85th Academy Awards Animated Features Submissions

Yesterday AMPAS announced that 21 films were submitted for consideration in the Animated Feature Film category. Shortlist could bring surprises as several of the films listed have not yet had their required Los Angeles qualifying runs.

We have to remember that submitted features must fulfill the theatrical release requirements and comply with all of the category's other qualifying rules before they can advance in the voting process. At least eight eligible animated features must be theatrically released in Los Angeles County within the calendar year for this category to be activated.

These are the submitted films.

Adventures in Zambezia, Wayne Thornley, South Africa
A Liar's Autobiography: The Untrue Story of Monty Python's Graham Chapman, Bill Jones, Jeff Simpson and Ben Timlett, UK
Brave, Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman and Steve Purcell, USA
Delhi Safari, Nikhil Advani, India
Dr. Seuss' The Lorax, Chris Renaud and Kyle Balda, USA
Frankenweenie, Tim Burton, USA
Hotel Transylvania, Genndy Tartakovsky, USA
Ice Age Continental Drift, Steve Martino and Mike Thurmeier, USA
Kokuriko-zaka kara (From Up on Poppy Hill), Goro Miyazaki, Japan
Krishna Aur Kans (Hey Krishna), Vikram Veturi, India
Le chat du rabbin (The Rabbi's Cat), Antoine Delesvaux and Joann Sfar, France and Austria
Le Noël de Walter et Tandoori (Walter & Tandoori's Christmas), Sylvain Viau, Canada
Le tableau (The Painting), Jean-François Laguionie, France and Belgium
Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted, Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath and Conrad Vernon, USA
ParaNorman, Chris Butler and Sam Fell, USA
Rise of the Guardians, Peter Ramsey, USA
Secret of the Wings, Roberts Gannaway and Peggy Holmes, USA
Shinpi no hô (The Mystical Laws), Isamu Imakake, Japan
The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists (aka The Pirates! Band of Misfits), Peter Lord, UK and USA
Wreck-It Ralph, Rich Moore, USA
Zarafa, Rémi Bezançon and Jean-Christophe Lie, France and Belgium

Not a category I particularly like but to my surprise and after watching trailers there are a couple that call my attention, both are French productions. Nice to find in the submissions films from other than USA countries, but after learning today the European Film Awards nominations wonder why Arrugas and Alois Nebel were not submitted, then maybe is because are not targeted to children as most of the submitted films are. Sigh.

25th European Film Awards Nominations

A few minutes ago at the Seville European Film Festival the European Film Academy announced the nominations for this year. Most were expected but there is one huge surprise.

Please remember that the award calendar runs from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012 and is the reason why the nominations have films from last year. Also, the films must have a director who was born in Europe or has a European passport and Europe has a geographical definition.

European Film
Amour (Love), Michael Haneke, Austria, France and Germany
Barbara, Christian Petzold, Germany
Cesare Deve Morire (Caesar Must Die), Paolo and Vittorio Taviani, Italy
Intouchables (Untouchable), Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano, France
Jagten (The Hunt), Thomas Vinterverg, Denmark
Shame, Steve McQueen, UK

European Director
Nuri Bilge Ceylan for Bir zamanlar Anadolu'da (Once Upon a Time in Anatolia)
Michael Haneke for Amour (Love)
Steve McQueen for Shame
Paolo Taviani and Vittorio Taviani for Cesare Deve Morire (Caesar Must Die)
Thomas Vinterberg for Jagten (The Hunt

European Actress
Emilie Dequene in À perdre la raison (Our Children)
Nina Hoss in Barbara
Emmanuelle Riva in Amour (Love)
Margarethe Tiesel In Paradies: Liebe (Paradise: Love)
Kate Winslet in Carnage

European Actor
François Cluzet & Omar Sy in Intouchables (Untouchable)
Michael Fassbender in Shame
Mads Mikkelsen in Jagten (The Hunt)
Gary Oldman in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Jean-Louis Trintignant in Amour (Love)

European Screenwriter
Michael Haneke for Amour (Love)
Tobias Lindholm & Thomas Vinterberg for Jagten (The Hunt)
Cristian Mungiu for După dealuri (Beyond the Hills)
Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano for Intouchables (Untouchable)
Roman Polanski and Yasmina Reza for Carnage

Carlo di Palma European Cinematographer Award
Sean Bobbitt for Shame
Bruno Delbonnel for Faust
Darius Khondji for Amour (Love)
Gökhan Tiryaki for Bir zamanlar Anadolu'da (Once Upon a Time in Anatolia)
Hoyte Van Hoytema for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

European Editor
Janus Billeskov Jansen & Anne Østerud for Jagten (The Hunt)
Roberto Perpignani for Cesare Deve Morire (Caesar Must Die)
Joe Walker for Shame

European Production Designer
Maria Djurkovic for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Niels Sejer for En Kongelig Affære (A Royal Affair)
Elena Zhukova for Faust

European Composer
Cyrille Aufort & Gabriel Yared for En Kongelig Affære (A Royal Affair)
François Couturier for Io Sono Li (Shun Li and the Poet)
George Fenton for The Angels' Share
Alberto Iglesias for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

European Documentary
Hiver Nomade (Winter Nomads), Manuel von Stürler, Switzerland
London - The Modern Babylon, Julien Temple, UK
Le thé ou l'électricité (Tea or Electricity), Jérôme le Maire, Belgium, France and Morocco

European Animated Feature Film
Alois Nebel, Tomáš Luňák, Czech Republic, Germany and Slovakia
Arrugas (Wrinkles), Ignacio Ferreras, Spain
The Pirates! In An Adventure with Scientists, Peter Lord, USA and UK

European Discovery - Prix FIPRESCI
10 Timer Til Paradis (Teddy Bear), Mads Matthiesen, Denmark
Broken, Rufus Norris, UK
Kauwboy, Boudewijn Koole, Netherlands
Портрет в сумерках Portret V Sumerkhak (Twilight Portrait), Angelina Nikonova, Russia
Die Vermissten (Reported Missing), Jan Speckenbach, Germany

As we know the European Achievement in World Cinema this year goes to Dame Helen Mirren. To learn nominees in the Short Film category please go to this post.

The more than 2,700 EFA members will now vote for the winners who will be presented during the awards ceremony on December 1st in Malta. To read info about each film go here.

My biggest surprise is the total absence of Jacques Audiard film and Marion Cotillard not getting a nomination. Unbelievable. But as unbelievable are the many nominations the other French film got, yes that film, the film that is France submission to Oscar. Now seems will be easier to guess what could happen at the Oscars in the foreign-language category and beyond. Nevertheless, this Academy has always given us surprises that sometimes do not reflect what Oscar could do, like for example, last year Melancholia winning the top award.

Still, I hope that this is Michael Haneke's year and Amour sweeps the awards as is the film with the most nominations (6). In 28 days we will know if the Academy celebrates Haneke with well-deserved honors.

Last but not least I am pleased that some of my favorite and most admired directors are being honored with a well-deserved nomination including Haneke but also Nuri Bilge Ceylan and Cristian Mungiu; plus do not mind that Steve McQueen's excellent Shame got five (5) nominations, including one for Michael Fassbender. Somehow this year the Actress category does not excite me that much as really enjoyed Nina Hoss performance but know that probably Emmanuelle Riva will get the award. There is one movie nominated to the top award that I could not watch but maybe now will try to see it again hoping that I can see it up to the end; also will see the film (the other French film) I have been avoiding to see even when I know will like it as is a mainstream crowd-pleader. Sigh.

En kongelig affære (A Royal Affair)

I was really impressed with this movie, the remarkable performances, the little known (for me) piece of history and how Nikolaj Arcel was able to do "another" European period movie quite different to many that I have seen. So, just imagine the "cultural" shock I had when discovered the not so good reviews movie gets mainly, but not only, in English from a few professional critics and many viewers. This motivates me to do a different approach here as seems like if I saw (again) a different story than many did.

The Film Story - Part 1

Film tells the story of a young queen, Caroline Mathilde, who is married to insane king, Christian VII of Denmark, falls secretly in love with the king's German physician, Johan Friedrich Struensee, and together change too early what later becomes the norm not only in Denmark but across the civilized world or -if you wish- Europe. Is told from the queen's perspective and accordingly to what I read is based primordially on the novel Prinsesse af blodet (Princess of Blood) by Danish author Bodil Steensen-Leth where the queen is the protagonist and the one who narrates story; but also is based on the novel Livläkarens besök (The Visit of the Royal Physician) by Swedish author Per Olov Enquist. So these gives us some clues that story even do is based on actual facts has to have some fiction.

The History

As I'm not that much familiar with Danish history my first instinct told me to check what was fact, so I did a little research from reliable sources. Seems movie is a good dramatization of actual events but there are several issues that seems today are still questionable; most are related to the "affair" or the romance. Some still doubt that Struensee had an affair with the queen, but others confirm that the daughter pictures show resemblance to him and many claim that he had an affair with the queen and also with another woman in the court, which made both women very jealous of each other.

What seems to be real is everything related to Struensee ascension to power, his ahead of time rulings based on his studies of Enlightenment philosophers, and his fall to the aristocrats that had lost all power and finally got it back. All this happening in Denmark 20 years before the French Revolution.

The Story - Part 2

Seems that most viewers see film and only watch the romance, after all who can blame them as if you read the movie title is none other than "A Royal Affair", which most will relate to the romance and not to the other kind of affairs. All right I also saw the romantic affair and admit that it was good, interesting; yet was similar to many European royal stories that we have seen in film, including one mentioned profusely in viewers reviews: the story of Camelot. Most like the romance movie and some even call it a "girlie" film, meaning that is suited only for female audiences. I totally disagree, but then I saw more the "other" story, the one that really captured me to feel all kind of intense emotions, the one that made me think that infamous phrase: "people have the government they deserve".

As movie begins to introduce us to the characters, the queen's tragedy, the king's insanity and whatever follows I was seeing the film with "romance" eyes; but there was one scene that changed all and made me think that there was something more in this story. I'm talking about the scene where the queen finds the books hidden behind the front books in the bookshelf. From that moment on I awoke and started to see film with different eyes. What captured my attention are all the elements that seem to be history accurate and that story seemed to me just fascinating.

I was not aware of this piece of history that happened 20 years before the French Revolution, regret that is lost in history annals and probably will be lost for many even after seeing this film. Won't get into analyzing all the implications but due to Arcel's so contemporary storytelling style plus the outstanding screenplay, made me think about what is happening nowadays around the world, where history tends to repeat itself many times. About the fear of change that some have because will lose their power while others because ignorance. Then, just imagine if Struensee had remained in power world history would have been told quite different today.

The Film

Nikolaj Arcel might be known to some of you because he wrote the outstanding screenplay of Män som hatar kvinnor (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), that for me is the best of the Millenium saga films; so was not surprising that the screenplay of this movie won the Silver Bear for Best Screenplay at the 2012 Berlinale that he co wrote with Rasmus Heisterberg. I believe that what makes this movie quite outstanding is the remarkable screenplay that spectacularly blends romance, some humor and historic events while impregnating a very contemporary feel.

Performances by Alicia Vikander (the queen) and Mads Mikkelsen (Struensee) are remarkable but the one that steals the movie for me is Mikkel Boe Følsgaard that gives his insane king performance many layers to make our eyes fixed on him every time he is on the screen. Production design is lavish as well as costumes and production values are on the high end of the scale.

In the end the film is as good as many other European royal period films if you think only about the production values but what makes this film very different is not only the story it tells but also how is told.

As we know film is Denmark's submission to Oscar and before reading reviews I was sure this film will make it to the shortlist of nine and maybe will get a nomination; now I think that only if Academy members see the "other" affairs and how magnificently is blend into romance then perhaps will make the shortlist. Sigh.

Still this is a film I highly recommend to many regular readers as know will enjoy the romance and will appreciate the historic value of this film.

Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @MOC

Kauwboy

What seems to be Boudewijn Koole's feature film debut, has done mainly documentaries and TV movies, is an impressive oeuvre that looks and feels like made by a more experienced, accomplished filmmaker as turns an often seen story into an amazing lyrical visuals and narrative film that will engage you very fast even when you do not particularly like kids stories, just like me.

Been delaying watching as usually have a hard time relating to kids stories plus most directors seem to not being able to extract from kids actors outstanding performances; but this film absolutely is the exception as not only Rick Lens performance as Jojo is fantastic but director magnificent storytelling style engaged me fast. With a narrative that you will not fully decode until almost the end, beautiful visuals that eases what you are seeing plus engage you perhaps as much as story if not more, Koole created a very uplifting movie that will explode many emotions and perhaps bring one or two tears to your eyes. A true delightful ride that will please your eyes and make you really feel for Jojo.

Film tells the story of nine/ten years-old Jojo that goes into battle mode with his father; you can see that he's left alone too much, finds some solace talking by phone to his absent mother while telling not the truth about his father, he is aggressive and easily explodes and so on and so forth. But something changes when Jojo finds a baby jackdaw as now he not only has a companion, someone to take care for but also someone that helps him to ease his daily pain. How the story evolves you have to see it as don't want spoilers to ruin the film for you, but let me reinforce that is an uplifting story with a happy great end and message.

As Koole says in an interview this film is all about the casting and definitively agree as he was able to extract from non-actor Lens a magnificent performance but I also believe that film is extremely beautiful to watch with some scenes that look and feel like visual poetry, extraordinary hand-held camera scenes that contribute to the narrative, amazing stills (yes, photographs) that made me go into awe mode, absolutely fantastic framing, editing and almost perfect production values are ALSO elements that made this film a great art piece while telling a very compelling story that will entertain you. Many call film unpretentious and this time I have to agree but that doesn't mean that this is a masterful piece of art too.

Film premiered at the 2012 Belinale where it won the Best First Feature and the Crystal Bear in Generation Kplus section plus the Young Audience Award of the 2012 European Film Awards, as yes is a film that young children could enjoy as much as their parents. My only concern is that parents are adults and what they might see could be different to what children could see. Also as we know film is Netherlands submission to Oscar and truly I will not be surprised if film makes it to the shortlist of nine and even if gets a well-deserved nomination; but with the average age of foreign language committee members you never know what they will do.

A must be seen film that could please general audiences plus those that like art cinema; not often I'm able to say art and masses together but this film really fits both.

Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @MOC

Barbara

While waiting to be able to see movie, completely forgot about plot and I'm really glad this happened as believe that when you know nothing about story the experience with this movie has to be different than when you do. Since I feel that you should go virgin to the story, I'm forced to not analyze anything about this layered story that could touch you in many levels if you are willing to peel the layers and enjoy the slowly built slight tension that director Christian Petzold masterly impregnated to his film.

I met Petzold with his puzzling Gespenster (Ghosts) and while found film strange -especially for a lesbian interest film- I was highly impressed with his filmmaking and storytelling style. Then saw Yella, another strange movie that absolutely captured my interest as a darkish but very intellectual exercise. Then came Barbara a film that I found not strange at all and perhaps it's Petzold's most accessible film of all I have seen but know that many will find the pace extremely slow, especially Academy members that will see film as is Germany submission to 2013 Oscar.

Pace is so slow and narrative evolves so slow, that is inevitable for viewers to start wondering what is happening here. If you are patient soon you will start to uncover clues to where they are, what time-period story is set, who is Barbara, why she is harassed and why she end up there. But if you blink while watching there are chances that you could miss the clue. Still I believe that Perzold's storytelling style is so interesting that even if you cannot identify any of the above because you are captured by only the evident narrative, you could still enjoy the film that will motivate you to fill the gaps as you wish. To me this is amazing and is the reason why I suggest you see movie without knowing about the plot.

Then film is so good that after watching once and learning what movie is about you could go back and watch again to surely uncover many more layers to film and story. I bet that some will see a different story than the one you imagined the first time. Still the message will or could be the same, what is to live under very difficult circumstances and still be able to behave like a human being. Is all about trust.

Impeccable warmish cinematography -different to Petzold's usually cold visuals- plus an outstanding performance by Nina Hoss that delivers a great -but very slowly- transformation in front of our eyes, from cold and misanthropic to a warmer more living woman that cares no matter the damage she has endured. Truly impressive and a strong reason to make this movie must be seen.

Film premiered in competition at 2012 Berlinale to great reviews in German press, not so in other languages, and while traveling the fest circuit has collected more honors but none like the ones collected in German awards where Petzold got the Silver Bear for Best Director at the Berlinale, Film Award in Silver for Outstanding Feature Film at 2012 German Film Awards and Jasna Fritzi Bauer (Stella) won the New Faces Award for Best Actress. The above makes me think that film perhaps is "too German" for world audiences but if you are familiar with Petzold work I know that movie has to be must be seen for you and surely will enjoy this film that is both about the voyage as the destination.

Have seen it twice, have seen two different stories, maybe will see it again and surely will discover more; but what blew my mind the most, first and second time, is the amazing Nina Hoss performance, truly mesmerizing and in my opinion, superior to highly awarded Yella performance.

Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @MOC

De rouille et d'os (Rust & Bone)

A magnificent love story! Yes film is all about love. Love, Audiard style of course. Not really what I imagined as was expecting a female-centered story and is not. In a way Audiard again tells a male-centered story but this time a female character goes tête-à-tête with the male character and together they dance a magnificent pas de deux. But you have no idea how spectacular Audiard tells his love story that in hands of a different director easily could have become a sentimental melodrama of the worst kind.

Story tells about two different people, opposites, Stéphanie (Marion Cotillard) the Orca whale trainer that has her "controlled" world turn upside down after a whale disobeys her "controlling" orders, and Ali (Matthias Scoenaerts) the man that has nothing but his son and a brutal force. The beauty and the brute, the perfect match. But nothing is easy for both and Audiard brilliantly show us through several metaphors and most of all with the most impressive cinematography where what you see is more important than what you hear, how they end up helping each other in the most non-sentimental, crude and direct way. All this while exploring our contemporary world, the huge differences between those that have and have not, and proposing that perhaps nowadays all we have left is no more than ourselves, our feelings, our emotions or -if you wish- love. Amazing.

Had no clear idea how to explain what movie is about as whatever I wrote sounded ridiculous and maybe the previous paragraph still suggests a story that can be considered as silly, risible, unbelievable; but let me assure that film and story are not any of the later words. First film is so well crafted that seems impossible to imagine the above story told the way Audiard tells it, but his master approach is extraordinary. Just as an example let me share that the scenes where Stéphanie has the "accident" are an impressive expressionist collage where you see nothing of the "accident" and you see all, inside your head. Second, story is told in a very raw, realistic way, especially when telling about Ali, but also when telling about Stéphanie as her emotions are raw and realistic too. Film is truly visceral.

I was very curious about the special effects and maybe in the beginning was approaching the scenes where Cotillard has no legs too brainy but film -and special effects- are so good that soon, very soon, absolutely forgot about the special effects as became more concern with feeling whatever emotions the scenes provoked. Fantastic and in my opinion, extraordinary use of special effects that I wish many emulate, as not often these kind of effects are used to generate emotions.

Performances have the excellence that awards reward. Marion Cottillard's character is full of emotions and she gives a perfect performance, similar to the one that gave her an Oscar. Matthias Schoenaerts' performance is so good that now I'm willing to see Rundskop (Bullhead), a film I've been avoiding to see as I imagine with too much violence, but now after seeing how good he is -even in the most raw violence- will see it. No doubt that Jacques Audiard masterful direction makes their extraordinary performances possible as well as gives us a raw expressionism in his film images.

I am a huge Audiard and Marion Cotillard follower that with this film got my expectations (see Cannes preview) surpassed as never imagined that a love story (first surprise) could be told like is told here (second surprise) with so much emotions and the raw violence that characterizes Audiard. Still, have to remind you readers that this is a very French movie in form and style; where the voyage is more relevant than the destination. So I hope some of you will enjoy this fantastic voyage into love.

No doubt that film could be for general adult audiences as believe that film story could appeal them; but wonder if film could motivate them to see beyond the evident, to peel the layers, to see more with emotions than plain sight. Maybe.

Last but not least film premiered to great reviews at 2012 Cannes and just a few days ago collected the top award at BFI London Film Festival, in between the two events and while travelling the fest circuit collected many more honors. Truly regret that France did not send film to Oscar, but let's hope that Cotillard gets some more Oscar love.

Big Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @MOC

49th Golden Horse Awards Nominations

A while back the Golden Horse Film Academy announced the nominations that came from a total of 213 entries, including 122 feature films, 67 short films, 20 documentary films and four animated features.

Both Yang Ya Che's Gf * Bf and Lou Ye's Mystery lead with seven nominations each closely followed by Johnny To's Life Without Principle and Guan Hu's Design of Death with six nominations each.

These are the nominees for some categories.

Best Feature Film
神探亨特張 Beijing Blues, Gao Qunshu, China
浮城謎事 Mystery, Lou Ye, China and France
奪命金 Dyut meng gam (Life Without Principle), Johnnie To, Hong Kong
女朋友。男朋友 Gf * Bf (Girlfriend Boyfriend), Yang Ya Che, Taiwan
消失的子彈 Xiao shi de zi dan (The Bullet Vanishes), Lo Chi Leung, Hong Kong and China

Best Director
Gao Qunshu for Beijing Blues
Lou Ye for Mystery
Johnnie To for Life Without Principle
Yang Ya Che for Gf * Bf
Doze Niu Chen-Zer for 愛 Love

Best New Director
Yang Yi-Chen and Jim Wang for Cha Cha for Twins, Taiwan
Fung Kai for Din Tao: Leader of the Parade, Taiwan
Hero Lin for Silent Code, Taiwan
Tsai Yueh Hsun for Black & White: The Dawn of Assault, Taiwan and China
Chang Jung-Chi for Touch of the Light, Taiwan, Hong Kong and China

Best Leading Actress
Bai Baihe in Love Is Not Blind
Hao Lei in Mystery
Denise Ho in Life Without Principle
Gwei Lun-Mei in Gf * Bf
Sandrine Pinna in Touch of the Light

Best Leading Actor
Nick Cheung in Nightfall
Lau Ching Wan in Life Without Principle
Joseph Chang in Gf * Bf
Chaman To in Vulgaria
Nicholas Tse in The Viral Factor

Best Documentary
China Heavyweight, Yung Chang, China
Hand in Hand, Juang Yi-tzeng and Yen Lan-chuan, Taiwan
Money and Honey, Jasmmine Lee Ching-hui, Taiwan
Voyage in Time, Chou Tung-Yen, Taiwan

Best Short Film
6th March, Wong Chun, Hong Kong, 32'
My Graduation Travel, Hung Po-Hao, Taiwan, 30'
The Home Gleaners, Zhang siqing, China, 32'
The Present, Hsieh Weng-Ming, 16'

The Outstanding Taiwanese Filmmaker of the Year
Chen Po-Wen
Liao Su Jen
Jimmy Huang
Huang Yu-Siang

Lifetime Achievement Award: Shih Chun

This year there were no nominees in the Best Animation Film category as none of the four films qualified. To check nominees in all categories plus info and trailers (all films have trailers, many with English subtitles) for each nominated film go here.

Most interesting is to notice that Hong Kong and Taiwan submissions to Oscar have been honored with nominations but China's submission is not. From the five films nominated for Best Feature Film no doubt that 2012 Cannes Un Certain Regard Mystery is must be seen for me; also because I enjoy Sandrine Pinna's performances think will give a try to Touch of the Light but know that story could be too melodramatic for my taste.

The judging process consists of three phases. The first round was overseen by film critics and scholars from Taiwan, China, and Hong Kong: including Tan Tang-Mo, Li Yongquan, Liang Liang, Thomas Shin, and Wei Xidi. The second round was reviewed by outstanding filmmakers still active in this field, mostly past Golden Horse winners or nominees, such as Kong Jinlei (editor), Jack Shi (animation director), Wu Mi-Sen (director), Lin Yu-Hsien (director), Lin Jong (cinematographer), Lim Giong (musician / actor), Chen Yi-Wen (director/actor), Chen Ru-Shou (film scholar), Shirley Chan Ku Fang (makeup and costume designer), and Lu Yi-Ching (actress); they spent a month watching all the brilliant Chinese-language films made in the past year, from which they elected this year's finalists. In the final round, the judging panel will be joined by the two-time Best Leading Actor winner Andy Lau, as well as renowned writer Chang Ta-Chun, veteran actor/director Liang Hsiu-Shen, and the equally talented Jiang Wenli. Serving as the chairman of this year's jury, Andy Lau said that it was a great honor to take on such a task and he was looking forward to watching the nominated films and discussing with his colleagues. He also congratulated all the nominees of the 2012 Golden Horse Awards.

The 49th Golden Horse Awards ceremony will be held on November 24 in Luodong Cultural Working House, Yilan County and will be broadcast live exclusively on TTV. At present it is confirmed that the ceremony will be broadcast to Canada, the United States, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, and Macau.