News of the “Minari” Best Picture shut out at the 2021 Golden Globes generated outrage on social media from film critics and Hollywood talent such as Wang, Daniel Dae Kim, and “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” star Simu Liu. As Wang put it in her reaction to the snub, “I have not seen a more American film than ‘Minari’ this year. It’s a story about an immigrant family, in America, pursuing the American dream. We really need to change these antiquated rules that characterizes American as only English-speaking.”
Daniel Dae Kim added, “The film equivalent of being told to go back to your country when that country is actually America.” Several film journalists noted the hypocrisy of the HFPA for shutting out “Minari” for Best Picture while nominating films such as Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds” and Alejandro González Iñárritu’s “Babel” in the main Best Picture races in the past. Like “Minari,” these films also predominantly featured foreign languages. “Babel” even won the Best Motion Picture Drama prize. A source close to the Golden Globes confirmed to IndieWire that eligibility rules dictate that any film with at least 50 percent of non-English dialogue goes into the Foreign Language category. Per Globes rules: “Motion picture dramas, musicals or comedies with 50 percent or more English dialogue are eligible for the Best Motion Picture – Drama or Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy awards.” As for “Minari,” the film was submitted into the Best Foreign Language category on November 25 and has remained in the category ever since. The Globes’ rules shutting out “Minari” from the Best Picture race has been called “racist” and “complete bullshit,” with “Kim’s Convenience” actor Andrew Phung adding, “A sad and disappointing reminder that a movie about the American dream, set in America, starring an American, directed by an American, and produced by an American company, is somehow foreign.” “Just for the record, ‘Minari’ is an American movie written and directed by an American filmmaker set in America with an American lead actor and produced by an American production company,” Simu Liu wrote. “What could be more American than that?” “Minari” won the U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize and the U.S. Dramatic Audience Award at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. While the film will not be eligible for the Globes’ Best Picture prize, actors such as Steven Yeun can still land nominations. The HFPA will announce the 2021 Globe nominees on February 3, 2021. A24 is set to release the film on February 12.
— Lulu Wang (@thumbelulu) December 23, 2020
— Daniel Dae Kim (@danieldaekim) December 23, 2020
What could be more American than that? — Simu Liu (@SimuLiu) December 23, 2020
— david ehrlich (@davidehrlich) December 23, 2020
— Jacob Oller (@JacobOller) December 23, 2020
— Jacob Oller (@JacobOller) December 23, 2020
— Angry Asian Man (@angryasianman) December 23, 2020
— Andrew Phung (@andrewphung) December 23, 2020
— Franklin Leonard (@franklinleonard) December 23, 2020
— Hanna Ines Flint (@HannaFlint) December 23, 2020
— Kazu Kibuishi (@boltcity) December 23, 2020 Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
