Taiwan submits 'OLD FOX' for 97th Academy Awards

Taipei, Aug. 14 (CNA) The Ministry of Culture (MOC) said Wednesday it had selected "OLD FOX" as Taiwan's submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the 2025 Academy Awards.

The movie stood out from 14 Taiwanese films for being a "fable of the social classes amid social change and drastic economic impact of late 1980s Taiwan. It gives a profound analysis of humanity with its motif, narration, layout and subtle depictions of daily life," the MOC said in a news release.

Directed by Hsiao Ya-chuan (蕭雅全), the film's narrative is portrayed through the perspective of a young boy living with his poor father as he navigates the struggles between the worldliness and kindness of humanity, according to the news release.

Inspired by his own childhood puzzlements, Hsiao reproduced the period's zeitgeist and reflected his response to the times, according to the MOC.

Hsiao won best director in the 2023 Golden Horse Awards with the movie, as it also bagged the best supporting actor Akio Chen (陳慕義), best makeup & costume design, and best original film score awards.

The film has also won accolades in several international film festivals, the MOC said, anticipating that it can take the honor for Taiwan among the many great films around the world.