'Waltz With Bashir' among Oscars finalists for best foreign-language film, 'Gomorrah' isn't
While a record number of countries — 67 — entered the foreign language film Oscars race, only one newcomer nation, Turkey, figured among the nine finalists announced today by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. However, the all-time champ — Italy with 13 wins out of 27 nominations — was denied a bid for "Gomorrah." The crime drama won the Grand Prize at Cannes and best picture at the European Film Awards and was a Golden Globe nominee. Also missing is "Tulpan" from Kazakhstan, which took Un Certain Regard at Cannes.
These surprise omissions from the list of contenders for best foreign-language film come despite the Oscars' introduction this year of three wild cards to be chosen by an executive committee, in addition to the half dozen titles picked by regular foreign film voters. This change came about due to a pair of embarrassing snubs last year, including top Cannes winner "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days" and the Los Angeles Film Critics Assn. and New York Film Critics Circle pick for best animated feature "Persepolis." Austria won its first Oscar last year for "The Counterfeiters."
This year's nine Oscars finalists for best foreign-language film are:
"The Baader Meinhof Complex," Uli Edel, director
Germany's track record: West Germany 1/8; East Germany 0/1; Unified Germany 2/7
Golden Globe nominee
"The Class," Laurent Cantet, director
France's track record: 12/34
Cannes Palme D'or winner; Independent Spirit nominee
"Departures," Yojiro Takita, director
Japan's track record: 3/11
"Everlasting Moments," Jan Troell, director
Sweden's track record: 3/14
Golden Globe nominee
"The Necessities of Life," Benoit Pilon, director
Canada's track record: 1/4
"Revanche," Gotz Spielmann, director
Austria's track record: 1/2
"Tear This Heart Out," Roberto Sneider, director
Mexico's track record: 0/7
"3 Monkeys," Nuri Bilge Ceylan, director
Turkey's track record: never nominated
Cannes best director
"Waltz With Bashir," Ari Folman, director
Israel's track record: 0/7
Golden Globe winner
Photo: Sony Pictures Classics
Really glad to see Jan Troell back in the race representing Sweden!
His The Emigrants is shamefully ignored.
Posted by: Matt Mazur | January 14, 2009 at 09:40 AM
So glad to see Gomorrah left out in order to see a better film get a shot at the Oscar.
However, where's "Let the Right One In"?
Posted by: Ed | January 14, 2009 at 05:28 AM
im watch all countries movies thank festivals.im not suprise for gomarrah.nine movie are very amazing.i love japan,israel,canada and turkey' movies.
Posted by: regina | January 14, 2009 at 12:24 AM
What a joke that The Baader Meinhof Complex made it and Gomorrah didn't. Shameful. However, this does give Waltz with Bashir a necessary advantage at winning, although Everlasting Moments and, especially, The Class, are ones to watch-out for!
Posted by: James | January 13, 2009 at 10:01 PM