China's state media are bemoaning the failure of the nation's most ambitious movie to make an impact at this year's Academy Awards.
Global Times newspaper laments on its website Tuesday that Chinese dreams of taking home a golden statuette have once again "been shattered."
The newspaper notes that Hollywood's film community failed even to nominate The Flowers of War, which is set against the 1937 Nanjing massacre and is considered the most expensive Chinese movie ever made.
Starring British actor Christian Bale and directed by Zhang Yimou - known for such films as Raise the Red Lantern - the movie was deliberately designed to bridge the gap between Chinese and Western audiences.
Global Times points out that many Chinese have come to the conclusion that no matter how hard Chinese filmmakers try, they will never be able to cater to Western tastes.