Fifty-one countries have submitted films to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for Academy Award® consideration as Best Foreign Language Film of 2001, Academy President Frank Pierson announced today.
It is the largest number of films ever entered in the competition, besting last year’s record by five films. Films from Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Tanzania and Uruguay qualified this year for the first time. This year’s submissions are:
Albania, “Slogans,” Gjergj Xhuvani, director; ^ Algeria, “Inch’Allah Dimanche,” Yamina Benguigui, director; ^ Argentina, “Son of the Bride,” Juan José Campanella, director; ^ Armenia, “Symphony of Silence,” Vigen Chaldranian, director; ^ Australia, “La Spagnola,” Steve Jacobs, director; ^ Austria, “The Piano Teacher,” Michael Haneke, director; ^ Belgium, “Pauline & Paulette,” Lieven Debrauwer, director; ^ Bosnia & Herzegovina, “No Man’s Land,” Danis Tanovic, director; ^ Brazil, “Behind the Sun,” Walter Salles, director; ^ Bulgaria, “Fate as a Rat,” Ivan Pavlov, director; ^ Canada, “Atanarjuat,” Zacharias Kunuk, director; ^ Chile, “A Cab for Three,” Orlando Lubbert, director; ^ Colombia, “Our Lady of the Assassins,” Barbet Schroeder, director; ^ Croatia, “Queen of the Night,” Branko Schmidt, director; ^ Czech Republic, “Dark Blue World,” Jan Sverak, director; ^ Denmark, “Italian for Beginners,” Lone Scherfig, director; ^ Estonia, “The Heart of the Bear,” Arvo Iho, director; ^ Finland, “The River,” Jarmo Lampela, director; ^ France, “Amélie,” Jean-Pierre Jeunet, director; ^ Georgia, “The Migration of the Angel,” Nodar Managadze, director; ^ Germany, “The Experiment,” Oliver Hirschbiegel, director; ^ Greece, “In Good Company,” Nikos Zapatinas, director; ^ Hong Kong, “Fulltime Killer,” Johnnie To & Wai Ka Fai, directors; ^ Hungary, “Abandoned,” Arpád Sopsits, director; ^ Iceland, “The Seagull’s Laughter,” Agust Gudmundsson, director; ^ India, “Lagaan,” Ashutosh Gowariker, director; ^ Iran, “Baran,” Majid Majidi, director; ^ Israel, “Late Marriage,” Dover Kosahvili, director; ^ Italy, “The Son’s Room,” Nanni Moretti, director; ^ Japan, “Go,” Isao Yukisada, director; ^ Kyrgyzstan, “The Chimp,” Aktan Abdykalykov, director; ^ Mexico, “Perfume de violetas, nadie te oye,” Maryse Sistach, director; ^ Netherlands, “Nynke,” Pieter Verhoeff, director; ^ Norway, “Elling,” Petter Nëss, director; ^ Philippines, “In the Bosom of the Enemy,” Gil M. Portes, director; ^ Poland, “Quo Vadis,” Jerzy Kawalerowicz, director; ^ Portugal, “Camarate,” Luis Filipe Rocha, director; ^ Puerto Rico, “12 Hours,” Raúl Marchand-Sánchez, director; ^ Russia, “The Romanovs: An Imperial Family,” Gleb Panfilov, director; ^ Slovenia, “Bread and Milk,” Jan Cvitkovic , director; ^ Spain, “Mad Love,” Vicente Aranda, director; ^ Sweden, “Jalla! Jalla!,” Josef Fares, director; ^ Switzerland, “In Praise of Love,” Jean-Luc Godard, director; ^ Taiwan, “The Cabbie,” Zhang Huakun & Chen Yiwen, directors; ^ Tanzania, “Maangamizi,” Martin Mhando & Ron Mulvihill, directors; ^ Thailand, “The Moonhunter,” Bhandit Rittakol, director; ^ Turkey, “Büyük Adam Küçük Ask / Hejar,” Handan Ipekça , director; ^ United Kingdom (Wales), “Do Not Go Gentle,” Emlyn Williams, director; ^ Uruguay, “In This Tricky Life,” Beatriz Flores Silva, director; ^ Venezuela, “A House with a View of the Sea,” Alberto Aruelo, director; ^ Yugoslavia, “War Live,” Darko Bajic , director.
Each country is invited to submit its best film of the year to the Academy. Selection of those entries is made by juries comprising filmmakers from that country. Only one film, which need not have been released in Los Angeles, is accepted from each country.
The Foreign Language Film Award Committee, chaired by producer Mark Johnson (“What Lies Beneath,” “Galaxy Quest,” and “Rain Man,” for which he won the Best Picture Oscar), will screen all entries, beginning November 28, before voting to nominate five achievements, said Awards Coordinator Patrick Stockstill.
Films submitted for Best Foreign Language Film Award consideration may also qualify for Academy Awards® in most other categories provided they meet the requirements governing those categories.
Five films have won both the Foreign Language Film Oscar and another award as well: 1998’s winner, “Life Is Beautiful,” also received the best actor award for its star, Roberto Benigni and the music award for Best Original Dramatic Score; the 1963 winner, “81/2,” also won an Oscar for Best Costume Design; “A Man and a Woman” (1966) also won the Best Original Screenplay Oscar; and “Z,” in 1969, also won for Film Editing. “Fanny and Alexander” (1983) won Oscars for Costume Design, Cinematography and Art Direction.
Nominations will be announced at the Academy on Tuesday, February 12, 2002. Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2001 will be presented on Sunday, March 24, 2002, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland® and televised live by the ABC Television Network beginning at 5 p.m. (PST), with a half-hour arrival segment preceding the presentation ceremony.Check out FILMTHREAT.com’s NEWS ARCHIVES and get the movie news you missed!
