Undeserving winners by any reasonable standards

Li Yifeng and Yang Ying win the Hundred Flowers Awards' best supporting actor and actress. [Photo provided to China Daily]

It turns your world upside down.

Like the People's Choice Awards in the United States, the Hundred Flowers Awards are voted by the general public.

In its early years, it had a one-person one-vote mechanism, which was a pretty accurate gauge of popularity, for both the movies and the performers concerned.

But now, it has a convoluted three-step system, which renowned film critic Magasa deems "terrible".

"People say the internet has flattened the world, but in terms of film appreciation the gap has become wider, with movie-going concentrated in a select group of youngsters," he wrote.

Even if one takes into account the pop star appeal rather than acting ability that ordinary people would favor, the results hardly make sense.

For example, Huang Bo has a formidable fan base, possibly larger than that of Feng Shaofeng or Li Yifeng, but the latter have more rabid fans who are willing to go out of their way for their idols.

While most commentators view the result as detrimental to this award, which is on a long downward slide in credibility anyway, fans see it as encouragement.

"No film award can be completely fair," wrote Fei Luojun, a film critic.

"This award has sent a signal that China's film industry is entering a fan-controlled age of fanaticism. But will it be good for the industry?"