Roundup: Fixing the foreign-language Oscar

Posted by · 5:02 am · September 24th, 2013

By this point, it’s common knowledge that the Academy’s voting system for Best Foreign Language Film — or Best Foreign Language Film Approved And Selected By A National Committee That Is Also Agreeable To The Widest Academy Demographic And Was Domestically Released Within The Eligibility Window — is, to put it gently, somewhat flawed. Everyone has different ideas about how to fix it (including, to their credit, the Academy itself), but Toronto Film Festival director Cameron Bailey’s are more sensible than most. I wholeheartedly echo his statement that the idea of this being a country-based competition in this era of global co-production is archaic. Also interesting: he argues that requiring contenders to have a US release date would encourage increased distribution of foreign fare. Good points all round. [Variety]

Cannes sidebar hits “The Congress” and “Jodorowsky’s Dune” were among the big prizewinners at Fantastic Fest. [Twitch]

Andrew Pulver examines the Oscar prospects for British crowdpleaser “Philomena.” [The Guardian]

Jon Weisman on what went wrong with this year”s In Memoriam tributes at the Emmys – all awards show producers should really take note. [Variety]

On why recent Emmy winner Michael Douglas has been “taken for granted” by film awards. Well, the man has two Oscars. I think others have it worse. [LA Times]

In this week”s Criticwire survey, participants name the movies that their fellow critics got wrong. Well, “wrong.” [IndieWire]

An excellent essay by Dan Schindel on a widespread misconception about documentaries: why do so many people demand that they be “objective?” [Movie Mezzanine]

Adopt Films has acquired US rights to Israeli thriller “Bethlehem,” which has a strong chance of being the country”s Oscar submission this year. [Screen Daily]

The long-awaited adaptation of Lois Lowry’s “The Giver,” starring Jeff Bridges and Meryl Streep, will be released on August 15 next year. [Cinema Blend]




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