ATstorm screw on Hollywood, party to war against the Golden Globes and their organizers, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA or Hollywood Foreign Press Association, in French), in other words some 90 foreign journalists stationed in Los Angeles who designed this equivalent of the Oscars in 1944 to support American cinema, especially independent. Motive of the cabal which recalls the worst moments of the witch hunt in full McCarthyism: the lack of diversity and parity of its members, none of which is black.
It does not take more for the fever to seize the job, relayed by the Los Angeles Times. A big twist sparked hostilities: Tom Cruise returned his three best actor statuettes won for Born July 4, Jerry Maguire and Magnolia. Several actresses and actors followed, including Scarlett Johansson and Mark Ruffalo who have decided to “distance themselves” from the HFPA until reforms are initiated. Ditto on the side of platforms like Netflix, Amazon, Warner Media, HBO and the NBC television channel which announced that it was releasing the ceremony that it had been broadcasting since 1996. Finally, the director Ava DuVernay split a supportive tweet for Tom Cruise accusing the HFPA office of being “sexist, homophobic, racist and harassing.” Do not throw any more!
The fire was smoldering
When you know the HFPA from the inside and some journalists of all nationalities who make it up, you are astonished at such a load of insults. If they themselves admit that there are dysfunctions, preferential treatment, pressure, but never racism on their part, since, according to them, black candidates are not legion, they have already planned a detailed calendar of reforms which foresees over eighteen months the increase of 50% of the members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association with a focus on minorities, implicitly black. Former HFPA President Indian journalist Meher Tatna had previously reported that there had been no black member since 2002 and her successor Phil Berk had not helped matters by stating that Black Lives Matter was “a racist hate movement ”and its co-founder, Patrisse Cullors,“ a self-proclaimed Marxist ”.
READ ALSOIn turmoil, Golden Globes vote for series of reforms
The fire had been smoldering for a long time, but mostly concerned the Oscars. Enough to start a boycott organized by Warner and the platforms that threaten to no longer give press conferences, interviews with artists or any other collaboration with the HFPA without broader reforms. A reversal of attitude that makes you smile when you know the lobbying and the efforts made by the studios to seduce (bribe?) The same journalists who vote at the Golden Globes: gifts, favors, reports around the world in the best hotels (plane tickets are paid for by the HFPA), interviews with artists who come to their headquarters in person, packed lunches distributed daily during the months of confinement.
READ ALSOWhen the Golden Globes get up to speed
On the other hand, it is surprising to note that the HFPA is in the hot seat the year when the Golden Globes have never better reflected diversity and parity in their charts. The 80 or so voters, kindly qualified, in 2019, as “vegetables” by Ricky Gervais, or even “corrupt”, did not fail to crown as always women, Frances McDormand, Andra Day and Jodie Foster in the lead, but also African-American artists like Daniel Kaluuya, John Boyega, the late Chadwick Boseman and Chinese-American director Chloé Zhao. Even Jane Fonda, a minority activist, was invited to make a splash.
Soon the death of the Golden Globes
For once, no voice has been raised against these highly symbolic rewards for quality films, whatever the skin color or the origins of their authors and performers. Obviously, we wonder what will lead to this demolition company of the HFPA which has done a lot for the recognition of a cinema less mainstream than the Academy of Oscars. Once again this year, the Golden Globes were the first to set the tone for a particularly difficult year for the industry in 2020. Some observers are already predicting their imminent death.
Who wants their skin? In the name of what ? Of a woke wind which, at the top of studios and platforms, wants to take everything in its path and impose its moral codes? As it should, the soap opera will last for months and promises other stunts and controversies. We can imagine that the HFPA, a closed club that weighs at least $ 60 million, has enough to annoy a lot of people and make people envious in the profession.
We want to give thanks to the writer of this post for this remarkable content
Who wants the Golden Globes skin?