by Tan Jingjing, Gao Shan and Zhang Chunxiao
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- China-originated filmmakers made a splash at the 91st Academy Awards ceremony held in Los Angeles on Sunday, as they emerged from strong competition to take home two honors.
Three China-originated American directors were nominated for their movies for Best Documentary Feature. The award went to husband-and-wife filmmaking duo Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi for "Free Solo."
"Free Solo" is a movie filled with human emotions, death-defying stakes and nail-biting tension. It follows elite rock climber Alex Honnold as he attempts an unassisted ascent up the El Capitan vertical rock formation at Yosemite National Park without ropes.
Along with Honnold's physical training, the film traces his deepening personal relationship with his girlfriend. Alongside its vertiginous climbing footage, the film becomes a powerful exploration of personal focus and ambition while making space for emotional, intimate connections.
Chin and Vasarhelyi are the first married couple of Asian descent ever nominated for Oscars together.
"Minding the Gap," which lost to "Free Solo" in this category, was also directed by a Chinese American director, Liu Bing.
The film follows three young men who bond together to escape their volatile families in a small, Rust Belt hometown in the Midwest. As they face adult responsibilities, unexpected revelations threaten their decade-long friendship.
Liu moved from China to Rockford, Illinois with his mother at eight. He shot the film in Rockford, where he grew up.
The other Oscar award claimed by a China-originated filmmaker was Best Animated Short, which went to China-born Canadian writer and director Domee Shi for her Pixar short "Bao."
"Bao" explores the life of a Chinese immigrant mom living in Toronto with her inattentive husband and struggling to cope with loneliness after her beloved son flies the nest.
Shi is the first woman and first China-originated writer and director of a Pixar short.
"To all the nerdy girls out there who hide behind their sketchbooks, don't be afraid to tell your stories to the world," Shi told the audience.
One competitor for her award was "One Small Step," a Chinese-American animated short film. Directed by China-born Disney animator Shaofu Zhang, it tells the story of a young Chinese-American protagonist who dreams of being an astronaut.
It is also noteworthy that three Chinese-financed movies won this year's Oscar awards.
China's Alibaba Pictures is a co-financier of "Green Book," which took home three awards of Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor and Best Original Screenplay.
Chinese film, TV and gaming company Perfect World Pictures cofinanced "First Man," which claimed Best Visual Effects, and "BlacKkKlansman," which won Best Adapted Screenplay.
Lian Jie, chairman and CEO of Perfect World Pictures, told Xinhua that his company reached an investment and strategic cooperation agreement with Universal Pictures in 2016, which commenced its film business in the international market.
"Exchanges and cooperation in film and TV industry is an essential part of China-U.S. cultural exchanges," he said. "With good cooperation with Universal Pictures, Perfect World will constantly expand our international business and cultivate the talents. Moreover, we will deepen our understanding of the international market, bring the most advanced production and management ideations to the domestic market and contribute to the Chinese film industry."
