Beijing authorities have dropped Sino-French co-production Wolf Totem as China's foreign language Oscar submission at the last minute in favour of a romantic comedy, reports said, apparently over concerns it was insufficiently Chinese.

Wolf Totem, directed by acclaimed French auteur Jean-Jacques Annaud, is in Mandarin and Mongolian, with Chinese actors and filmed in China.

It is based on a semi-autobiographical novel of the same name, recounting the time the author spent as a "sent-down" youth among nomads in Inner Mongolia during the Cultural Revolution and his attempts to raise a wolf in captivity.

Chinese media had said it would be submitted to the Academy Awards as the country's candidate for the 2016 foreign language Oscar.

But the China Film News, a state-run paper managed by broadcasting authorities, said it had been replaced with "Go Away Mr Tumor".

That more popcorn-friendly movie, based on a true story, depicts a young woman suffering from cancer but who seeks to live life to the full. It stars popular heartthrobs Daniel Wu and Bai Baihe, and has taken more than 500 million yuan ($80 million) at the Chinese box office.

The China Film News reported the decision was made because the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had said Wolf Totem -- which had four screenwriters, only one of them Chinese -- lacked  sufficient Chinese nationals or residents in creative roles to be eligible.

But the change surprised even the director of "Go Away Mr Tumor", 31-year-old Han Yan, who wrote on Chinese social media: "I didn't know about this until I saw it on the news!"

Online commentators were incredulous Monday.

"Are you sure this isn't a joke?" asked one weibo poster.

Another said that "Go Away Mr Tumor" was too lightweight to be a feasible choice: "It's a bit too much about positive energy rather than deep meaning."

The Academy picks nominees for the foreign language Oscar from submissions from individual countries, which can only put forward one candidate each year.

Chinese contenders are chosen by the secretive State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, which does not publicise its criteria.

Last year it picked another Sino-French co-production, "The Nightingale", which also had a French director.  

The only Chinese movie to be shortlisted for an Oscar was Zhang Yimou's "Hero", which was among the nominees in 2003.

Annaud previously won the 1976 Oscar for Best Foreign Film with a submission for the Ivory Coast.

The Academy did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment by AFP.
Source: AFP