Press release
the SHORTlist: 9 Foreign Language Films Vie for Oscar®
Beverly Hills, CA (January 18, 2012) – Nine films will advance to the next round of voting in the Foreign Language Film category for the 84th Academy Awards®.
Sixty-three films had originally qualified in the category.
The films, listed in alphabetical order by country, are (BOLD titles in USA theaters NOW!:
•Belgium, "Bullhead," Michael R. Roskam, director
•Canada, "Monsieur Lazhar," Philippe Falardeau, director
•Denmark, "Superclásico," Ole Christian Madsen, director
•Germany, "Pina," Wim Wenders, director (In select 3D theaters)
•Iran, "A Separation," Asghar Farhadi, director (In select USA theaters)
•Israel, "Footnote," Joseph Cedar, director [In select USA theaters starting Feb. 24, 2012]
•Morocco, "Omar Killed Me," Roschdy Zem, director
•Poland, "In Darkness," Agnieszka Holland, director [In select USA theaters starting Feb. 10, 2012]
•Taiwan, "Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale," Wei Te-sheng, director
Foreign Language Film nominations for 2011 are again being determined in two phases.
The Phase I committee, consisting of several hundred Los Angeles-based members, screened the 63 eligible films between mid-October and January 13. The group’s top six choices, augmented by three additional selections voted by the Academy’s Foreign Language Film Award Executive Committee, constitute the shortlist.
The shortlist will be winnowed down to the five nominees by specially invited committees in New York and Los Angeles. They will spend Friday, January 20, through Sunday, January 22, viewing three films each day and then casting their ballots.
The 84th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater
.Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar® presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
the SHORTlist: 9 Foreign Language Films Vie for Oscar®
Beverly Hills, CA (January 18, 2012) – Nine films will advance to the next round of voting in the Foreign Language Film category for the 84th Academy Awards®.
Sixty-three films had originally qualified in the category.
The films, listed in alphabetical order by country, are (BOLD titles in USA theaters NOW!:
•Belgium, "Bullhead," Michael R. Roskam, director
•Canada, "Monsieur Lazhar," Philippe Falardeau, director
•Denmark, "Superclásico," Ole Christian Madsen, director
•Germany, "Pina," Wim Wenders, director (In select 3D theaters)
•Iran, "A Separation," Asghar Farhadi, director (In select USA theaters)
•Israel, "Footnote," Joseph Cedar, director [In select USA theaters starting Feb. 24, 2012]
•Morocco, "Omar Killed Me," Roschdy Zem, director
•Poland, "In Darkness," Agnieszka Holland, director [In select USA theaters starting Feb. 10, 2012]
•Taiwan, "Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale," Wei Te-sheng, director
Foreign Language Film nominations for 2011 are again being determined in two phases.
The Phase I committee, consisting of several hundred Los Angeles-based members, screened the 63 eligible films between mid-October and January 13. The group’s top six choices, augmented by three additional selections voted by the Academy’s Foreign Language Film Award Executive Committee, constitute the shortlist.
The shortlist will be winnowed down to the five nominees by specially invited committees in New York and Los Angeles. They will spend Friday, January 20, through Sunday, January 22, viewing three films each day and then casting their ballots.
The 84th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater
.Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar® presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.
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FOREIGN FILM RACE FOR OSCAR (To be Awarded in 2012)
Submissions deadline is Oct. 1, 2011 / The 84th Academy Awards will be held Feb. 26, 2012
Press release
63 Countries Vie for 2011 Foreign Language Film Oscar®
Beverly Hills, CA (October 13, 2011) – Sixty-three countries, including first-time entrant New Zealand, have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category for the 84th Academy Awards®. [++Scroll down for more info]
The 2011 submissions are (SHORTlisted):
•Albania, "Amnesty," Bujar Alimani, director
•Argentina, "Aballay," Fernando Spiner, director
++Austria, "Breathing," Karl Markovics, director
•Belgium, "Bullhead," Michael R. Roskam, director
•Bosnia and Herzegovina,"Belvedere," Ahmed Imamovic, director
•Brazil, "Elite Squad: The Enemy Within," José Padilha, director [USA-DVD releases on February 14, 2012]
•Bulgaria, "Tilt," Viktor Chouchkov, Jr., director
•Canada, "Monsieur Lazhar," Philippe Falardeau, director
•Chile, "Violeta Went to Heaven," Andrés Wood, director
•China, "The Flowers of War," Zhang Yimou, director [In select USA theaters starting Jan. 20, 2012]
•Colombia, "The Colors of the Mountain," Carlos César Arbeláez, director
•Croatia, "72 Days," Danilo Serbedzija, director
++Cuba, "Havanastation," Ian Padrón, director
•Czech Republic,"Alois Nebel," Tomás Lunák, director
•Denmark, "Superclásico," Ole Christian Madsen, director
•Dominican Republic,"Love Child," Leticia Tonos, director
•Egypt, "Lust," Khaled el Hagar, director
•Estonia, "Letters to Angel," Sulev Keedus, director
++Finland, "Le Havre," Aki Kaurismäki, director [In select USA theaters NOW]
++France, "Declaration of War," Valérie Donzelli, director [In select USA theaters starting Jan. 27, 2012]
•Georgia, "Chantrapas," Otar Iosseliani, director
++Germany, "Pina," Wim Wenders, director [In select USA theaters NOW]
•Greece, "Attenberg," Athina Rachel Tsangari, director
•Hong Kong,"A Simple Life," Ann Hui, director
++Hungary, "The Turin Horse," Béela Tarr, director
•Iceland, "Volcano," Rúnar Rúnarsson, director
•India, "Abu, Son of Adam," Salim Ahamed, director
•Indonesia, "Under the Protection of Ka'Bah," Hanny R. Saputra, director
++Iran, "A Separation," Asghar Farhadi, director [In select USA theaters NOW]
•Ireland, "As If I Am Not There," Juanita Wilson, director
•Israel, "Footnote," Joseph Cedar, director
•Italy, "Terraferma," Emanuele Crialese, director
++Japan, "Postcard," Kaneto Shindo, director
•Kazakhstan, "Returning to the ‘A,’" Egor Mikhalkov-Konchalovsky, director
•Lebanon, "Where Do We Go Now?" Nadine Labaki, director
•Lithuania, "Back to Your Arms," Kristijonas Vildziunas, director
•Macedonia, "Punk Is Not Dead," Vladimir Blazevski, director
•Mexico, "Miss Bala," Gerardo Naranjo, director [USA theatrical release TBA]
++Morocco, "Omar Killed Me," Roschdy Zem, director
++Netherlands, "Sonny Boy," Maria Peters, director
•New Zealand,"The Orator," Tusi Tamasese, director
++Norway, "Happy, Happy," Anne Sewitsky, director [USA-DVD releases on January 24, 2012]
•Peru, "October," Diego Vega and Daniel Vega, directors
•Philippines, "The Woman in the Septic Tank," Marlon N. Rivera, director
++Poland, "In Darkness," Agnieszka Holland, director
•Portugal, "José and Pilar," Miguel Gonçalves Mendes, director
•Romania, "Morgen," Marian Crisan, director
•Russia, "Burnt by the Sun 2: The Citadel," Nikita Mikhalkov, director
•Serbia, "Montevideo: Taste of a Dream," Dragan Bjelogrlić, director
•Singapore, "Tatsumi," Eric Khoo, director
•Slovak Republic,"Gypsy," Martin Sulík, director
•South Africa,"Beauty," Oliver Hermanus, director
++South Korea,"The Front Line," Jang Hun, director [In select USA-AMC theaters starting Jan. 13, 2012]
++Spain, "Black Bread," Agusti Villaronga, director
•Sweden, "Beyond," Pernilla August, director
•Switzerland, "Summer Games," Rolando Colla, director
•Taiwan, "Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale," Wei Te-sheng, director
•Thailand, "Kon Khon," Sarunyu Wongkrachang, director
++Turkey, "Once upon a Time in Anatolia," Nuri Bilge Ceylan, director [In select USA theaters NOW]
•United Kingdom,"Patagonia," Marc Evans, director
•Uruguay, "The Silent House," Gustavo Hernández, director
•Venezuela, "Rumble of the Stones," Alejandro Bellame Palacios, director
•Vietnam, "The Prince and the Pagoda Boy," Luu Trong Ninh, director
The 84th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Tuesday, January 24, 2012, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.
Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, 2012, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network.
The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.
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63 Countries Vie for 2011 Foreign Language Film Oscar®
Beverly Hills, CA (October 13, 2011) – Sixty-three countries, including first-time entrant New Zealand, have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category for the 84th Academy Awards®. [++Scroll down for more info]
The 2011 submissions are (SHORTlisted):
•Albania, "Amnesty," Bujar Alimani, director
•Argentina, "Aballay," Fernando Spiner, director
++Austria, "Breathing," Karl Markovics, director
•Belgium, "Bullhead," Michael R. Roskam, director
•Bosnia and Herzegovina,"Belvedere," Ahmed Imamovic, director
•Brazil, "Elite Squad: The Enemy Within," José Padilha, director [USA-DVD releases on February 14, 2012]
•Bulgaria, "Tilt," Viktor Chouchkov, Jr., director
•Canada, "Monsieur Lazhar," Philippe Falardeau, director
•Chile, "Violeta Went to Heaven," Andrés Wood, director
•China, "The Flowers of War," Zhang Yimou, director [In select USA theaters starting Jan. 20, 2012]
•Colombia, "The Colors of the Mountain," Carlos César Arbeláez, director
•Croatia, "72 Days," Danilo Serbedzija, director
++Cuba, "Havanastation," Ian Padrón, director
•Czech Republic,"Alois Nebel," Tomás Lunák, director
•Denmark, "Superclásico," Ole Christian Madsen, director
•Dominican Republic,"Love Child," Leticia Tonos, director
•Egypt, "Lust," Khaled el Hagar, director
•Estonia, "Letters to Angel," Sulev Keedus, director
++Finland, "Le Havre," Aki Kaurismäki, director [In select USA theaters NOW]
++France, "Declaration of War," Valérie Donzelli, director [In select USA theaters starting Jan. 27, 2012]
•Georgia, "Chantrapas," Otar Iosseliani, director
++Germany, "Pina," Wim Wenders, director [In select USA theaters NOW]
•Greece, "Attenberg," Athina Rachel Tsangari, director
•Hong Kong,"A Simple Life," Ann Hui, director
++Hungary, "The Turin Horse," Béela Tarr, director
•Iceland, "Volcano," Rúnar Rúnarsson, director
•India, "Abu, Son of Adam," Salim Ahamed, director
•Indonesia, "Under the Protection of Ka'Bah," Hanny R. Saputra, director
++Iran, "A Separation," Asghar Farhadi, director [In select USA theaters NOW]
•Ireland, "As If I Am Not There," Juanita Wilson, director
•Israel, "Footnote," Joseph Cedar, director
•Italy, "Terraferma," Emanuele Crialese, director
++Japan, "Postcard," Kaneto Shindo, director
•Kazakhstan, "Returning to the ‘A,’" Egor Mikhalkov-Konchalovsky, director
•Lebanon, "Where Do We Go Now?" Nadine Labaki, director
•Lithuania, "Back to Your Arms," Kristijonas Vildziunas, director
•Macedonia, "Punk Is Not Dead," Vladimir Blazevski, director
•Mexico, "Miss Bala," Gerardo Naranjo, director [USA theatrical release TBA]
++Morocco, "Omar Killed Me," Roschdy Zem, director
++Netherlands, "Sonny Boy," Maria Peters, director
•New Zealand,"The Orator," Tusi Tamasese, director
++Norway, "Happy, Happy," Anne Sewitsky, director [USA-DVD releases on January 24, 2012]
•Peru, "October," Diego Vega and Daniel Vega, directors
•Philippines, "The Woman in the Septic Tank," Marlon N. Rivera, director
++Poland, "In Darkness," Agnieszka Holland, director
•Portugal, "José and Pilar," Miguel Gonçalves Mendes, director
•Romania, "Morgen," Marian Crisan, director
•Russia, "Burnt by the Sun 2: The Citadel," Nikita Mikhalkov, director
•Serbia, "Montevideo: Taste of a Dream," Dragan Bjelogrlić, director
•Singapore, "Tatsumi," Eric Khoo, director
•Slovak Republic,"Gypsy," Martin Sulík, director
•South Africa,"Beauty," Oliver Hermanus, director
++South Korea,"The Front Line," Jang Hun, director [In select USA-AMC theaters starting Jan. 13, 2012]
++Spain, "Black Bread," Agusti Villaronga, director
•Sweden, "Beyond," Pernilla August, director
•Switzerland, "Summer Games," Rolando Colla, director
•Taiwan, "Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale," Wei Te-sheng, director
•Thailand, "Kon Khon," Sarunyu Wongkrachang, director
++Turkey, "Once upon a Time in Anatolia," Nuri Bilge Ceylan, director [In select USA theaters NOW]
•United Kingdom,"Patagonia," Marc Evans, director
•Uruguay, "The Silent House," Gustavo Hernández, director
•Venezuela, "Rumble of the Stones," Alejandro Bellame Palacios, director
•Vietnam, "The Prince and the Pagoda Boy," Luu Trong Ninh, director
The 84th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Tuesday, January 24, 2012, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.
Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, 2012, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network.
The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.
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Austria
"Breathing" is the feature helming debut of thesp Markovics, who starred in 2007 Oscar foreign-language winner "The Counterfeiters."
Thomas Schubert stars as a troubled teen who decides to trace his biological mother.
"Breathing" nabbed the Europa Cinemas Label for European film in Directors' Fortnight at Cannes, and the Sarajevo Film
Festival's top prize.
Pic is repped internationally by Films Distribution. It was produced by Epo Film Prods.
Press release from Variety staff: Leo Barraclough, also Ed Meza in Berlin contributed to this report.
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Variety press release
Cuba's Oscar hopes rest on Padron pic
'Habanastation' is helmer's debut
The Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Arts and Industry has chosen helmer Ian Padron's feature debut "Habanastation" as its foreign language Oscar hopeful.
An awards committee comprised of helmers Manuel Perez, Fernando Perez and film editor Manuel Iglesias selected the buddy movie about two boys from contrasting social backgrounds. Pic won the best-of-the-fest award at documaker Michael Moore's Traverse City Film Festival this year.
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Cuba's Oscar hopes rest on Padron pic
'Habanastation' is helmer's debut
The Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Arts and Industry has chosen helmer Ian Padron's feature debut "Habanastation" as its foreign language Oscar hopeful.
An awards committee comprised of helmers Manuel Perez, Fernando Perez and film editor Manuel Iglesias selected the buddy movie about two boys from contrasting social backgrounds. Pic won the best-of-the-fest award at documaker Michael Moore's Traverse City Film Festival this year.
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[SOURCE: Variety]
Kaurismaki's 'Le Havre' to rep Finland at Oscars
Film toplines Andre Wilms, Kati Outinen
LONDON -- "Le Havre," directed, written and produced by Aki Kaurismaki, will rep Finland in the foreign-language film Oscar race. It toplines Andre Wilms, Kati Outinen, Blondin Miguel, Elina Salo and Jean-Pierre Darroussin.
The film centers on a man who shines shoes for a living, who tries to save a refugee child.
The pic was selected by a jury supervised by the Finnish Film Chamber. Jury members included actress, singer-songwriter Kaija Karkinen, director Aku Louhimies, producer Liisa Penttila and director-scriptwriter Ville Suhonen.
The film had its world preem in the official selection of Cannes Film Festival, where it was awarded with the Fipresci prize and the special mention of the Ecumenical Jury. It also won best international film at the Munich Film Festival.
The pic was produced by Sputnik Oy, and was co-produced by France's Pyramide Productions and Germany's Pandora Film.
The jury stated: " 'Le Havre' is a beautiful and coherent film. The humane story is universal and timeless."
International sales are handled by Match Factory.
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Kaurismaki's 'Le Havre' to rep Finland at Oscars
Film toplines Andre Wilms, Kati Outinen
LONDON -- "Le Havre," directed, written and produced by Aki Kaurismaki, will rep Finland in the foreign-language film Oscar race. It toplines Andre Wilms, Kati Outinen, Blondin Miguel, Elina Salo and Jean-Pierre Darroussin.
The film centers on a man who shines shoes for a living, who tries to save a refugee child.
The pic was selected by a jury supervised by the Finnish Film Chamber. Jury members included actress, singer-songwriter Kaija Karkinen, director Aku Louhimies, producer Liisa Penttila and director-scriptwriter Ville Suhonen.
The film had its world preem in the official selection of Cannes Film Festival, where it was awarded with the Fipresci prize and the special mention of the Ecumenical Jury. It also won best international film at the Munich Film Festival.
The pic was produced by Sputnik Oy, and was co-produced by France's Pyramide Productions and Germany's Pandora Film.
The jury stated: " 'Le Havre' is a beautiful and coherent film. The humane story is universal and timeless."
International sales are handled by Match Factory.
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[SOURCE: Variety STAFF]
Donzelli's 'Declaration of War' to rep France at Oscars
Sundance Selects to release pic in U.S.
PARIS -- Valerie Donzelli's "Declaration of War" has been selected to represent France in the foreign-language Oscar race.
"War" follows a young couple who struggle to save their baby boy from a brain tumor. It is based on Donzelli's own experience. She co-wrote and co-starred with Jeremie Elkaim, who is the father of her two children.
The selection committee included Cannes Film Festival topper Thierry Fremaux, Alain Terzian, prexy of the Cesar Academy, French thesp Jeanne Moreau, and French helmers Bertrand Blier, Luc Jacquet and Philippe Pollet-Villard, and CNC exec Paul Otchakovsky-Laurens.
The Euros 1.3 million ($1.7 million) dramedy bowed in Cannes' Critics' Week. Produced by Rectangle Prods., "War" opened two weeks ago in France and has already grossed nearly $3.3 million at the box office.
Pic, which is repped by Wild Bunch in international markets, has sold to more than 30 territories. Sundance Selects took U.S. rights to the film right after Cannes.
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[From Variety staff: Ed Meza]
Germany sends 'Pina' to Oscars
Wenders' 3D pic is country's first doc in foreign-lingo category
BERLIN - Wim Wender's 3D documentary "Pina," a tribute to the late modern dance choreographer Pina Bausch, will rep Germany in the race for the foreign-language film Oscar.
Selected by an independent jury appointed by industry promotional org German Films, "Pina" is the first documentary to compete for Germany in the category."
'Pina' is a cinematic synthesis of the arts, harmoniously combining dance, music and film and thereby going beyond the purely documentary aspect," the jury said. "The film conveys a sensual experience of dance and is an exquisite portrait of one of the greatest German artists."
IFC is releasing the pic in the U.S. in December, a point Wenders said would be helpful. "With IFC we have a good distributor in the USA and the theatrical release just before Christmas … is optimal timing for an Oscar nomination."
Pina won this year's German Film Award for documentary as well as the German Documentary Film Prize. The pic was produced by Wenders' Neue Road Movies in Berlin in co-production with Paris-based Eurowide Film, pubcasters ZDF, Arte, ZDFtheaterkanal and 3sat.
The film, which premiered at this year's Berlinale, has grossed $5.8 million at the box office via local distrib NFP, which released the film here in February 2011.
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Hungary in Oscar race
Submission for consideration in Oscar's foreign language film race named!
Bela Tarr's "The Turin Horse" is Hungary's submission
The 2 1/2 hour, black-and-white "Turin Horse" is virtually dialogue free. It is set around an apocryphal story of a horse seen beaten in public by the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche.
The film won the Jury Grand Prize and Fipresci Prize at the Berlin Film Festival, and gets its North American premiere this month at the Toronto Film Festival.
It will be distribbed in the U.S. by the Cinema Guild; international sales are handled by Films Boutique. Pic was produced by TT Filmmuhely.
Press release from Variety staff: Leo Barraclough
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Donzelli's 'Declaration of War' to rep France at Oscars
Sundance Selects to release pic in U.S.
PARIS -- Valerie Donzelli's "Declaration of War" has been selected to represent France in the foreign-language Oscar race.
"War" follows a young couple who struggle to save their baby boy from a brain tumor. It is based on Donzelli's own experience. She co-wrote and co-starred with Jeremie Elkaim, who is the father of her two children.
The selection committee included Cannes Film Festival topper Thierry Fremaux, Alain Terzian, prexy of the Cesar Academy, French thesp Jeanne Moreau, and French helmers Bertrand Blier, Luc Jacquet and Philippe Pollet-Villard, and CNC exec Paul Otchakovsky-Laurens.
The Euros 1.3 million ($1.7 million) dramedy bowed in Cannes' Critics' Week. Produced by Rectangle Prods., "War" opened two weeks ago in France and has already grossed nearly $3.3 million at the box office.
Pic, which is repped by Wild Bunch in international markets, has sold to more than 30 territories. Sundance Selects took U.S. rights to the film right after Cannes.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
[From Variety staff: Ed Meza]
Germany sends 'Pina' to Oscars
Wenders' 3D pic is country's first doc in foreign-lingo category
BERLIN - Wim Wender's 3D documentary "Pina," a tribute to the late modern dance choreographer Pina Bausch, will rep Germany in the race for the foreign-language film Oscar.
Selected by an independent jury appointed by industry promotional org German Films, "Pina" is the first documentary to compete for Germany in the category."
'Pina' is a cinematic synthesis of the arts, harmoniously combining dance, music and film and thereby going beyond the purely documentary aspect," the jury said. "The film conveys a sensual experience of dance and is an exquisite portrait of one of the greatest German artists."
IFC is releasing the pic in the U.S. in December, a point Wenders said would be helpful. "With IFC we have a good distributor in the USA and the theatrical release just before Christmas … is optimal timing for an Oscar nomination."
Pina won this year's German Film Award for documentary as well as the German Documentary Film Prize. The pic was produced by Wenders' Neue Road Movies in Berlin in co-production with Paris-based Eurowide Film, pubcasters ZDF, Arte, ZDFtheaterkanal and 3sat.
The film, which premiered at this year's Berlinale, has grossed $5.8 million at the box office via local distrib NFP, which released the film here in February 2011.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hungary in Oscar race
Submission for consideration in Oscar's foreign language film race named!
Bela Tarr's "The Turin Horse" is Hungary's submission
The 2 1/2 hour, black-and-white "Turin Horse" is virtually dialogue free. It is set around an apocryphal story of a horse seen beaten in public by the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche.
The film won the Jury Grand Prize and Fipresci Prize at the Berlin Film Festival, and gets its North American premiere this month at the Toronto Film Festival.
It will be distribbed in the U.S. by the Cinema Guild; international sales are handled by Films Boutique. Pic was produced by TT Filmmuhely.
Press release from Variety staff: Leo Barraclough
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[SOURCE: Variety]
'(Nader and Simin) A Separation' is Iran's Oscar entry
Farhadi's Berlin winner vies in foreign-language race
TEL AVIV -- "Nader and Simin, a Separation," the first Iranian film to win the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival, is Iran's submission in the foreign-language film race at the 84th Academy Awards.
Pic, from writer-helmer Asghar Farhadi, traces the breakdown of a middle-class couple, played by Peyman Moaadi (Nader) and Leila Hatami (Simin), in Tehran.
Simin files for divorce from her husband Nader after he refuses to leave the country and raise their 11-year-old daughter Termeh (Sarina Farhadi) abroad, where she believes they can give her a better future.
Farhad's script does a delicate dance around Iranian censorship, never explicitly addressing the government's regime but nevertheless granting politics a heady, albeit silent, role.
Farhadi's fifth pic was made with the help of a $25,000 grant from the MPA's Asia Pacific Screen Award Academy Film Fund. Like his previous three films, including "About Elly," which also explored Iranian middle-class malaise and won the 2009 Asia Pacific Screen Academy award for best screenplay and the jury grand prize, "Nader and Simin" was made without funding from the Iranian government.
The Iranian Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance attempted to block Farhadi from production following his speech last September in which he said he hoped banned filmmakers, including Mohsen Makhmalbaf, who is in self-imposed exile, and Jafar Panahi, who is under house arrest, would be allowed to return to the Iranian film scene. After he issued a public apology for his remarks, the government rescinded Farhadi's ban.
That makes it all the more surprising that a board of nine cineastes assigned by the Farabi Cinematic Foundation, an affiliate to the ministry, chose "Nader and Simin."
The success of the film, Farhadi said in Berlin in February while accepting the Golden Bear, has provided him with "a very good opportunity to think of the people of my country, the country I grew up in, the country where I learned my stories -- a great people."
Iran did not submit films for Oscar consideration in the early years of the Islamic Republic after 1979's revolution.
That changed in 1994 when Abbas Kiarostami's "Through the Olive Trees" was put forward. Helmer Majid Majidi's "Children of Heaven" made it to Oscar's foreign-language films shortlist in 1997.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++a Separation
'(Nader and Simin) A Separation' is Iran's Oscar entry
Farhadi's Berlin winner vies in foreign-language race
TEL AVIV -- "Nader and Simin, a Separation," the first Iranian film to win the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival, is Iran's submission in the foreign-language film race at the 84th Academy Awards.
Pic, from writer-helmer Asghar Farhadi, traces the breakdown of a middle-class couple, played by Peyman Moaadi (Nader) and Leila Hatami (Simin), in Tehran.
Simin files for divorce from her husband Nader after he refuses to leave the country and raise their 11-year-old daughter Termeh (Sarina Farhadi) abroad, where she believes they can give her a better future.
Farhad's script does a delicate dance around Iranian censorship, never explicitly addressing the government's regime but nevertheless granting politics a heady, albeit silent, role.
Farhadi's fifth pic was made with the help of a $25,000 grant from the MPA's Asia Pacific Screen Award Academy Film Fund. Like his previous three films, including "About Elly," which also explored Iranian middle-class malaise and won the 2009 Asia Pacific Screen Academy award for best screenplay and the jury grand prize, "Nader and Simin" was made without funding from the Iranian government.
The Iranian Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance attempted to block Farhadi from production following his speech last September in which he said he hoped banned filmmakers, including Mohsen Makhmalbaf, who is in self-imposed exile, and Jafar Panahi, who is under house arrest, would be allowed to return to the Iranian film scene. After he issued a public apology for his remarks, the government rescinded Farhadi's ban.
That makes it all the more surprising that a board of nine cineastes assigned by the Farabi Cinematic Foundation, an affiliate to the ministry, chose "Nader and Simin."
The success of the film, Farhadi said in Berlin in February while accepting the Golden Bear, has provided him with "a very good opportunity to think of the people of my country, the country I grew up in, the country where I learned my stories -- a great people."
Iran did not submit films for Oscar consideration in the early years of the Islamic Republic after 1979's revolution.
That changed in 1994 when Abbas Kiarostami's "Through the Olive Trees" was put forward. Helmer Majid Majidi's "Children of Heaven" made it to Oscar's foreign-language films shortlist in 1997.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++a Separation
Press release by VARIETY staff
Japan sends 'Post Card' to Oscars
Kaneto Shindo pic based on war experience
TOKYO -- The World War II homefront drama "Post Card" by 99-year-old helmer Kaneto Shindo has been selected as
Japan's entry for the best foreign-language film Oscar.
Shindo's pic, which he has said is his last in a six-decade career, was picked from a shortlist of 22 candidates.
Starring Etsushi Toyokawa and Shinobu Otake, it is based on his own war experience as one of six survivors from a unit of 100 men.
Opening in Japan on Aug. 22, 2011 on 20 screens, "Post Card" has been packing in auds, with its cume to date topping 1 billion yen ($13 million).
Born in 1912 in Hiroshima, Shindo bowed as a scripter in 1940 and as a helmer in 1951. Among his best known pics abroad are "Children of Hiroshima" (1952), "The Naked Island" (1960)
and "Onibaba" (1964).
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Japan sends 'Post Card' to Oscars
Kaneto Shindo pic based on war experience
TOKYO -- The World War II homefront drama "Post Card" by 99-year-old helmer Kaneto Shindo has been selected as
Japan's entry for the best foreign-language film Oscar.
Shindo's pic, which he has said is his last in a six-decade career, was picked from a shortlist of 22 candidates.
Starring Etsushi Toyokawa and Shinobu Otake, it is based on his own war experience as one of six survivors from a unit of 100 men.
Opening in Japan on Aug. 22, 2011 on 20 screens, "Post Card" has been packing in auds, with its cume to date topping 1 billion yen ($13 million).
Born in 1912 in Hiroshima, Shindo bowed as a scripter in 1940 and as a helmer in 1951. Among his best known pics abroad are "Children of Hiroshima" (1952), "The Naked Island" (1960)
and "Onibaba" (1964).
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Actor-director Roschdy Zem's racially charged crime drama
"Omar m'a tuer" has been selected as the Moroccan OSCAR entry!
"Omar m'a tuer," based on a case from 1991, it tells the story of a Moroccan gardener accused on dubious grounds of murdering his wealthy French employer. Sami Bouajila ("Hors-la-loi," "Indigenes") plays the lead.
French-produced pic plays in the Contemporary World Cinema section of the 2011 Toronto Film Festival.
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Press release from Variety Staff
Dutch send 'Sonny Boy' to Oscars
Maria Peters directs period romance (The Netherlands)
BRUSSELS -- Period romance "Sonny Boy" has been selected as the Dutch candidate in the race for next year's foreign-language
Oscar.
Pic is the first adult film from Maria Peters, a noted writer-director of children's fare such as "Little Crumb" and "Peter Bell."
Sonny Boy" recounts the romance between Waldemar (Sergio Hasselbaink), a student from Suriname, and Rika (Ricky Koole), a Dutch single mother 17 years his senior. Beginning in the late 1920s, their relationship survives local scandal only to be tested even further under the Nazi occupation.
Pic is based on a non-fiction best-seller by Annejet van der Zijl, and topped the Dutch box office for three weeks on its release in January 2011.
The lead producer is Shooting Star Filmcompany, working with Ester Reglin Film in Germany and Menuet in Belgium.
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Dutch send 'Sonny Boy' to Oscars
Maria Peters directs period romance (The Netherlands)
BRUSSELS -- Period romance "Sonny Boy" has been selected as the Dutch candidate in the race for next year's foreign-language
Oscar.
Pic is the first adult film from Maria Peters, a noted writer-director of children's fare such as "Little Crumb" and "Peter Bell."
Sonny Boy" recounts the romance between Waldemar (Sergio Hasselbaink), a student from Suriname, and Rika (Ricky Koole), a Dutch single mother 17 years his senior. Beginning in the late 1920s, their relationship survives local scandal only to be tested even further under the Nazi occupation.
Pic is based on a non-fiction best-seller by Annejet van der Zijl, and topped the Dutch box office for three weeks on its release in January 2011.
The lead producer is Shooting Star Filmcompany, working with Ester Reglin Film in Germany and Menuet in Belgium.
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Press release from Variety staff: Leo Barraclough, also Nick Holdsworth in Moscow contributed to this report.
Norway in Oscar race
Names foreign-language entry for consideration in Oscar's foreign language film race.
Norway has selected helmer Anne Sewitsky's dramedy "Happy, Happy"
"Happy, Happy"won the narrative World Cinema Jury award at the Sundance Film Festival. Agnes Kittelsen stars as a
sexually frustrated teacher who embarks on an affair with a neighbor.
Pic, produced by Synnove Horsdal for Maipo Film, was picked up in the U.S. by Magnolia Pictures, which will release it on Sept. 16, 2011 in the USA. TrustNordisk is handling foreign sales.
The other films on the Norwegian shortlist were Jens Lien's "Sons of Norway" and Joachim Trier's "Oslo, August 31."
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Norway in Oscar race
Names foreign-language entry for consideration in Oscar's foreign language film race.
Norway has selected helmer Anne Sewitsky's dramedy "Happy, Happy"
"Happy, Happy"won the narrative World Cinema Jury award at the Sundance Film Festival. Agnes Kittelsen stars as a
sexually frustrated teacher who embarks on an affair with a neighbor.
Pic, produced by Synnove Horsdal for Maipo Film, was picked up in the U.S. by Magnolia Pictures, which will release it on Sept. 16, 2011 in the USA. TrustNordisk is handling foreign sales.
The other films on the Norwegian shortlist were Jens Lien's "Sons of Norway" and Joachim Trier's "Oslo, August 31."
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Press release by VARIETY staff
Poland Picks "In Darkness" for Oscars
Agnieszka Holland's pic a unanimous choice
ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA -- Poland has picked Agnieszka Holland's new film ''In Darkness'' (''W ciemnosci'') as the country's candidate for the foreign-language film Oscar race.
An early contender out of the gate in the race for the best foreign language film at next February's 84th Academy Awards, the film was an unanimous choice by Poland's Oscar committee, headed by culture minister Bogdan Zdrojewski.
A Polish-German-Canadian coproduction, ''In Darkness'' is a wartime story of a petty crook, Leopold Socha, who becomes a hero when he risks his own life and those of his loved ones to keep safe in hiding a dozen men, women and children who face extermination by the Nazis.
It's the third time Agnieszka Holland has been nominated for the Oscars; in 1992 for best adapted screenplay for ''Europa, Europa''; and in 1986 for best foreign language film ''Angry Harvest,'' representing West Germany.
Produced by Studio Filmowe Zebra, and co-produced by Hidden Films Inc. (Canada) and Schmidtz Katze Filmkollektiv GmbH (Germany), the pic was co-financed by the Polish Film Institute and the Lodz Film Fund. Sony Pictures Classics is handling US distribution and rights. Polish distribution is through Kino Swiat with a theatrical release due in September.
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Poland Picks "In Darkness" for Oscars
Agnieszka Holland's pic a unanimous choice
ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA -- Poland has picked Agnieszka Holland's new film ''In Darkness'' (''W ciemnosci'') as the country's candidate for the foreign-language film Oscar race.
An early contender out of the gate in the race for the best foreign language film at next February's 84th Academy Awards, the film was an unanimous choice by Poland's Oscar committee, headed by culture minister Bogdan Zdrojewski.
A Polish-German-Canadian coproduction, ''In Darkness'' is a wartime story of a petty crook, Leopold Socha, who becomes a hero when he risks his own life and those of his loved ones to keep safe in hiding a dozen men, women and children who face extermination by the Nazis.
It's the third time Agnieszka Holland has been nominated for the Oscars; in 1992 for best adapted screenplay for ''Europa, Europa''; and in 1986 for best foreign language film ''Angry Harvest,'' representing West Germany.
Produced by Studio Filmowe Zebra, and co-produced by Hidden Films Inc. (Canada) and Schmidtz Katze Filmkollektiv GmbH (Germany), the pic was co-financed by the Polish Film Institute and the Lodz Film Fund. Sony Pictures Classics is handling US distribution and rights. Polish distribution is through Kino Swiat with a theatrical release due in September.
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[SOURCE: Variety]
Spain selects 'Black Bread' for Oscars
Almodovar locked out of foreign-language category
BARCELONA -- Agusti Villaronga's rural coming-of-age tale "Black Bread" has been selected as Spain's foreign-language Oscar candidate.
The pic, which is set in 1944, took nine kudos at February's Goya Awards, including film, director and actress for Nora Navas. "Bread" will be the first Catalan-language movie selected as Spain's Oscar entry.
"Bread" beat out Pedro Almodovar's "The Skin I Live In" and Benito Zambrano's Civil War meller, "The Sleeping Voice," which also made a three-pic shortlist announced Sept. 14 by Spain's Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
A former left-of-field helmer who moved mainstream for "Bread," Villaronga won this year's Spanish National Cinema Prize, bestowed by the ICAA Spanish Film Institute. With "Bread's" selection, the Spanish Academy has once more cold-shouldered Almodovar.
Only one of his last five features, and the one most clearly focused on Spain, "Volver," has been selected by the Spanish Academy as Spain's foreign-language Oscar candidate. Another, "Talk to Her," though not put forward by the Spanish Academy, won an Academy Award for original screenplay.
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Press release from Varietystaff: Leo Barraclough, also Han Sunhee in Seoul contributed to this report.
S. Korea in Oscar race
Foreign-language entry named for consideration in Oscar's foreign language film race.
South Korea picked Jang Hun's "The Frontline"
South Korea
The $9.4 million "The Frontline," about the Korean War, has grossed $20.6 million to date.
Pic was produced by Kim Hyun-chul; Showbox reps it for foreign sales.
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[From Variety staff: By Debra Kamin]
Turkey's 'Once Upon A Time In Anatolia' in Oscar bid
Nuri Bilge Ceylan film mulls guilt
TEL AVIV -- Helmer Nuri Bilge Ceylan's "Once Upon a Time in Anatolia," Turkey's submission for foreign-lingo Oscar, is an intense and slow-moving drama about the search for a corpse in the grasslands of Turkish Anatolia.
A doctor, a public prosecutor, a police chief and a murder suspect together comb the region's vast steppes in what becomes a critique on bureaucracy and a meditation on guilt and responsibility.Pic, co-winner of the Grand Prix at Cannes, is Ceylan's second selection for the Oscar pool.
In 2009, Turkey submitted his "Three Monkeys," which made it to the Academy's nine-film shortlist but was not nominated.
Turkey's Committee of Artistic Activities, an independent body of film professionals, chose "Once Upon a Time in Anatolia." This year the committee, known by its Turkish acronym SEK, included director Semih Kaplanoglu and actress Meltem Combul.
The 84th Academy Awards will be held Feb. 26, 2012 at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood
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Spain selects 'Black Bread' for Oscars
Almodovar locked out of foreign-language category
BARCELONA -- Agusti Villaronga's rural coming-of-age tale "Black Bread" has been selected as Spain's foreign-language Oscar candidate.
The pic, which is set in 1944, took nine kudos at February's Goya Awards, including film, director and actress for Nora Navas. "Bread" will be the first Catalan-language movie selected as Spain's Oscar entry.
"Bread" beat out Pedro Almodovar's "The Skin I Live In" and Benito Zambrano's Civil War meller, "The Sleeping Voice," which also made a three-pic shortlist announced Sept. 14 by Spain's Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
A former left-of-field helmer who moved mainstream for "Bread," Villaronga won this year's Spanish National Cinema Prize, bestowed by the ICAA Spanish Film Institute. With "Bread's" selection, the Spanish Academy has once more cold-shouldered Almodovar.
Only one of his last five features, and the one most clearly focused on Spain, "Volver," has been selected by the Spanish Academy as Spain's foreign-language Oscar candidate. Another, "Talk to Her," though not put forward by the Spanish Academy, won an Academy Award for original screenplay.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Press release from Varietystaff: Leo Barraclough, also Han Sunhee in Seoul contributed to this report.
S. Korea in Oscar race
Foreign-language entry named for consideration in Oscar's foreign language film race.
South Korea picked Jang Hun's "The Frontline"
South Korea
The $9.4 million "The Frontline," about the Korean War, has grossed $20.6 million to date.
Pic was produced by Kim Hyun-chul; Showbox reps it for foreign sales.
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[From Variety staff: By Debra Kamin]
Turkey's 'Once Upon A Time In Anatolia' in Oscar bid
Nuri Bilge Ceylan film mulls guilt
TEL AVIV -- Helmer Nuri Bilge Ceylan's "Once Upon a Time in Anatolia," Turkey's submission for foreign-lingo Oscar, is an intense and slow-moving drama about the search for a corpse in the grasslands of Turkish Anatolia.
A doctor, a public prosecutor, a police chief and a murder suspect together comb the region's vast steppes in what becomes a critique on bureaucracy and a meditation on guilt and responsibility.Pic, co-winner of the Grand Prix at Cannes, is Ceylan's second selection for the Oscar pool.
In 2009, Turkey submitted his "Three Monkeys," which made it to the Academy's nine-film shortlist but was not nominated.
Turkey's Committee of Artistic Activities, an independent body of film professionals, chose "Once Upon a Time in Anatolia." This year the committee, known by its Turkish acronym SEK, included director Semih Kaplanoglu and actress Meltem Combul.
The 84th Academy Awards will be held Feb. 26, 2012 at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood
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ARCHIVES: 2010 FOREIGN FILM RACE FOR OSCAR (Awarded in 2011)
Press announcement (multiple sources)
indieWIRE (& Variety)- COMPLETE List of Foreign Language Academy Submissions
(As with last year, 65 countries have submitted pics for Oscar consideration in the foreign-language film category, with this year's field including first-time entries from Ethiopia and Greenland.
Greenland (population 57,000) makes its debut, fittingly, with its first locally produced feature, "Nuummioq," directed by Otto Rosing and Torben Bech. Drama had its world premiere at Sundance. Story concerns the emotional awakening of a young man who discovers he has terminal cancer
Ethiopia has submitted "The Athlete," helmers Davey Frankel and Rasselas Lakew's biopic of Olympic gold-winning marathon runner Abebe Bikila.
Other films announced since the Academy's Oct. 1 submission deadline include Mathias Bize's "The Life of Fish" (Chile); Deddy Mizwar's "How Funny (Our Country Is)" (Indonesia); Akan Satayev's "Strayed" (Kazakhstan); Aktan Arym Kubat's "The Light Thief" (Kyrgyzstan); Florence Jaugey's "La Yuma" (Nicaragua); and Rafael Mercardo's "Lie" (Puerto Rico).
Per Academy rules, each country is invited to submit one pic for foreign-language film Oscar consideration. The 65 entries will then be whittled down to a shortlist of nine, from which the five nominees will be selected.)
The submissions are due October 1, 2010. Last year, 65 countries submitted films, with the eventual winner being Juan José Campanella’s “The Secret In Their Eyes,” from Argentina.
The complete list of announced submissions is below. The 83rd Academy Awards nominations will be announced on Tuesday, January 25, 2011.
By country:
Afghanistan - Black Tulip, directed by Sonia Nassery Cole -disqualified
Albania - East, West, East, directed by Gjergj Xhuvani (scroll down for announcement)
Algeria - Outside the Law (Hors la Loi), directed by Rachid Bouchareb (film page)
Argentina - "Carancho," directed by Pablo Trapero
Austria - La Pivellina, directed by Tizza Covi & Rainer Frimmel (scroll down for announcement)
Azerbaijan - Precinct, directed by Ilgar Safat (scroll down for announcement)
Bangladesh - Third Person Singular Number, directed by Mostofa Sarwar Farooki
Belgium - Illegal, directed by Olivier Masset-Depasse (scroll down for announcement)
Bosnia and Herzegovina - Cirkus Columbia, directed by Danis Tanovic
Brazil - Lula, the Son of Brazil (Lula, o filho do Brasil), directed by Fábio Barreto
Bulgaria - Eastern Plays, directed by Kamen Kalev
Canada - Incendies, directed by Denis Villeneuve (film page)
Chile, "The Life of Fish," directed by Matias Bize
China - Aftershock, directed by Feng Xiaogang (film page/scroll down for announcement)
Colombia - Crab Trap, directed by Oscar Ruíz Navia
Costa Rica, "Of Love and Other Demons," directed by Hilda Hidalgo
Croatia - The Blacks, directed by Goran Devic and Zvonimir Juric (scroll down for announcement)
Czech Republic - Kawasaki’s Rose, directed by Jan Hrebejk (scroll down for announcement)
Denmark - In a Better World, directed by Susanne Bier (film page)
Egypt - Messages From The Sea, directed by Daoud Abdel Sayed
Estonia - The Temptation of St. Tony, directed by Veiko Öunpuu
Ethiopia, "The Athlete," directed by Davey Frankel and Rasselas Lakew
Finland - Steam of Life [docu], directed by Joonas Berghail & Mika Hotakainen
France - Of Gods and Men, directed by Xavier Beauvois (film page/scroll down for announcement)
Georgia, "Street Days," directed by Levan Koguashvili
Germany - When We Leave, directed by Feo Aladag (scroll down for announcement)
Greece - Dogtooth, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos (film page/scroll down for announcement))
Greenland, "Nuummioq," directed by Otto Rosing and Torben Bech
Hong Kong - Echoes of the Rainbow, directed by Alex Law
Hungary - Bibliteque Pascal, directed by Szabolcs Hajdu (scroll down for announcement)
Iceland - Mamma Gógó, directed by Friðrik Þór Friðriksson
India - Peepli Live, directed by Anusha Rizvi
Indonesia - How Funny (This Country Is), directed by Deddy Mizwar
Iran - Farewell Baghdad, directed by Mehdi Naderi
Iraq - Son of Babylon, directed by Mohamed Al-Daradji
Israel, "The Human Resources Manager," directed by Eran Riklis
Italy - The First Beautiful Thing (La Prima Cosa Bella), directed by Paolo Virzì
Japan - Confessions, directed by Tetsuya Nakashima (scroll down for announcement)
Kazakhstan, "Strayed," directed by Akan Satayev
Kyrgyzstan, "The Light Thief," directed by Aktan Arym Kubat
Latvia - Hong Kong Confidential, directed by Maris Martinsons
Macedonia - Mothers, directed by Milcho Manchevski
Mexico - Biutiful, directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu
Netherlands - Tirza, directed by Rudolph van den Berg
Nicaragua - Le Yuma, directed by Florence Jaugey
Norway - Angel, directed by Margreth Olin (scroll down for announcement)
Peru - Undertow (Contracorriente), directed by Javier Fuentes-León
Philippines - Noy, directed by Dondon Santos (scroll down for announcement)
Poland - All That I Love, directed by Jacek Borcuch
Portugal - To Die Like A Man, directed by João Pedro Rodrigues
Puerto Rico, "Miente" (Lie), directed by Rafael Mercado
Romania - If I Want to Whistle…I Whistle, directed by Florin Serban (film page/scroll down for announcement)
Russia - The Edge, directed by Aleksei Uchitel (scroll down for announcement)
Serbia - Besa, directed by Srdjan Karanovic
Slovakia - The Border (Hranica), directed by Jaroslav Vojtek (scroll down for announcement)
Slovenia, "9:06," directed by Igor Sterk
South Africa - Life, Above All, directed by Oliver Schmitz (film page)
South Korea - A Barefoot Dream, directed by Tae-gyun Kim (scroll down for announcement)
Spain - Even The Rain (Tambien la Lluvia), directed by Iciar Bollain
Sweden - Simple Simon, directed by Andreas Ohman (scroll down for announcement)
Switzerland - La petite chambre (The Small Room), directed by Stéphanie Chaut & Véronique Reymond (scroll down for announcement)
Taiwan - Monga, directed by Doze Niu (scroll down for announcement)
Thailand - Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, directed by Apichatpong Weerathesakul (film page/scroll down for announcement)
Turkey - Honey, directed by Semih Kaplanoglu
Uruguay, "La Vida Util," directed by Federico Veiroj
Venezuela - Hermano, directed by Marcel Rasquin (scroll down for announcement)
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indieWIRE (& Variety)- COMPLETE List of Foreign Language Academy Submissions
(As with last year, 65 countries have submitted pics for Oscar consideration in the foreign-language film category, with this year's field including first-time entries from Ethiopia and Greenland.
Greenland (population 57,000) makes its debut, fittingly, with its first locally produced feature, "Nuummioq," directed by Otto Rosing and Torben Bech. Drama had its world premiere at Sundance. Story concerns the emotional awakening of a young man who discovers he has terminal cancer
Ethiopia has submitted "The Athlete," helmers Davey Frankel and Rasselas Lakew's biopic of Olympic gold-winning marathon runner Abebe Bikila.
Other films announced since the Academy's Oct. 1 submission deadline include Mathias Bize's "The Life of Fish" (Chile); Deddy Mizwar's "How Funny (Our Country Is)" (Indonesia); Akan Satayev's "Strayed" (Kazakhstan); Aktan Arym Kubat's "The Light Thief" (Kyrgyzstan); Florence Jaugey's "La Yuma" (Nicaragua); and Rafael Mercardo's "Lie" (Puerto Rico).
Per Academy rules, each country is invited to submit one pic for foreign-language film Oscar consideration. The 65 entries will then be whittled down to a shortlist of nine, from which the five nominees will be selected.)
The submissions are due October 1, 2010. Last year, 65 countries submitted films, with the eventual winner being Juan José Campanella’s “The Secret In Their Eyes,” from Argentina.
The complete list of announced submissions is below. The 83rd Academy Awards nominations will be announced on Tuesday, January 25, 2011.
By country:
Afghanistan - Black Tulip, directed by Sonia Nassery Cole -disqualified
Albania - East, West, East, directed by Gjergj Xhuvani (scroll down for announcement)
Algeria - Outside the Law (Hors la Loi), directed by Rachid Bouchareb (film page)
Argentina - "Carancho," directed by Pablo Trapero
Austria - La Pivellina, directed by Tizza Covi & Rainer Frimmel (scroll down for announcement)
Azerbaijan - Precinct, directed by Ilgar Safat (scroll down for announcement)
Bangladesh - Third Person Singular Number, directed by Mostofa Sarwar Farooki
Belgium - Illegal, directed by Olivier Masset-Depasse (scroll down for announcement)
Bosnia and Herzegovina - Cirkus Columbia, directed by Danis Tanovic
Brazil - Lula, the Son of Brazil (Lula, o filho do Brasil), directed by Fábio Barreto
Bulgaria - Eastern Plays, directed by Kamen Kalev
Canada - Incendies, directed by Denis Villeneuve (film page)
Chile, "The Life of Fish," directed by Matias Bize
China - Aftershock, directed by Feng Xiaogang (film page/scroll down for announcement)
Colombia - Crab Trap, directed by Oscar Ruíz Navia
Costa Rica, "Of Love and Other Demons," directed by Hilda Hidalgo
Croatia - The Blacks, directed by Goran Devic and Zvonimir Juric (scroll down for announcement)
Czech Republic - Kawasaki’s Rose, directed by Jan Hrebejk (scroll down for announcement)
Denmark - In a Better World, directed by Susanne Bier (film page)
Egypt - Messages From The Sea, directed by Daoud Abdel Sayed
Estonia - The Temptation of St. Tony, directed by Veiko Öunpuu
Ethiopia, "The Athlete," directed by Davey Frankel and Rasselas Lakew
Finland - Steam of Life [docu], directed by Joonas Berghail & Mika Hotakainen
France - Of Gods and Men, directed by Xavier Beauvois (film page/scroll down for announcement)
Georgia, "Street Days," directed by Levan Koguashvili
Germany - When We Leave, directed by Feo Aladag (scroll down for announcement)
Greece - Dogtooth, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos (film page/scroll down for announcement))
Greenland, "Nuummioq," directed by Otto Rosing and Torben Bech
Hong Kong - Echoes of the Rainbow, directed by Alex Law
Hungary - Bibliteque Pascal, directed by Szabolcs Hajdu (scroll down for announcement)
Iceland - Mamma Gógó, directed by Friðrik Þór Friðriksson
India - Peepli Live, directed by Anusha Rizvi
Indonesia - How Funny (This Country Is), directed by Deddy Mizwar
Iran - Farewell Baghdad, directed by Mehdi Naderi
Iraq - Son of Babylon, directed by Mohamed Al-Daradji
Israel, "The Human Resources Manager," directed by Eran Riklis
Italy - The First Beautiful Thing (La Prima Cosa Bella), directed by Paolo Virzì
Japan - Confessions, directed by Tetsuya Nakashima (scroll down for announcement)
Kazakhstan, "Strayed," directed by Akan Satayev
Kyrgyzstan, "The Light Thief," directed by Aktan Arym Kubat
Latvia - Hong Kong Confidential, directed by Maris Martinsons
Macedonia - Mothers, directed by Milcho Manchevski
Mexico - Biutiful, directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu
Netherlands - Tirza, directed by Rudolph van den Berg
Nicaragua - Le Yuma, directed by Florence Jaugey
Norway - Angel, directed by Margreth Olin (scroll down for announcement)
Peru - Undertow (Contracorriente), directed by Javier Fuentes-León
Philippines - Noy, directed by Dondon Santos (scroll down for announcement)
Poland - All That I Love, directed by Jacek Borcuch
Portugal - To Die Like A Man, directed by João Pedro Rodrigues
Puerto Rico, "Miente" (Lie), directed by Rafael Mercado
Romania - If I Want to Whistle…I Whistle, directed by Florin Serban (film page/scroll down for announcement)
Russia - The Edge, directed by Aleksei Uchitel (scroll down for announcement)
Serbia - Besa, directed by Srdjan Karanovic
Slovakia - The Border (Hranica), directed by Jaroslav Vojtek (scroll down for announcement)
Slovenia, "9:06," directed by Igor Sterk
South Africa - Life, Above All, directed by Oliver Schmitz (film page)
South Korea - A Barefoot Dream, directed by Tae-gyun Kim (scroll down for announcement)
Spain - Even The Rain (Tambien la Lluvia), directed by Iciar Bollain
Sweden - Simple Simon, directed by Andreas Ohman (scroll down for announcement)
Switzerland - La petite chambre (The Small Room), directed by Stéphanie Chaut & Véronique Reymond (scroll down for announcement)
Taiwan - Monga, directed by Doze Niu (scroll down for announcement)
Thailand - Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, directed by Apichatpong Weerathesakul (film page/scroll down for announcement)
Turkey - Honey, directed by Semih Kaplanoglu
Uruguay, "La Vida Util," directed by Federico Veiroj
Venezuela - Hermano, directed by Marcel Rasquin (scroll down for announcement)
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REPORT BY Variety staff
Austria, Switzerland make Oscar choices
Both go for first-time filmmakers
Debut features are repping Austria and Switzerland in their bids for foreign Oscar nominations. "La pivellina," by documentary filmmaking duo Rainer Frimmel and Tizza Covi, has been selected as Austria's entry, while Switzerland's hopes are riding on Stephanie Chuat and Veronique Reymond's "La petite chambre" (The Small Room).
Selected by Austria's 10-member jury of filmmakers and film industry reps, "La pivellina" revolves around a two-year-old girl found by a circus worker living on the outskirts of Rome. Pic won the Europa Cinemas Label prize in Cannes' Directors' Fortnight last year.
" 'La Pivellina' is a film that tells a powerful and sensitive story about a reality on the outskirts of society," the jury said, adding that the "documentarian accuracy" of the film made it "spectacularly genuine and human."
"The Small Room," which screened in competition in Locarno, was chosen by a special jury at Switzerland's Federal Office for Culture and by audiences at the Delemont-Hollywood film festival in Delemont. The pic centers on an ailing old man (Michel Bouquet) who fiercely objects to being put in a retirement home and the young nurse (Florence Loiret Caille) who stands up to him.
Nominations will be announced on Jan. 25. The 83rd Academy Awards will be held at the Kodak Theater on Feb. 27.
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Austria, Switzerland make Oscar choices
Both go for first-time filmmakers
Debut features are repping Austria and Switzerland in their bids for foreign Oscar nominations. "La pivellina," by documentary filmmaking duo Rainer Frimmel and Tizza Covi, has been selected as Austria's entry, while Switzerland's hopes are riding on Stephanie Chuat and Veronique Reymond's "La petite chambre" (The Small Room).
Selected by Austria's 10-member jury of filmmakers and film industry reps, "La pivellina" revolves around a two-year-old girl found by a circus worker living on the outskirts of Rome. Pic won the Europa Cinemas Label prize in Cannes' Directors' Fortnight last year.
" 'La Pivellina' is a film that tells a powerful and sensitive story about a reality on the outskirts of society," the jury said, adding that the "documentarian accuracy" of the film made it "spectacularly genuine and human."
"The Small Room," which screened in competition in Locarno, was chosen by a special jury at Switzerland's Federal Office for Culture and by audiences at the Delemont-Hollywood film festival in Delemont. The pic centers on an ailing old man (Michel Bouquet) who fiercely objects to being put in a retirement home and the young nurse (Florence Loiret Caille) who stands up to him.
Nominations will be announced on Jan. 25. The 83rd Academy Awards will be held at the Kodak Theater on Feb. 27.
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REPORT BY Variety staff
Foreign Oscar runners assemble Russia, Greece, Norway, Azerbaijan select pix
More runners have joined the race for the foreign-language film Oscar, with Russia, Greece, Norway and Azerbaijan naming their contenders.
Russia's pick is "The Edge," Aleksei Uchitel's story of a World War II vet sent to work deep in the Siberian wastes, where prison camp survivors eke out a living.
The film, chosen by the country's Oscars committee headed by director Vladimir Menshov, explores the impact of the war on Russia's psychology, as told through the story of the veteran, and the two women who both love and loathe him. With some spectacular sequences involving speeding steam trains -- an allegory for the deep human need for escapism -- the film played to appreciative audiences recently at the Toronto Film Festival.
Drug drama "Angel," helmed by Margreth Olin, has been tapped as the Norwegian entry.
Pic, which stars Maria Bonnevie, is the story of Lea, a drug addict who decides to give up her daughter for adoption to ensure that the child has a better start in life than her own. Pic was produced by Thomas Robsahm for Speranza Films. It won audience awards in Oslo and Gothenburg, as well as the People's Amanda at this year's local awards.
"Dogtooth" is the Greek entry.
The pic is a daring and controversial film about an authoritarian father, who keeps his family isolated from the world on a country estate. The film, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, took a prize in Un Certain Regard in Cannes last year and has become a favorite on the festival circuit. With themes of sexual power and rebellion, the film is considered a mould-breaker in Greek film; it swept the new national Hellenic Film Academy awards earlier this year and the organization has now given it the Oscar nod.
The selection awaits sanction by the Greek ministry of culture, but that is expected to be a formality.
Azerbaijan has chosen Ilgar Safat's psychological drama "The Precinct."
Set in the country's capital, Baku, it tells the story of a photographer who is forced to choose between postponing marrying his fiancé or taking a lucrative job in Africa. His decision to take the job sparks a furious row while driving with his girlfriend and the couple crash. Later they find themselves in a police precinct -- where he has to come to terms with his deep seated fear of women or he will not leave alive. Produced by Nariman Mammadov as a co-production with Georgia, the film was selected by the national Oscar committee.
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Foreign Oscar runners assemble Russia, Greece, Norway, Azerbaijan select pix
More runners have joined the race for the foreign-language film Oscar, with Russia, Greece, Norway and Azerbaijan naming their contenders.
Russia's pick is "The Edge," Aleksei Uchitel's story of a World War II vet sent to work deep in the Siberian wastes, where prison camp survivors eke out a living.
The film, chosen by the country's Oscars committee headed by director Vladimir Menshov, explores the impact of the war on Russia's psychology, as told through the story of the veteran, and the two women who both love and loathe him. With some spectacular sequences involving speeding steam trains -- an allegory for the deep human need for escapism -- the film played to appreciative audiences recently at the Toronto Film Festival.
Drug drama "Angel," helmed by Margreth Olin, has been tapped as the Norwegian entry.
Pic, which stars Maria Bonnevie, is the story of Lea, a drug addict who decides to give up her daughter for adoption to ensure that the child has a better start in life than her own. Pic was produced by Thomas Robsahm for Speranza Films. It won audience awards in Oslo and Gothenburg, as well as the People's Amanda at this year's local awards.
"Dogtooth" is the Greek entry.
The pic is a daring and controversial film about an authoritarian father, who keeps his family isolated from the world on a country estate. The film, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, took a prize in Un Certain Regard in Cannes last year and has become a favorite on the festival circuit. With themes of sexual power and rebellion, the film is considered a mould-breaker in Greek film; it swept the new national Hellenic Film Academy awards earlier this year and the organization has now given it the Oscar nod.
The selection awaits sanction by the Greek ministry of culture, but that is expected to be a formality.
Azerbaijan has chosen Ilgar Safat's psychological drama "The Precinct."
Set in the country's capital, Baku, it tells the story of a photographer who is forced to choose between postponing marrying his fiancé or taking a lucrative job in Africa. His decision to take the job sparks a furious row while driving with his girlfriend and the couple crash. Later they find themselves in a police precinct -- where he has to come to terms with his deep seated fear of women or he will not leave alive. Produced by Nariman Mammadov as a co-production with Georgia, the film was selected by the national Oscar committee.
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REPORT BY Variety staff
Croatia names 'Blacks' as Oscar entry
Pic shows corrosive power of fear and hatred
"The Blacks," an unrelentingly dark depiction of the corrosive power of fear and hatred, is Croatia's entry for the foreign-language Oscar.
Directed by Zvonimir Juric and Goran Devic, the pic is a bleak and disturbing story of the last day of the Balkans civil war. It depicts the disastrous attempt by a black-clad paramilitary unit to take revenge on an unseen enemy before an official ceasefire takes effect.
With elements of dark farce and nerve-wracking detail -- such as the torture room a rookie member of the squad stumbles upon while wandering around the unit's bleak concrete HQ -- the film, produced by Ankica Juric Tilic of Kinorama, does not make for easy viewing.
Film, chosen by the Film Artists Assn. of Croatia, picked up three top awards in Croatia's national film festival in Pula last year and also won kudos at the Ljubljana Film Festival in neighboring Slovenia.
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Croatia names 'Blacks' as Oscar entry
Pic shows corrosive power of fear and hatred
"The Blacks," an unrelentingly dark depiction of the corrosive power of fear and hatred, is Croatia's entry for the foreign-language Oscar.
Directed by Zvonimir Juric and Goran Devic, the pic is a bleak and disturbing story of the last day of the Balkans civil war. It depicts the disastrous attempt by a black-clad paramilitary unit to take revenge on an unseen enemy before an official ceasefire takes effect.
With elements of dark farce and nerve-wracking detail -- such as the torture room a rookie member of the squad stumbles upon while wandering around the unit's bleak concrete HQ -- the film, produced by Ankica Juric Tilic of Kinorama, does not make for easy viewing.
Film, chosen by the Film Artists Assn. of Croatia, picked up three top awards in Croatia's national film festival in Pula last year and also won kudos at the Ljubljana Film Festival in neighboring Slovenia.
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REPORT BY Variety staff
Philippines pins Oscar hopes on 'Noy'
Helmer Santos' docu-drama gets the call
The Philippines has chosen docu-drama "Noy," starring Coco Martin, to represent the country in the race for a foreign language Oscar nomination.
Helmed by Dondon Santos, "Noy" tracks a young man from the slums who poses as a journo to document the ascent of his namesake Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III who goes on to become President-elect of the Philippines.
Actual docu footage is interwoven with fictional scenes that deal with poverty, survival and hope.
"Noy" trumped four other shortlisted pics led by Joel Lamangan's two films "Sagrada Familia," and "Dukot; "Laurice Guillen's "Sa yo lamang" and Gil Portes' "Two Funerals."
Submissions for the foreign language Oscar must reach the Academy by 5 p.m. Oct. 1. Nominations will be announced on Jan. 25. The 83rd Academy Awards will be held at the Kodak Theater on Feb. 27, 2011.
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Philippines pins Oscar hopes on 'Noy'
Helmer Santos' docu-drama gets the call
The Philippines has chosen docu-drama "Noy," starring Coco Martin, to represent the country in the race for a foreign language Oscar nomination.
Helmed by Dondon Santos, "Noy" tracks a young man from the slums who poses as a journo to document the ascent of his namesake Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III who goes on to become President-elect of the Philippines.
Actual docu footage is interwoven with fictional scenes that deal with poverty, survival and hope.
"Noy" trumped four other shortlisted pics led by Joel Lamangan's two films "Sagrada Familia," and "Dukot; "Laurice Guillen's "Sa yo lamang" and Gil Portes' "Two Funerals."
Submissions for the foreign language Oscar must reach the Academy by 5 p.m. Oct. 1. Nominations will be announced on Jan. 25. The 83rd Academy Awards will be held at the Kodak Theater on Feb. 27, 2011.
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REPORT BY Variety staff
Czechs pick 'Rose' forOscars
Hrebejk's film looks at Communism's legacy
PRAGUE -- Jan Hrebejk's "Kawasaki's Rose" has been selected as the Czech Republic's contender for a nomination in Oscar's foreign language category. Screenplay is by Hrebejk's longtime colleague Petr Jarchovsky.
The pic, a story about the legacy of the old Communist regime, defeated Jan Sverak's animated tale "Kooky" and Tomas Masin's look at Nazi-occupied Prague, "3 Seasons in Hell."
The story, like most by the duo, centers on family tensions that escalate into fractious drama, threatening to ruin the reputation of a celebrated ex-dissident.
A cameo by Czech photographer Antonin Kratochvil, himself a former dissident who emigrated to New York, adds a touch of realism.
The Czech Film and Television Academy chose the pic following its wins for best film at the Pilsen Finale Festival, and the Cicae Award and Ecumenical Award in Berlin.
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Czechs pick 'Rose' forOscars
Hrebejk's film looks at Communism's legacy
PRAGUE -- Jan Hrebejk's "Kawasaki's Rose" has been selected as the Czech Republic's contender for a nomination in Oscar's foreign language category. Screenplay is by Hrebejk's longtime colleague Petr Jarchovsky.
The pic, a story about the legacy of the old Communist regime, defeated Jan Sverak's animated tale "Kooky" and Tomas Masin's look at Nazi-occupied Prague, "3 Seasons in Hell."
The story, like most by the duo, centers on family tensions that escalate into fractious drama, threatening to ruin the reputation of a celebrated ex-dissident.
A cameo by Czech photographer Antonin Kratochvil, himself a former dissident who emigrated to New York, adds a touch of realism.
The Czech Film and Television Academy chose the pic following its wins for best film at the Pilsen Finale Festival, and the Cicae Award and Ecumenical Award in Berlin.
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REPORT BY Variety staff
Albania looks 'East' for its Oscar choice
Xhuvani's comedy follows collapse of Communism
A comic satire on the collapse of the regime of Albania's Communist dictator Enver Hoxha, "East West East" (Lindje perendim lindje) is that country's choice for a nomination in Oscar's foreign language category.
Directed by Gjergj Xhuvani, the film picked up the best director nod at last year's Tirana Film Festival while the cast won a special actor award.
Chosen by a committee from the Albanian National Center for Cinematography, pic follows a national cycling team who get the chance to compete in France, in the virtually unknown capitalist West, only to find themselves stranded enroute in Italy as the society they left behind ceases to exist overnight with the fall of its leader.
With a strong performance by an ensemble cast, the film is a comic and fond look back to the mid-1980s when the country was plunged into chaos that brought it to the brink of anarchy.
Submissions for the foreign language Oscar must reach the Academy by 5 p.m. Oct. 1. Nominations will be announced on Jan. 25. The 83rd Academy Awards will be held at the Kodak Theater on Feb. 27.
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Albania looks 'East' for its Oscar choice
Xhuvani's comedy follows collapse of Communism
A comic satire on the collapse of the regime of Albania's Communist dictator Enver Hoxha, "East West East" (Lindje perendim lindje) is that country's choice for a nomination in Oscar's foreign language category.
Directed by Gjergj Xhuvani, the film picked up the best director nod at last year's Tirana Film Festival while the cast won a special actor award.
Chosen by a committee from the Albanian National Center for Cinematography, pic follows a national cycling team who get the chance to compete in France, in the virtually unknown capitalist West, only to find themselves stranded enroute in Italy as the society they left behind ceases to exist overnight with the fall of its leader.
With a strong performance by an ensemble cast, the film is a comic and fond look back to the mid-1980s when the country was plunged into chaos that brought it to the brink of anarchy.
Submissions for the foreign language Oscar must reach the Academy by 5 p.m. Oct. 1. Nominations will be announced on Jan. 25. The 83rd Academy Awards will be held at the Kodak Theater on Feb. 27.
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REPORT BY Variety staff
China sends 'Aftershock' to Oscars
Disaster epic enters foreign-language category
BEIJING -- Feng Xiaogang's disaster epic "Aftershock," the most successful Chinese movie ever, will be China's entry for consideration in the foreign-language Oscar category, the Film Bureau's international office said Sunday.
"Aftershock" is a powerful drama about the disastrous 1976 Tangshan earthquake, which killed at least 240,000 people -- some put the figure even higher. Pic stars Xu Fan, Zhang Jingchu, Li Chen, Chen Daoming, Chen Jin and Guogiang Zhang.
Feng is China's most bankable helmer, whose "If You Are the One" took $48 million in 2008, and he is also known for "The Banquet" with Zhang Ziyi, the war epic "Assembly" and the zippy domestic comedy "Cellphone."
The pic is Feng's 12th movie and his biggest budget yet at $19.1 million. It is the first Chinese pic to make it to an IMAX screen and has taken well over $100 million in B.O.
Pic's producers, Huayi Brothers, had been hoping "Aftershock" would get the nod as China's entry for the category, although Feng himself is skeptical about his movie's prospects in the Oscars.
" 'Aftershock' will not find favor in the eyes of the Academy, neither will it be an Oscar-winning movie, because it is meant to appeal to Chinese audiences only," he told the China News Service last month.
Feng maintains that censorship makes it difficult for Chinese helmers to produce films that will work abroad, and that U.S. auds are not interested in pics with subtitles.
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REPORT BY Variety staff
Thailand's Oscar hopes rest on 'Uncle'
Weerasethakul's Cannes winner goes for glory
"Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives," helmer Apichatpong Weerasethakul's offbeatmovie that won the Palme d'Or in Cannes, is Thailand's entry for consideration in the foreign language Oscar category.
An idiosyncratic fable involving reincarnation and out-of-body experiences, pic was the first Thai film to win at Cannes. "Boonmee" is very much the critics' choice, rather than a populist piece. It notched up low box office takings at home.
Pic was chosen by a committee from the Federation of National Film Assns of Thailand. The nine-member panel was chaired by Nakorn Weeraprawat and included helmer Prachya Pinkaew and actor Yodchai Meksuwan.
Pic was produced by Apichatpong, Simon Field, Keith Griffiths and Charles de Meaux, and co-produced by Hans W. Geissendoerfer, Luis Minarro and Michael Weber. It stars Thanapat Saisaymar.
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Thailand's Oscar hopes rest on 'Uncle'
Weerasethakul's Cannes winner goes for glory
"Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives," helmer Apichatpong Weerasethakul's offbeatmovie that won the Palme d'Or in Cannes, is Thailand's entry for consideration in the foreign language Oscar category.
An idiosyncratic fable involving reincarnation and out-of-body experiences, pic was the first Thai film to win at Cannes. "Boonmee" is very much the critics' choice, rather than a populist piece. It notched up low box office takings at home.
Pic was chosen by a committee from the Federation of National Film Assns of Thailand. The nine-member panel was chaired by Nakorn Weeraprawat and included helmer Prachya Pinkaew and actor Yodchai Meksuwan.
Pic was produced by Apichatpong, Simon Field, Keith Griffiths and Charles de Meaux, and co-produced by Hans W. Geissendoerfer, Luis Minarro and Michael Weber. It stars Thanapat Saisaymar.
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REPORT BY Variety staff
Hajdu's 'Pascal' enters Oscar race
Helmer Szabolcs Hajdu's "Bibliotheque Pascal" is Hungary's entry for foreign language Oscar!
"Bibliotheque Pascal," helmer Szabolcs Hajdu's strange tale of a woman forced into prostitution in the U.K. after leaving her young daughter with a fortune-telling aunt, is Hungary's entry for consideration in the race for foreign-language Oscar.
The film, which features Hajdu's real-life wife and daughter and stars Romanian thesp Oana Pellea as the aunt, took the main prize at Hungary's national film awards in January. Surreal and dream-like, the film unfolds as the woman -- who has escaped imprisonment in a Liverpool sex club -- returns home and is forced to tell social workers her story to regain custody of her child.
Picture was chosen by a committee of Hungarian film critics and industry personalities.
Submissions for the foreign language Oscar must reach the Academy by 5 p.m. Oct. 1. Nominations will be announced on Jan. 25, 2011.
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Hajdu's 'Pascal' enters Oscar race
Helmer Szabolcs Hajdu's "Bibliotheque Pascal" is Hungary's entry for foreign language Oscar!
"Bibliotheque Pascal," helmer Szabolcs Hajdu's strange tale of a woman forced into prostitution in the U.K. after leaving her young daughter with a fortune-telling aunt, is Hungary's entry for consideration in the race for foreign-language Oscar.
The film, which features Hajdu's real-life wife and daughter and stars Romanian thesp Oana Pellea as the aunt, took the main prize at Hungary's national film awards in January. Surreal and dream-like, the film unfolds as the woman -- who has escaped imprisonment in a Liverpool sex club -- returns home and is forced to tell social workers her story to regain custody of her child.
Picture was chosen by a committee of Hungarian film critics and industry personalities.
Submissions for the foreign language Oscar must reach the Academy by 5 p.m. Oct. 1. Nominations will be announced on Jan. 25, 2011.
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REPORT BY Variety staff
'Border' is Slovakia's Oscar entry
Documentary focuses on divided village
LONDON -- "The Border," directed by Jaro Vojtek, is Slovakia's entry for the foreign-language film Oscar. The pic was chosen by the Slovak Film and Television Academy.
The documentary focuses on a village divided in two by the Red Army in 1946 that now straddles the border between Slovakia and Ukraine.
Vojtek's pic, which reveals the absurdity of an arbitrary line that divides estates, a cemetery and close families to this day, had its world premiere at Jihlava Intl. Documentary Film Festival 2009 and was awarded the main prize of the Between the Seas Competition as the best East European documentary 2009.
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'Border' is Slovakia's Oscar entry
Documentary focuses on divided village
LONDON -- "The Border," directed by Jaro Vojtek, is Slovakia's entry for the foreign-language film Oscar. The pic was chosen by the Slovak Film and Television Academy.
The documentary focuses on a village divided in two by the Red Army in 1946 that now straddles the border between Slovakia and Ukraine.
Vojtek's pic, which reveals the absurdity of an arbitrary line that divides estates, a cemetery and close families to this day, had its world premiere at Jihlava Intl. Documentary Film Festival 2009 and was awarded the main prize of the Between the Seas Competition as the best East European documentary 2009.
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REPORT BY Variety staff
REPORT BY Variety staff
'When We Leave' vies for Oscar's attention
Aladag's movie will represent Germany
"When We Leave," the debut feature by Vienna-born actress-turned-helmer Feo Aladag, has been selected as Germany's foreign-language Oscar entry.
The pic follows a German-Turkish woman seeking emancipation from her conservative Muslim family as she flees an abusive husband in Istanbul.
" 'When We Leave' is an extraordinarily well written, atmospherically precise and moving film with outstanding acting performances," said the independent jury that selected the title.
Aladag said, "It is an incredibly great honor that our film has been chosen by the German selection committee. My goal had always been to make a universal film that can reach people and touch them across ethnic, cultural and linguistic barriers. I now await the next round with great anticipation and very much hope that 'When We Leave' will also convince the members of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences."
Produced by Berlin-based Independent Artists Filmproduktion, in co-production with pubcasters WDR, RBB and Arte, "When We Leave" was released in Germany by Delphi Filmverleih. Munich-based Telepool, which is repping the film internationally, has sold the pic to Olive Films and Mongrel Media for the U.S. and Canada, respectively.
"When We Leave" premiered at the Berlin Film Festival and went on to win top prizes at the German Film Awards, including actress kudos for Sibel Kekilli. It also won the narrative feature award and the actress prize at this year's Tribeca Film Festival.
Submissions for the foreign language Oscar must reach the Academy by 5 p.m. Oct. 1. Nominations will be announced on Jan. 25. The 83rd Academy Awards will be held at the Kodak Theater on Feb. 27, 2011.
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'When We Leave' vies for Oscar's attention
Aladag's movie will represent Germany
"When We Leave," the debut feature by Vienna-born actress-turned-helmer Feo Aladag, has been selected as Germany's foreign-language Oscar entry.
The pic follows a German-Turkish woman seeking emancipation from her conservative Muslim family as she flees an abusive husband in Istanbul.
" 'When We Leave' is an extraordinarily well written, atmospherically precise and moving film with outstanding acting performances," said the independent jury that selected the title.
Aladag said, "It is an incredibly great honor that our film has been chosen by the German selection committee. My goal had always been to make a universal film that can reach people and touch them across ethnic, cultural and linguistic barriers. I now await the next round with great anticipation and very much hope that 'When We Leave' will also convince the members of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences."
Produced by Berlin-based Independent Artists Filmproduktion, in co-production with pubcasters WDR, RBB and Arte, "When We Leave" was released in Germany by Delphi Filmverleih. Munich-based Telepool, which is repping the film internationally, has sold the pic to Olive Films and Mongrel Media for the U.S. and Canada, respectively.
"When We Leave" premiered at the Berlin Film Festival and went on to win top prizes at the German Film Awards, including actress kudos for Sibel Kekilli. It also won the narrative feature award and the actress prize at this year's Tribeca Film Festival.
Submissions for the foreign language Oscar must reach the Academy by 5 p.m. Oct. 1. Nominations will be announced on Jan. 25. The 83rd Academy Awards will be held at the Kodak Theater on Feb. 27, 2011.
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REPORT BY Variety staff
France choses 'Gods' for Oscars
Beauvois' pic centers on monastery in Algeria
PARIS -- Xavier Beauvois' critically acclaimed drama "Of Gods and Men" has been chosen to represent France in the foreign-language film race of the Academy Awards.
Based on a 1996 incident, the film follows eight French monks who live peacefully in a monastery perched in the mountains of Algeria until post-colonial tensions escalate. Driven by their faith and convictions, the monks decide to remain in Algeria in spite of repeated threats.
The Lambert Wilson starrer bowed at Cannes where it garnered a jury prize and rave reviews. Repped by Wild Bunch, the pic was acquired by Sony Pictures Classics at Cannes for U.S. and Australia/New Zealand rights.
Released in France by Mars Distribution on Sept. 8, the film topped the Gallic B.O. and grossed a healthy $2.7 million in its first week.
As with last year's French entry, "A Prophet," "Of Gods and Men" is produced by Pascal Caucheteux's Why Not Films. French outfit Armada Films and pubcaster France 3 Cinema co-produced.
Pic is actor-turned-helmer Beauvois' seventh feature. He previously won the Europa Cinema Label award at Venice for 2005 pic "Le Petit Lieutenant."
"Of Gods and Men" has been acquired for the U.K. (Artificial Eye), Italy (Lucky Red), Canada (Metropole), Spain (Golem), Scandinavia (NonStop), Germany (NFP), Korea (Back-Du-Dugong), Russia (Leopard), Benelux (Lumiere) and Switzerland (Frenetic).
"Of Gods and Men" was selected by a French committee, which includes Cannes fest topper Thierry Fremaux, prexy of the Cesar Academy Alain Terzian and thesp Jeanne Moreau, and helmers Jean-Jacques Annaud, Costa-Gavras and Regis Wargnie
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France choses 'Gods' for Oscars
Beauvois' pic centers on monastery in Algeria
PARIS -- Xavier Beauvois' critically acclaimed drama "Of Gods and Men" has been chosen to represent France in the foreign-language film race of the Academy Awards.
Based on a 1996 incident, the film follows eight French monks who live peacefully in a monastery perched in the mountains of Algeria until post-colonial tensions escalate. Driven by their faith and convictions, the monks decide to remain in Algeria in spite of repeated threats.
The Lambert Wilson starrer bowed at Cannes where it garnered a jury prize and rave reviews. Repped by Wild Bunch, the pic was acquired by Sony Pictures Classics at Cannes for U.S. and Australia/New Zealand rights.
Released in France by Mars Distribution on Sept. 8, the film topped the Gallic B.O. and grossed a healthy $2.7 million in its first week.
As with last year's French entry, "A Prophet," "Of Gods and Men" is produced by Pascal Caucheteux's Why Not Films. French outfit Armada Films and pubcaster France 3 Cinema co-produced.
Pic is actor-turned-helmer Beauvois' seventh feature. He previously won the Europa Cinema Label award at Venice for 2005 pic "Le Petit Lieutenant."
"Of Gods and Men" has been acquired for the U.K. (Artificial Eye), Italy (Lucky Red), Canada (Metropole), Spain (Golem), Scandinavia (NonStop), Germany (NFP), Korea (Back-Du-Dugong), Russia (Leopard), Benelux (Lumiere) and Switzerland (Frenetic).
"Of Gods and Men" was selected by a French committee, which includes Cannes fest topper Thierry Fremaux, prexy of the Cesar Academy Alain Terzian and thesp Jeanne Moreau, and helmers Jean-Jacques Annaud, Costa-Gavras and Regis Wargnie
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REPORT BY Variety staff
Belgium selects 'Illegal' for Oscars
Pic centers on arrest of Russian immigrant
BRUSSELS -- "Illegal" by Olivier Masset-Depasse will be Belgium's entry for foreign-language Oscar competition in 2011.
Pic relates the experience of Tania (Anne Coesens), a Russian woman living illegally in Belgium for many years, who is suddenly arrested and held in a detention center. Drama revolves around her determination to keep her origins secret, confounding attempts to deport her and protecting her 14-year-old son, who is still at large.
Power of Coesens' performance, in French and Russian, was cited by the selection committee as one reason for its choice.
Pic took its world bow in the Directors' Fortnight at Cannes, and has since toured international fests, taking top prize at the Angouleme fest of French-speaking film in August.
Produced by Versus Production, international sales are handled by Films Distribution. "Illegal" goes on general release in Belgium and France in October.
Meanwhile, Luxembourg will not be making a foreign-language Oscar submission. Its two major features of the year are both in English, making them ineligible for the competition.
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Belgium selects 'Illegal' for Oscars
Pic centers on arrest of Russian immigrant
BRUSSELS -- "Illegal" by Olivier Masset-Depasse will be Belgium's entry for foreign-language Oscar competition in 2011.
Pic relates the experience of Tania (Anne Coesens), a Russian woman living illegally in Belgium for many years, who is suddenly arrested and held in a detention center. Drama revolves around her determination to keep her origins secret, confounding attempts to deport her and protecting her 14-year-old son, who is still at large.
Power of Coesens' performance, in French and Russian, was cited by the selection committee as one reason for its choice.
Pic took its world bow in the Directors' Fortnight at Cannes, and has since toured international fests, taking top prize at the Angouleme fest of French-speaking film in August.
Produced by Versus Production, international sales are handled by Films Distribution. "Illegal" goes on general release in Belgium and France in October.
Meanwhile, Luxembourg will not be making a foreign-language Oscar submission. Its two major features of the year are both in English, making them ineligible for the competition.
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OscarWatch: Sweden, Romania, and South Korea
Three countries join Oscar race - Sweden, Romania, S. Korea enter titles
A further three countries -- Sweden, Romania and South Korea -- have selected their entries for the foreign-language Oscar race.
Youth drama "Simple Simon," headlined by Bill Skarsgard, has been tapped as Sweden's entry. Pic, which opened Friday to positive reviews and good weekend box office at home, is the story of a young man suffering from Asperger syndrome and his efforts to get his brother a new girlfriend. Pic was helmed by first-timer Andreas Ohman and produced by Bonnie Skoog Feeney for Naive.
Romania's entry is "If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle." The pic is a gritty drama about a juvenile delinquent, whose release from a detention center is complicated by the arrival of his long-absent mother. Florin Serban's directorial debut won the Silver Bear at Berlin this year and is co-produced and co-written by Catalin Mitulescu, based on a stage play by Andreea Valean. Mitulescu directed and Valean wrote "The Way I Spent the End of the World," which was Romania's Oscar entry in 2007.
"Whistle," starring George Pistereanu as the tearaway and Ada Condeescu as the trainee social worker he falls in love with, was chosen for the Oscars by a panel of Romanian film critics.
"A Barefoot Dream" has been picked as South Korea's runner in the race. Helmer Kim Tae-kyun's sports drama was chosen by a five-strong jury. Based on a true story, the pic centers on a retired Korean footballer who goes to East Timor after his business fails and launches a youth football team.
Handled by Showbox Mediaplex, pic opened in Korea in early June during the soccer World Cup. Critically acclaimed, it cumed $2 million from 330,000 admissions. Kim's previous film "Crossing" was South Korea's Oscar runner in 2008.
Submissions for the foreign-language Oscar must reach the Academy by 5 p.m. Oct. 1, 2010. Nominations will be announced on Jan. 25. The 83rd Academy Awards will be held Feb. 27 at the Kodak Theater.
REPORT BY Variety staff: GUNNAR REHLIN, NICK HOLDSWORTH (Han Sunhee contributed to this report)
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OscarWatch: Venezuela, Taiwan, and Japan
Venezuela, Taiwan, Japan vie for Oscar - 'Hermanos,' 'Monga,' 'Confessions' to run in race
Venezuela, Taiwan and Japan have entered pics for the foreign-language Oscar.
Venezuela has selected Marcel Rasquin's feature debut "Hermanos" (Brothers). Set against the backdrop of a slum in Caracas, the pic tracks two brothers who aspire to become soccer pros.It was a triple-prize winner at Moscow, where it took home the film, critics and audience awards. It also won the aud award at the L.A. Latino Film Fest last month. Since its debut in Venezuela two months ago, pic has been a box office draw with more than 250,000 admissions to date, better than average for a local pic.
Niu Cheng-tse's violent and hugely popular gangster movie "Monga" will rep Taiwan. Pic, which stars Ethan Ruan and Mark Chao, is about gang warfare in the Wanhua district of Taipei during the 1980s. It grossed NTD200 million ($6.25 million) B.O. in the self-ruled island, but its graphic violence and gangster subject-matter meant it did not get a release on the Mainland. [NOTE: Pic replaces the original candidate, "Hear Me," which was spiked as its release date was two months
too early to be eligible to compete for the Oscar]
Tetsuya Nakashima's dark mystery/thriller "Confessions" is Japan's entry. Released in June, the pic has earned nearly $40 million to date. Takako Matsu plays a junior high teacher whose 3-year-old daughter is killed by two of her students. Once she learns their identities, she tells her entire class she will get her revenge -- and proceeds to do so.
REPORT By Variety staffers: CLIFFORD COONAN, ANNA MARIE DE LA FUENTE (Mark Schilling contributed to this
report.)
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OSCAR Archives below
MoMA-NYC's Annual retrospective of "potential" Oscar contenders
The Contenders, 2009
October 31, 2009–January 13, 2010
View Related Film Screenings
Every year there are films that resonate far beyond a theatrical release (if they manage to find their way to a commercial screen at all) or film festival appearance. Their significance can be attributed to a variety of factors, from structure to subject matter to language, but these films are united in their lasting impact on the cinematic art form. For this new ongoing series, the Department of Film combs through major studio releases and the top film festivals in the world, selecting influential, innovative films made in the last twelve months that we believe will stand the test of time. Whether bound for awards glory or destined to become a cult classic, each of these films is a contender for lasting historical significance—and any true cinephile will want to catch them on the big screen. Additional screenings will be listed in the coming weeks.
Organized by the Department of Film. The exhibition is supported by BNP Paribas.
The Age of Stupid
2009. Great Britain. Directed by Franny Armstrong. With Pete Postlethwaite.
This enormously ambitious drama/documentary/animation hybrid from the director of McLibel and the producer of the Academy Award–winning One Day In September stars Oscar nominee Postlethwaite as an old man living in the devastated world of 2055, watching "archive" footage from 2008 and asking, "Why didn't we stop climate change while we had the chance?" 92 min.
Saturday, November 28, 2009, 4:00 p.m. , Theater 2, T2
The Hurt Locker
2009. USA. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow.
In the summer of 2004, Sergeant J.T. Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) and Specialist Owen Eldridge (Brian Geraghty) of Bravo Company are at the volatile center of the Iraq war—part of a small unit specifically trained to handle the bombs and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that account for more than half of American military fatalities and have killed thousands of Iraqis. When Staff Sergeant William James (Jeremy Renner) cheerfully takes over the team, Sanborn and Eldridge are shocked by his apparent recklessness and disregard for military protocol and basic safety measures. And yet, in the fog of war, appearances are never reliable for long. Is James really a swaggering cowboy who lives for the moments when the margin of error is zero, or is he a consummate professional who has honed his esoteric craft to high-wire precision? As the fiery chaos of Baghdad threatens to engulf them, the men struggle to understand and contain their mercurial new leader long enough for them to make it home. They have only thirty-eight days left in their tour, but with each new mission comes another deadly encounter, and as James blurs the line between bravery and bravado, it seems like only a matter of time before disaster strikes. One of the most acclaimed films of 2009, The Hurt Locker could only really exist on its own terms, as a work of cinema, in a post–G. W. Bush world; that administration's politicization of the war in Iraq would not have allowed for a full and open appreciation of Bigelow’s exhilarating film. 131 min.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009, 7:30 p.m. , Theater 1, T1
(Followed by a discussion with Bigelow, writer Mark Boal, and star Jeremy Renner)
Fantastic Mr. Fox
2009. USA. Directed by Wes Anderson. Screenplay by Anderson, Noah Baumbach. Based on the novel by Roald Dahl. With voices by George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray.
First published in 1970, Dahl’s novel tells the story of the crafty Mr. Fox's struggle against three farmers who vow to shoot, starve, or dig the Fox family off their land. But being a fox means being cunning and wily, so Mr. Fox is well equipped to outsmart the cantankerous farmers and fleece them of their chickens and apples. Anderson's film utilizes stop-motion animation, a technique dating to the late nineteenth century that requires the frame-by-frame manipulation of an object—in this case two- to eighteen-inch-tall puppets—to make them appear to move. A painstaking process to say the least, stop-motion provides the animators—in this case, Ian MacKinnon and Peter Saunders, whose credits also include Tim Burton's Corpse Bride—with a limitless capacity for expression. Anderson calls Mr. Fox “sort of heroic and slightly vain,” and although he created new characters and scenes in order to flesh out the screen adaptation, the tone of the narrative remains as cheeky, sharp, and sardonic as Dahl’s original. 88 min.
Monday, December 7, 2009, 8:00 p.m. , Theater 1, T1
District 9
2009. New Zealand. Directed by Neill Blomkamp. Screenplay by Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell.
With Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, David James, Vanessa Haywood.
A debut film that is both a hoot and a holler. The hoot comes from the brilliant premise of aliens in (of all places) Soweto, the assuredness of its fluid and tense direction, and the subversive comedy that abounds throughout (without once smirking or patronizing narrative’s genre roots). The holler comes from the surprises the cast and crew deliver to the audience from the first frame to last. Courtesy Tristar. 111 min.
Saturday, December 12, 2009, 8:30 p.m. , Theater 1, T1
Zombieland
2009. USA. Directed by Ruben Fleischer.
If “Nut up or shut up” becomes the catchphrase of 2009, we'll have Zombieland to thank. One third horror movie, one third comedy, and one third satire—it's a dreadfully successful formula that proves grossly appealing to audiences. When a virus turns most Americans into shuffling, decaying, black-ooze-spewing zombies, four survivors band together for a harrowing cross-country road trip. Columbus (Eisenberg), the movie’s neurotic narrator, first joins up with macho zombie-slayer Tallahassee (Harrelson). Tallahassee is a special breed of dawdling good ole’ boy, but when it comes time to fight off the marauding zombies who stand between him and his beloved Twinkies, he dispatches scores of the hobbling undead using whatever is on-hand, from a car door to a banjo to a pickaxe. When they encounter the con-artist sisters Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin), the foursome, convinced there is a zombie-free zone in a Southern California amusement park, hits the road to find sanctuary. Get ready for rotting body parts, zombie clowns, unidentifiable bodily seepage, creepy calliope music, and a hilarious, terror-inducing thrill ride. 88 min.
Friday, December 18, 2009, 4:30 p.m. , Theater 1, T1
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Screenings completed
Drag Me to Hell
2009. USA. Directed by Sam Raimi. Screenplay by Sam Raimi, Ivan Raimi. With Alison Lohman, Lorna Raver, Justin Long. The Contenders, 2009 kicks off with the perfect Halloween trick: Sam Raimi’s uproariously terrifying Drag Me to Hell.The Evil Dead (1981) to terrify the audience. Christine Brown (Lohman) is an ambitious young bank employee who learns a very hard lesson in generosity when she rejects poor Mrs. Ganush’s earnest (if a little slimy) request for a loan extension. Mrs. Ganush exacts a terrible revenge by placing the Gypsy curse of the Lamia on Christine—three full days of nightmarish hauntings, culminating in a one-way ticket to hell. As Christine’s torments grow progressively more menacing, Raimi uses every filmmaking trick he has learned since Print Courtesy of Universal Pictures. 99 min.
Police, Adjective
(Politist, adj) 2009. Romania. Written & directed by Corneliu Porumboiu. With Dragos Bucur, Vlad Ivanov, George Remes.
Winner of the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, Porumboiu’s Police, Adjective offers further evidence that Romania is producing some of the most brilliant, cleverly subversive, and exquisitely crafted films in the world these days. A policeman’s seemingly pointless stakeout of three dope-smoking teenagers evolves into an absurdist Socratic debate on law, ethics, epistemology, and the slipperiness of language. Romanian; English subtitles. 115 min.
Tyson
2008. USA. Directed by James Toback.
Acclaimed and enigmatic; terms that could apply equally to both the subject and creator of this mesmerizing documentary. Toback’s Tyson is a complex, layered portrait of a confused and controversial man. Mike Tyson is revealed as both an inspirational figure who transcended the harsh terrain of his upbringing, and a potentially unhinged and cliché-confirming victim of his own celebrity. Toback balances unfiltered recollections from Tyson with historical footage to forge a cinematic experience that’s half fable and half knockout punch. 90 min.
Valentino: The Last Emperor
2008. USA. Directed by Matt Tyrnauer. Fabulous and steadfast amid a sea of frantic assistants, event planners, and fashionistas, Valentino Garavani can now add leading man to his growing list of creative accomplishments. Tyrnauer’s affectionate and funny documentary follows fashion’s last great independent designer as he prepares to leave his company after forty-five years. Stitched together with a fierce vision and fifty years of support (and squabbles) from his partner in life and business, Giancarlo Giammetti, Valentino’s legacy is sure to endure. 96 min.
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October 31, 2009–January 13, 2010
View Related Film Screenings
Every year there are films that resonate far beyond a theatrical release (if they manage to find their way to a commercial screen at all) or film festival appearance. Their significance can be attributed to a variety of factors, from structure to subject matter to language, but these films are united in their lasting impact on the cinematic art form. For this new ongoing series, the Department of Film combs through major studio releases and the top film festivals in the world, selecting influential, innovative films made in the last twelve months that we believe will stand the test of time. Whether bound for awards glory or destined to become a cult classic, each of these films is a contender for lasting historical significance—and any true cinephile will want to catch them on the big screen. Additional screenings will be listed in the coming weeks.
Organized by the Department of Film. The exhibition is supported by BNP Paribas.
The Age of Stupid
2009. Great Britain. Directed by Franny Armstrong. With Pete Postlethwaite.
This enormously ambitious drama/documentary/animation hybrid from the director of McLibel and the producer of the Academy Award–winning One Day In September stars Oscar nominee Postlethwaite as an old man living in the devastated world of 2055, watching "archive" footage from 2008 and asking, "Why didn't we stop climate change while we had the chance?" 92 min.
Saturday, November 28, 2009, 4:00 p.m. , Theater 2, T2
The Hurt Locker
2009. USA. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow.
In the summer of 2004, Sergeant J.T. Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) and Specialist Owen Eldridge (Brian Geraghty) of Bravo Company are at the volatile center of the Iraq war—part of a small unit specifically trained to handle the bombs and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that account for more than half of American military fatalities and have killed thousands of Iraqis. When Staff Sergeant William James (Jeremy Renner) cheerfully takes over the team, Sanborn and Eldridge are shocked by his apparent recklessness and disregard for military protocol and basic safety measures. And yet, in the fog of war, appearances are never reliable for long. Is James really a swaggering cowboy who lives for the moments when the margin of error is zero, or is he a consummate professional who has honed his esoteric craft to high-wire precision? As the fiery chaos of Baghdad threatens to engulf them, the men struggle to understand and contain their mercurial new leader long enough for them to make it home. They have only thirty-eight days left in their tour, but with each new mission comes another deadly encounter, and as James blurs the line between bravery and bravado, it seems like only a matter of time before disaster strikes. One of the most acclaimed films of 2009, The Hurt Locker could only really exist on its own terms, as a work of cinema, in a post–G. W. Bush world; that administration's politicization of the war in Iraq would not have allowed for a full and open appreciation of Bigelow’s exhilarating film. 131 min.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009, 7:30 p.m. , Theater 1, T1
(Followed by a discussion with Bigelow, writer Mark Boal, and star Jeremy Renner)
Fantastic Mr. Fox
2009. USA. Directed by Wes Anderson. Screenplay by Anderson, Noah Baumbach. Based on the novel by Roald Dahl. With voices by George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray.
First published in 1970, Dahl’s novel tells the story of the crafty Mr. Fox's struggle against three farmers who vow to shoot, starve, or dig the Fox family off their land. But being a fox means being cunning and wily, so Mr. Fox is well equipped to outsmart the cantankerous farmers and fleece them of their chickens and apples. Anderson's film utilizes stop-motion animation, a technique dating to the late nineteenth century that requires the frame-by-frame manipulation of an object—in this case two- to eighteen-inch-tall puppets—to make them appear to move. A painstaking process to say the least, stop-motion provides the animators—in this case, Ian MacKinnon and Peter Saunders, whose credits also include Tim Burton's Corpse Bride—with a limitless capacity for expression. Anderson calls Mr. Fox “sort of heroic and slightly vain,” and although he created new characters and scenes in order to flesh out the screen adaptation, the tone of the narrative remains as cheeky, sharp, and sardonic as Dahl’s original. 88 min.
Monday, December 7, 2009, 8:00 p.m. , Theater 1, T1
District 9
2009. New Zealand. Directed by Neill Blomkamp. Screenplay by Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell.
With Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, David James, Vanessa Haywood.
A debut film that is both a hoot and a holler. The hoot comes from the brilliant premise of aliens in (of all places) Soweto, the assuredness of its fluid and tense direction, and the subversive comedy that abounds throughout (without once smirking or patronizing narrative’s genre roots). The holler comes from the surprises the cast and crew deliver to the audience from the first frame to last. Courtesy Tristar. 111 min.
Saturday, December 12, 2009, 8:30 p.m. , Theater 1, T1
Zombieland
2009. USA. Directed by Ruben Fleischer.
If “Nut up or shut up” becomes the catchphrase of 2009, we'll have Zombieland to thank. One third horror movie, one third comedy, and one third satire—it's a dreadfully successful formula that proves grossly appealing to audiences. When a virus turns most Americans into shuffling, decaying, black-ooze-spewing zombies, four survivors band together for a harrowing cross-country road trip. Columbus (Eisenberg), the movie’s neurotic narrator, first joins up with macho zombie-slayer Tallahassee (Harrelson). Tallahassee is a special breed of dawdling good ole’ boy, but when it comes time to fight off the marauding zombies who stand between him and his beloved Twinkies, he dispatches scores of the hobbling undead using whatever is on-hand, from a car door to a banjo to a pickaxe. When they encounter the con-artist sisters Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin), the foursome, convinced there is a zombie-free zone in a Southern California amusement park, hits the road to find sanctuary. Get ready for rotting body parts, zombie clowns, unidentifiable bodily seepage, creepy calliope music, and a hilarious, terror-inducing thrill ride. 88 min.
Friday, December 18, 2009, 4:30 p.m. , Theater 1, T1
+++++++++++++++++++
Screenings completed
Drag Me to Hell
2009. USA. Directed by Sam Raimi. Screenplay by Sam Raimi, Ivan Raimi. With Alison Lohman, Lorna Raver, Justin Long. The Contenders, 2009 kicks off with the perfect Halloween trick: Sam Raimi’s uproariously terrifying Drag Me to Hell.The Evil Dead (1981) to terrify the audience. Christine Brown (Lohman) is an ambitious young bank employee who learns a very hard lesson in generosity when she rejects poor Mrs. Ganush’s earnest (if a little slimy) request for a loan extension. Mrs. Ganush exacts a terrible revenge by placing the Gypsy curse of the Lamia on Christine—three full days of nightmarish hauntings, culminating in a one-way ticket to hell. As Christine’s torments grow progressively more menacing, Raimi uses every filmmaking trick he has learned since Print Courtesy of Universal Pictures. 99 min.
Police, Adjective
(Politist, adj) 2009. Romania. Written & directed by Corneliu Porumboiu. With Dragos Bucur, Vlad Ivanov, George Remes.
Winner of the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, Porumboiu’s Police, Adjective offers further evidence that Romania is producing some of the most brilliant, cleverly subversive, and exquisitely crafted films in the world these days. A policeman’s seemingly pointless stakeout of three dope-smoking teenagers evolves into an absurdist Socratic debate on law, ethics, epistemology, and the slipperiness of language. Romanian; English subtitles. 115 min.
Tyson
2008. USA. Directed by James Toback.
Acclaimed and enigmatic; terms that could apply equally to both the subject and creator of this mesmerizing documentary. Toback’s Tyson is a complex, layered portrait of a confused and controversial man. Mike Tyson is revealed as both an inspirational figure who transcended the harsh terrain of his upbringing, and a potentially unhinged and cliché-confirming victim of his own celebrity. Toback balances unfiltered recollections from Tyson with historical footage to forge a cinematic experience that’s half fable and half knockout punch. 90 min.
Valentino: The Last Emperor
2008. USA. Directed by Matt Tyrnauer. Fabulous and steadfast amid a sea of frantic assistants, event planners, and fashionistas, Valentino Garavani can now add leading man to his growing list of creative accomplishments. Tyrnauer’s affectionate and funny documentary follows fashion’s last great independent designer as he prepares to leave his company after forty-five years. Stitched together with a fierce vision and fifty years of support (and squabbles) from his partner in life and business, Giancarlo Giammetti, Valentino’s legacy is sure to endure. 96 min.
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15 Documentary Features Continue in 2009 Oscar® Race
Press release
15 Documentary Features Continue in
2009 Oscar® Race
Final "5" nominees revealed Feb. 2, 2010
Beverly Hills, CA (November 18, 2009) — The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that 15 films in the Documentary Feature category will advance in the voting process for the 82nd Academy Awards®. Eighty-nine pictures had originally qualified in the category.
The 15 films are listed below in alphabetical order by title, with their production company:
The 82nd Academy Awards nominations will be announced on Tuesday, February 2, 2010, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.
Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2009 will be presented on Sunday, March 7, 2010, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.
15 Documentary Features Continue in
2009 Oscar® Race
Final "5" nominees revealed Feb. 2, 2010
Beverly Hills, CA (November 18, 2009) — The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that 15 films in the Documentary Feature category will advance in the voting process for the 82nd Academy Awards®. Eighty-nine pictures had originally qualified in the category.
The 15 films are listed below in alphabetical order by title, with their production company:
- “The Beaches of Agnes,” Agnès Varda, director (Cine-Tamaris)
- “Burma VJ,” Anders Østergaard, director (Magic Hour Films)
- “The Cove,” Louie Psihoyos, director (Oceanic Preservation Society)
- “Every Little Step,” James D. Stern and Adam Del Deo, directors (Endgame Entertainment)
- “Facing Ali,” Pete McCormack, director (Network Films Inc.)
- “Food, Inc.,” Robert Kenner, director (Robert Kenner Films)
- “Garbage Dreams,” Mai Iskander, director (Iskander Films, Inc.)
- “Living in Emergency: Stories of Doctors Without Borders,” Mark N. Hopkins, director (Red Floor Pictures LLC)
- “The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers,” Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith, directors (Kovno Communications)
- “Mugabe and the White African,” Andrew Thompson and Lucy Bailey, directors (Arturi Films Limited)
- “Sergio,” Greg Barker, director (Passion Pictures and Silverbridge Productions)
- “Soundtrack for a Revolution,” Bill Guttentag and Dan Sturman, directors (Freedom Song Productions)
- “Under Our Skin,” Andy Abrahams Wilson, director (Open Eye Pictures)
- “Valentino The Last Emperor,” Matt Tyrnauer, director (Acolyte Films)
- “Which Way Home,” Rebecca Cammisa, director (Mr. Mudd)
The 82nd Academy Awards nominations will be announced on Tuesday, February 2, 2010, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.
Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2009 will be presented on Sunday, March 7, 2010, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.
Academy unveils 65 foreign language Oscar submissions
PRESS RELEASE--October, 2009
Sixty-five countries have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category for the 82nd Academy Awards.
The 2009 submissions in alphabetical order by country are:
Albania-- Alive! – Artan Minarolli
Argentina-- El Secreto De Sus Ojos – Juan Jose Campanella- WINNER!
Armenia-- Autumn Of The Magician – Rouben Kevorkov and Vaheh Kevorkov
Australia--Samson & Delilah – Warwick Thornton
Austria-- For A Moment Freedom – Arash T Riahi
Bangladesh-- Beyond The Circle – Golam Rabbany Biplob
Belgium-- The Misfortunates – Felix van Groeningen
Bolivia--Zona Sur – Juan Carlos Valdivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina--Nightguards – Namik Kabil
Brazil--Time Of Fear – Sergio Rezende
Bulgaria--The World Is Big And Salvation Lurks Around The Corner – Stephan Komandarev
Canada--I Killed My Mother – Xavier Dolan
Chile--Dawson, Isla 10 – Miguel Littin
China--Forever Enthralled – Chen Kaige
Colombia--The Wind Journeys – Ciro Guerra
Croatia--Donkey – Antonio Nuic
Cuba--Fallen Gods – Ernesto Daranas
Czech Republic--Protektor – Marek Najbrt
Denmark--Terribly Happy – Henrik Ruben Genz
Estonia--December Heat – Asko Kase
Finland--Letters To Father Jacob – Klaus Haro
France--Un Prophete – Jacques Audiard
Georgia--The Other Bank – George Ovashvili
Germany--The White Ribbon – Michael Haneke
Greece--Slaves In Their Bonds – Tony Lykouressis
Hong Kong--Prince Of Tears – Yonfan
Hungary--Chameleon– Krisztina Goda
Iceland--Reykjavik-Rotterdam – Oskar Jonasson
India--Harishchandrachi Factory – Paresh Mokashi
Indonesia--Jamila and the President – Ratna Sarumpaet;
Iran--About Elly – Asghar Farhadi
Israel--Ajami – Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani
Italy--Baaria – Giuseppe Tornatore
Japan--Nobody To Watch Over Me – Ryoichi Kimizuka
Kazakhstan--Kelin – Ermek Tursunov
Lithuania--Vortex – Gytis Luksas
Luxembourg--Refractaire – Nicolas Steil
Macedonia--Wingless – Ivo Trajkov
Mexico--Backyard – Carlos Carrera
Morocco--Casanegra – Nour-Eddine Lakhmari
The Netherlands--Winter In Wartime – Martin Koolhoven
Norway--Max Manus – Espen Sandberg and Joachim Roenning
Peru--The Milk of Sorrow – Claudia Llosa
Philippines--Grandpa Is Dead – Soxie H Topacio
Poland--Reverse – Borys Lankosz
Portugal--Doomed Love – Mario Barroso
Puerto Rico--Kabo And Platon – Edmundo H Rodriguez
Romania--Police, Adjective – Corneliu Porumboiu
Russia--Ward No 6 – Karen Shakhnazarov
Serbia--St George Shoots The Dragon – Srdjan Dragojevic
Slovakia--Broken Promise – Jiri Chlumsky
Slovenia--Landscape No 2 – Vinko Moderndorfer
South Africa--White Wedding – Jann Turner
South Korea--Mother (pictured) – Joon-ho Bong
Spain--The Dancer And The Thief – Fernando Trueba
Sri Lanka--The Road From Elephant Pass – Chandran Rutnam
Sweden--Involuntary – Ruben Ostlund
Switzerland--Home – Ursula Meier
Taiwan--No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti – Leon Dai
Thailand--Best Of Times – Yongyoot Thongkongtoon
Turkey--I Saw The Sun – Mahsun Kirmizigul, director
United Kingdom--Afghan Star – Havana Marking
Uruguay--Bad Day For Fishing – Alvaro Brechner
Venezuela--Libertador Morales, El Justiciero – Efterpi Charalambidis
Vietnam--Don’t Burn It – Dang Nhat Minh
The Oscar nominations will be announced on February 2nd and the awards ceremony is scheduled to take place in Hollywood on March 7, 2010.
Sixty-five countries have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category for the 82nd Academy Awards.
The 2009 submissions in alphabetical order by country are:
Albania-- Alive! – Artan Minarolli
Argentina-- El Secreto De Sus Ojos – Juan Jose Campanella- WINNER!
Armenia-- Autumn Of The Magician – Rouben Kevorkov and Vaheh Kevorkov
Australia--Samson & Delilah – Warwick Thornton
Austria-- For A Moment Freedom – Arash T Riahi
Bangladesh-- Beyond The Circle – Golam Rabbany Biplob
Belgium-- The Misfortunates – Felix van Groeningen
Bolivia--Zona Sur – Juan Carlos Valdivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina--Nightguards – Namik Kabil
Brazil--Time Of Fear – Sergio Rezende
Bulgaria--The World Is Big And Salvation Lurks Around The Corner – Stephan Komandarev
Canada--I Killed My Mother – Xavier Dolan
Chile--Dawson, Isla 10 – Miguel Littin
China--Forever Enthralled – Chen Kaige
Colombia--The Wind Journeys – Ciro Guerra
Croatia--Donkey – Antonio Nuic
Cuba--Fallen Gods – Ernesto Daranas
Czech Republic--Protektor – Marek Najbrt
Denmark--Terribly Happy – Henrik Ruben Genz
Estonia--December Heat – Asko Kase
Finland--Letters To Father Jacob – Klaus Haro
France--Un Prophete – Jacques Audiard
Georgia--The Other Bank – George Ovashvili
Germany--The White Ribbon – Michael Haneke
Greece--Slaves In Their Bonds – Tony Lykouressis
Hong Kong--Prince Of Tears – Yonfan
Hungary--Chameleon– Krisztina Goda
Iceland--Reykjavik-Rotterdam – Oskar Jonasson
India--Harishchandrachi Factory – Paresh Mokashi
Indonesia--Jamila and the President – Ratna Sarumpaet;
Iran--About Elly – Asghar Farhadi
Israel--Ajami – Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani
Italy--Baaria – Giuseppe Tornatore
Japan--Nobody To Watch Over Me – Ryoichi Kimizuka
Kazakhstan--Kelin – Ermek Tursunov
Lithuania--Vortex – Gytis Luksas
Luxembourg--Refractaire – Nicolas Steil
Macedonia--Wingless – Ivo Trajkov
Mexico--Backyard – Carlos Carrera
Morocco--Casanegra – Nour-Eddine Lakhmari
The Netherlands--Winter In Wartime – Martin Koolhoven
Norway--Max Manus – Espen Sandberg and Joachim Roenning
Peru--The Milk of Sorrow – Claudia Llosa
Philippines--Grandpa Is Dead – Soxie H Topacio
Poland--Reverse – Borys Lankosz
Portugal--Doomed Love – Mario Barroso
Puerto Rico--Kabo And Platon – Edmundo H Rodriguez
Romania--Police, Adjective – Corneliu Porumboiu
Russia--Ward No 6 – Karen Shakhnazarov
Serbia--St George Shoots The Dragon – Srdjan Dragojevic
Slovakia--Broken Promise – Jiri Chlumsky
Slovenia--Landscape No 2 – Vinko Moderndorfer
South Africa--White Wedding – Jann Turner
South Korea--Mother (pictured) – Joon-ho Bong
Spain--The Dancer And The Thief – Fernando Trueba
Sri Lanka--The Road From Elephant Pass – Chandran Rutnam
Sweden--Involuntary – Ruben Ostlund
Switzerland--Home – Ursula Meier
Taiwan--No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti – Leon Dai
Thailand--Best Of Times – Yongyoot Thongkongtoon
Turkey--I Saw The Sun – Mahsun Kirmizigul, director
United Kingdom--Afghan Star – Havana Marking
Uruguay--Bad Day For Fishing – Alvaro Brechner
Venezuela--Libertador Morales, El Justiciero – Efterpi Charalambidis
Vietnam--Don’t Burn It – Dang Nhat Minh
The Oscar nominations will be announced on February 2nd and the awards ceremony is scheduled to take place in Hollywood on March 7, 2010.
Academy reveals short list for short docs - Oscar contenders to be unveiled Feb. 2, 2010
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has short-listed eight titles in the running for Oscar docu short noms.
Voters from AMPAS' docu branch narrowed the list from 37 eligible entries this year, of which three to five will earn noms in the category. Nominations for the 82nd annual Academy Awards will be unveiled Feb. 2, with the kudos presented March 7 at the Kodak Theater.
The contenders are:
"China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province"
Dir. by Jon Alpert & Matthew O'Neill (2009 TV documentary short) USA / 38 min) -Downtown Community Television Center, Inc.
"The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner"
-Just Media
"The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant"
Dir. by Steven Bognar & Julia Reichert (2009 TV documentary short) USA / 40 min) -Community Media Prods.
"In the Name of Democracy: The Story of Lt. Ehren Watada"
Dir. by Nina Rosenblum's (2009 documentary) USA / 60 min) -Chanlim Films
"Music by Prudence"- WINNER!
-iThemba Prods.
"Rabbit a la Berlin" [Królik po berlinsku]
Dir. by Bartosz Konopka (2009 documentary short) Poland-Germany / 51 min) -MS Films
"Tell Them Anything You Want: A Portrait of Maurice Sendak"
Dir. by Lance Bangs & Spike Jonze (2009 TV documentary short) USA / 39 min) -Outside Prods.
"Woman Rebel"
Dir. by Kiran Deol (2009 documentary short) Nepal-USA / 37 min) -Women Rebel Films
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