Taiwan's Golden Horse Awards Spotlight Chinese Films

Taiwan's Golden Horse Awards celebrated films from China depicting COVID and LGBTQ themes, highlighting their cinematic excellence. Meanwhile, 'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' achieved significant global box office success, signaling a promising holiday season for cinemas despite challenges from the rise of streaming services.

At Taiwan's prestigious Golden Horse Awards, films from China showcasing themes around the COVID pandemic and LGBTQ relationships triumphed. Seen as the Chinese-speaking world's Oscars, the Golden Horse Awards offer filmmakers a platform free from China's strict censorship, encouraging a rich tapestry of storytelling.

In international box office news, the film adaptations of 'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' garnered a combined $270.2 million. This comes as a welcome relief for the ailing cinema industry, suggesting a potentially record-breaking holiday season ahead amid growing streaming competition.

While Hollywood has faced financial cutbacks and significant layoffs, these robust box office figures provide a much-needed boost, reinforcing traditional cinema's enduring appeal despite the allure of home streaming services.

(With inputs from agencies.)