Entertainment

Asian American Film “Minari” Barred from Golden Globes’ Best Picture

Published

5 years ago

February 20, 2021

In December 2020, the critically acclaimed film “Minari” was barred from competing in the Best Picture category for the 2021 Golden Globes. It will instead be competing in the Best Foreign Language Film category.

The plot of “Minari” follows a Korean American family as they seek the American dream on an Arkansas farm. In the process of navigating the challenges of living in the Ozarks, they demonstrate the resilience of family and the true meaning of home.

The majority of the film’s dialogue is in Korean and is thus considered a foreign language film, as defined by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). This designation has sparked outrage on social media, especially since other non-English films have been nominated for best picture (and won!) despite not meeting the language requirement.

Many of Hollywood’s stars tweeted their disapproval.

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 👀 https://t.co/6fbI7ppBPB
— Simu Liu (@SimuLiu) December 23, 2020

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

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

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

In case you don’t think this is racist, Inglourious Basterds got a Golden Globe nom for Best Picture and is only ~30% in English https://t.co/Ptz4OEbxhR
— Jacob Oller (@JacobOller) December 23, 2020

“Minari” was voted the U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize and the U.S. Dramatic Audience Award at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. The film is not eligible for the Globe’s Best Picture award, but its actors like protagonist Steven Yeun could still be nominated in February, 2021.

“Minari” was released on February 12, 2021, by A24.