Chinese blockbuster 'Operation Red Sea' to battle for Oscar

Chinese blockbuster Operation Red Sea has been chosen to represent Hong Kong, China for the Best Foreign Language Film honor at the 91st Academy Awards, the film’s official Sina Weibo account announced on Sept 24.

“I am honored that Operation Red Sea has gained this recognition, and I would like to extend my sincere thanks for your support and once again thank my team members for what you have done. Finally, I wish you all a happy Mid-Autumn Festival,” director Dante Lam also said on Sina Weibo.

Operation Red Sea, which tells a story of Chinese anti-terrorism efforts, was produced by the director of Operation Mekong, a blockbuster action movie which debuted in 2016.

To be specific, the film is loosely based on the People's Liberation Army Navy's evacuation of nearly 600 Chinese citizens and about 220 foreigners from war-torn Yemen in 2015.

Starring Zhang Yi, Huang Jinyu and Hai Qing, the film raked in 3.65 billion yuan ($532 million) when it premiered in February, making it the country’s top earner of 2018 so far, and the second-highest-grossing film of all time in China.

Operation Red Sea has received several professional awards this year, including the award for best visual effects at the 2018 Beijing International Film Festival and Best Film at the 25th Beijing College Student Film Festival.