA said. "We will immediately implement the changes regardless of the date of the next award ceremony."

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