“Marry My Dead Body” will represent Taiwan this year in the race for Best International Film at the 96th Academy Awards, according to a recent announcement from the Ministry of Culture. This is a tale that belongs to Taiwan, according to director Cheng Wei-hao (程偉豪), who considers it a great honor to represent Taiwan in the Oscars.
‘Marry My Dead Body’, a Taiwanese horror comedy, will represent Taiwan this year in the race for Best International Film at the Oscars.Photo provided by Calendar Studios Co., Ltd
Nine Taiwanese films in all have been nominated this year in the hopes of representing Taiwan in the race for Best International Film at the Academy Awards. After discussion among the members of the selection committee at a selection meeting convened by the Ministry of Culture, it was ultimately agreed to nominate "Marry My Dead Body" to represent Taiwan in the Academy Award for Best International Film. According to the Ministry of Culture, the movie is recommended because "it cleverly combines traditional customs with modern perspectives, has both humor and emotion, and showcases the characteristics of Taiwanese culture and life."
"Marry My Dead Body" deftly combines gender issues with customary posthumous marriage practices. The film’s subject matter also illustrates the variety of lifestyles in Taiwan. It is a very uncommon genre movie made in Taiwan. When the movie was released in Taiwan, it achieved the seventh-highest box office record in Taiwanese cinema history at NTD 360 million. In addition, it was well welcomed in Vietnam, Hong Kong, and South Korea.
‘Marry My Dead Body’, a Taiwanese horror comedy, will represent Taiwan this year in the race for Best International Film at the Oscars.Photo provided by Calendar Studios Co., Ltd
Taiwan's embracing of independence and appreciation for varied creativity and ideas, according to the Ministry of Culture, are crucial ingredients for motivating and making films. It will continue to direct the creation of various film genres, improve script-to-talent matching and talent development, and create movies with Taiwanese cultural viewpoints in the future to increase Taiwanese films’ global reach and competitiveness.