The Golden Globe boycott is the result of years of questionable practices by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
Los Angeles:
No stars, no red carpets, no television broadcasts: This year’s Golden Globe winners will be announced in a very little ceremony on Sunday. But do the rewards still matter?
Hollywood studios usually use the glamorous glow of the Globes as a major marketing boost for their movies and TV shows, but this year, they’re publicly boycotting the whole affair.
“Right now, Hollywood, for the most part, is not paying attention to the Golden Globes,” said Mark Malkin, senior culture and programs editor at Variety.
“If Hollywood isn’t recognizing these awards in any way, what could they really mean? I don’t think much,” he told AFP.
The boycott is the result of years of questionable practices by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, whose members vote on the Globe.
A group of 100-odd entertainment writers with links to foreign publications had long been accused – in private, in Hollywood circles – of failures ranging from corruption to racism.
But the outside power of the Globes – second only to the Oscars in terms of clout – meant that any criticism of the group was guarded, until the Los Angeles Times revealed to the HFPA last year. No black member had opened the floodgate.
Television rights holder NBC canceled this year’s awards broadcast.
So stripped of Sunday’s 79th Golden Globe Awards – starting at 6:00 p.m. (0200 GMT Monday) – there will be no spectators, media or stars, with organizers officially calling the pandemic a resurgence.
But Malkin added: “The Hollywood Foreign Press Association tried to bring in celebrities to announce the winners of this year’s Golden Globes. And no celebrity — no celebrity — said yes.”
‘barometer’
This year’s event is a far cry from the traditional role of the Globes as “Hollywood’s favorite party” and the first major event of film awards season.
Globe-winning films – or even receiving nominations – usually report booming ticket sales, and in other years studios proudly raised their Globe heights on Sunset Boulevard billboards and commercials Is.
This year, Kenneth Branagh’s “Belfast” and Jane Campion’s “The Power of the Dog” topped the Globe nominations with seven each.
But neither the film’s social media accounts or trailers make any mention of it, instead nominations for the Critics’ Choice Awards, and the festival’s awards, along with other awards presented by local city-based critics’ groups. Trumpet done.
“If you’re a studio that hopes to get Golden Globe recognition, but then you get a Golden Globe and you don’t actually celebrate it, does it matter?” asked Malkin.
Of course, Hollywood loves a good comeback story, and few would be brave enough to publicly write a return to good glory for internationally renowned awards.
“The gold statue is a gold statue. And for decades, it’s been a barometer of success,” said Richard Licata, a TV communications strategist and CEO of Laikata & Co.
“To me, the Globes have always mattered to anyone who has ever been campaigning for an Oscar or an Emmy,” he said.
Since the scandal broke, the HFPA has moved rapidly through reforms, including notably admitting its largest annual intake of more diverse new members.
It has banned members from accepting lavish gifts and staying in hotels from their voting studios.
“As the months have passed, and this organization has reorganized itself, re-governing itself, I think only recently wiser minds have found that the boycott was more than a personal vendetta,” Licata said. said.
While studios are publicly holding the HFPA at arm’s length, sources told AFP that members were being quietly sent links or DVDs, and were being invited to screenings – sometimes with their A-list stars. also upon request.
return back?
So, do globes still matter? maybe someday.
“It’s an industry that has a very long history of forgiving. They’ll take some down, and then after a while, there’s going to be forgiveness,” Licata said.
“Yeah, I think the Globe will be back.”
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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