The 16th Golden Broom Awards, China’s infamous awards for the year’s most disappointing cinematic efforts, announced its 2024 results on April 25, once again stirring intense debate across the film industry and among audiences.
Many Big Names “Targeted” at the 2024 Golden Broom Awards
The three films Bureau 749, Dream of the Red Chamber, and The Journey of Flower were named Most Disappointing Films of the Year. The awards were decided based on the votes of 28 professional judges.
Director Lu Chuan faced heavy criticism, receiving the “Most Disappointing Director” and “Most Disappointing Screenwriter” awards for his work on Bureau 749. Similarly, Hu Mei, the director of Dream of the Red Chamber, also made the list of Most Disappointing Directors.
In acting categories, Bao Bei’er was named Most Disappointing Actor for his roles in What’s in the Zoo and Super Villain. Meanwhile, Zhang Miaoyi took home Most Disappointing Actress for her portrayal of Lin Daiyu in Dream of the Red Chamber.
The judges described Bureau 749 as a “pseudo-scientific youth drama” hidden under the guise of a science fiction film, criticizing its hollow storytelling despite a cast filled with popular stars. Originally expected to revitalize Chinese sci-fi through a local, mystical approach, the film was seen as a major letdown.
Similarly, Dream of the Red Chamber was slammed as a “misguided” adaptation of the classic novel by Cao Xueqin. Instead of preserving the original’s profound critique of feudal society, the film reshaped the story into a superficial family feud drama, heavily focused on love conspiracies, ultimately diluting the humanistic spirit and critical depth of the original work.
A film critic remarked, “From casting choices to character development, everything was a disaster. Iconic scenes like the ‘flower burial’ were poorly edited, reflecting an alarming lack of professionalism. This distorted version is a blatant insult to the humanistic values in Cao Xueqin’s masterpiece.”
Zhang Miaoyi’s performance as Lin Daiyu became a major point of controversy. Audiences criticized both her appearance and aura as unsuitable for the iconic role. Despite repeated attempts by director Hu Mei to defend Zhang Miaoyi through behind-the-scenes photos and statements, the public remained unconvinced. Viral clips from the film fueled further backlash, with many feeling deeply disappointed by the casting.
Commercially, Dream of the Red Chamber also failed miserably, grossing just 4.4 million RMB within five days despite a production budget of 200 million RMB (approximately 27.4 million USD). On Douban, China’s major film review platform, the film suffered a flood of one-star reviews.
Zhang Miaoyi, born in 1998, had previously appeared in several youth-themed dramas, including When I Fly Towards You, Exclusive Fairytale, and Back to Seventeen.
Is the Golden Broom Award Controversial or Necessary?
The Golden Broom Awards, initiated and organized by the Youth Film Handbook magazine, were established as China’s first awards designed to “recognize” the worst cinematic works annually. The award’s purpose is to encourage filmmakers to raise the quality of their productions by learning from failures.
Since its inception, numerous big names have been “honored” at the Golden Brooms, including actresses Lin Chi-ling, Yang Mi, Cecilia Cheung, Jing Tian, Liu Yifei, and actors Xiao Zhan, Li Xian, Zheng Kai, Deng Chao, Donnie Yen, and Sun Honglei. Prominent directors like Guo Jingming, Guo Degang, Wong Jing, Feng Xiaogang, Zhang Yimou, and Lu Chuan have also been listed.
While the awards continue to spark controversy, many industry insiders and viewers believe they serve an important role. Critics argue that open criticism of “trash productions” helps to elevate audience standards and pressures filmmakers to prioritize quality storytelling and production value.
CCTV — China’s state broadcaster — once commented: “Comparing and criticizing poor-quality works is essential for enhancing audience tastes, pushing filmmakers toward necessary changes.”
