While many movies did not have the opportunity to release this year, awards season is still moving forward. The “Best of 2020” lists are starting to pour in as folks get a better idea of which films will be up for the big awards. One already-beloved movie is Minari, which follows a Korean American family as they “search for a better life when they move to a small farm in Arkansas.” The film was written and directed by Lee Isaac Chung and stars The Walking Dead‘s Steven Yeun. Yesterday, Variety reported that the Golden Globes have decided to categorize the film as “foreign language,” which has caused upset on Twitter.
“#GoldenGlobes: #Minari will not be competing in the best picture categories, instead it will be considered in foreign language film because it is primarily in Korean,” Variety writes. Many people have taken to Twitter to express their outrage over this decision, including Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings star Simu Liu, LOST alum Daniel Dae Kim, and The Farewell director Lulu Wang.
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People are arguing that the film was not only made by an American filmmaker, but it takes place in America and is all about the “American Dream.” Others are pointing out the hypocrisy of letting films like Inglourious Basterds remain in the Best Picture category in the past. You can read some of the tweets below…
Daniel Dae Kim
The film equivalent of being told to go back to your country when that country is actually America. https://t.co/kwEf8eO9v8
— Daniel Dae Kim (@danieldaekim) December 23, 2020
Simu Liu
…and without spoiling anything it is a BEAUTIFUL story of an immigrant family trying to build a life from the ground up.
— Simu Liu (@SimuLiu) December 23, 2020
What could be more American than that?
Phillipa Soo
Parasite won the Academy Award BEST PICTURE last year. So….not following your logic #GoldenGlobes https://t.co/0LFU2n51Q2
— Phillipa Soo (@Phillipasoo) December 23, 2020
Lulu Wang
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. https://t.co/1NZbkJFE9v
— Lulu Wang (@thumbelulu) December 23, 2020
Franklin Leonard
Let us not forget that Inglorious Basterds was mostly not in English and was not classified the same way. https://t.co/HjMktWUV8F
— Franklin Leonard (@franklinleonard) December 23, 2020
Ted Lieu
Dear @goldenglobes: Please change your name to “Golden Only For English Speaking People,” because that would be more accurate. #Minari is an American movie about a Korean American family in Arkansas. Why does a best picture have to be in English? Globe is in your name. Get it? https://t.co/pMlGr07HxF
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) December 23, 2020
Tze Chun
They don’t want us to win twice in a row https://t.co/9J61Gy5Brh
— T$E CHUN (@thetzechun) December 23, 2020
Jenny Han
Literally this movie is about the “American dream”!!! what are you guys even talking about! https://t.co/8nDyhh0r38
— Jenny Han (@jennyhan) December 23, 2020
Andrew Phung
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. #Minari https://t.co/u8VVfp0Sf4
— Andrew Phung (@andrewphung) December 23, 2020
Celeste Ng
This is a gorgeous film by an American, about Korean-speaking Americans in America, which would be a strong contender for awards in ANY category. The idea that only films in English count as “American” is complete bullshit. https://t.co/tgKqGzMUn7
— Celeste Ng (@pronounced_ing) December 23, 2020
Nyle DiMarco
Quick FYI: The United States has never had an official language at the federal level. https://t.co/FIdmmJWvSI
— Nyle DiMarco (@NyleDiMarco) December 23, 2020
Jen Bartel
They saw Parasite kick down that door and said oh shit, we better not let them in the house if we’re going to stand a chance https://t.co/PbOTi7p54Y
— Jen Bartel (@heyjenbartel) December 23, 2020
Jenny Yang
racist https://t.co/Ja54jtME4f
— Jenny Yang (@jennyyangtv) December 23, 2020