Headlines from China: Oscar Film Academy Invites New Members to Increase Diversity, Including a Number of Chinese Filmmakers

Oscar Film Academy Invites New Members to Increase Diversity, Including a Number of Chinese Filmmakers

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has extended invitations to 819 artists and executives this year, including 15 Oscar winners to join the academy, according to the statement made by the organization on Tuesday. The current 2020 class consists of 45 percent women, 36 percent underrepresented ethnic/racial communities, and 49 percent international filmmakers from 68 countries. A number of Chinese filmmakers were also invited to join, including Chinese auteur Jia Zhangke’s wife/muse actress Zhao Tao (“Ash Is Purest White”, “Mountains May Depart”) and director/actor Wu Jing (“The Wandering Earth” and “Wolf Warrior”). Read more Mtime

Who Will Be the First Film Festival to be Held in China in 2020?

There has been some chatter recently on the internet about Shanghai International Film Festival looking for a late July revival, although these plans have not been made public yet. The FIRST International Film Festival has also announced this week that it will occur with in-person screenings from July 26 to August 3 in the western city Xining, which would make it the first film festival to take place in China since January. The embattled Chinese film industry is expecting these film festivals to facilitate the reopening of movie theaters in China by the end of the month. Read more Movie1958