Crime Movies

Not a genre of film I've personally warmed up to much, but this still makes for an interesting read. Mastersincriminaljustice.com has come up with its list of Top 100 Crime Movies of All Time. Not surprising at all to see what film they placed on top. Click here for the list.

Philippine Oscar Entry: Ploning

The selection committee of the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) has chosen Ploning (Dir. Dante Garcia) to represent the country in the Foreign Language Film category of the 81st Academy Awards.

Harry Potter 6 moved to 2009

Bummer. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has been moved from its original opening in November this year to 17 July 2009. That's a bit of a wait for the trailer seems to promise to be an amazing sixth installment in the series.

Festival Watch

65TH VENICE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (27 August-6 September)

AKIRES TO KAME, Takeshi Kitano
L'AUTRE, Patrick Mario Bernard and Pierre Trividic
BIRDWATCHERS - LA TERRA DEGLI UOMINI ROSSI, Marco Bechis
BUMAZHNY SOLDAT, Alexey German Jr.
THE BURNING PLAIN, Guillermo Arriaga
DANGKOU (PLASTIC CITY), Yu Likwai
GABBLA, Teguia Tariq
GAKE NO UE NO PONYO, Hayao Miyazaki
UN GIORNO PERFETTO, Ferzan Ozpetek
HURT LOCKER, Kathryn Bigelow
INJU, LA BETE DANS L'OMBRE, Barbet Schroeder
JERICHOW, Christian Petzold
NUIT DE CHIEN, Werner Schroeter
IL PAPA DI GIOVANNA, Pupi Avati
RACHEL GETTING MARRIED, Jonathan Demme
IL SEME DELLA DISCORDIA, Pappi Corsicato
THE SKY CRAWLERS, Mamoru Oshii and Ryo Kase
SUT, Semih Kaplanoglu
TEZA, Haile Gerima
VEGAS: BASED ON A TRUE STORY, Amir Naderi
THE WRESTLER, Darren Aronofsky

33RD TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (4-13 September)

35 RHUMS, Claire Denis
AIDE-TOI LE CIEL T'AIDERA, Francois Dupeyron
APPALOOSA, Ed Harris
UN BARRAGE CONTRE LE PACIFIQUE, Rithy Panh
THE BROTHERS BLOOM, Rian Johnson
BURN AFTER READING, Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
THE BURNING PLAIN, Guillermo Arriaga
CHE: PART ONE, Steven Soderbergh
CHE: PART TWO, Steven Soderbergh
DEAN SPANLEY, Toa Fraser
THE DUCHESS, Saul Dibb
EASY VIRTUE, Stephan Elliot
FAUBOURG 36, Christophe Barratier
FLASH OF GENIUS, Marc Abraham
GENOVA, Michael Winterbottom
GHOST TOWN, David Koepp
INJU, LA BETE DANS L'OMBRE, Barbet Schroeder
IS THERE ANYBODY THERE?, John Crowley
LAST STOP 174, Bruno Barreto
THE LOSS OF A TEARDROP DIAMOND, Jodie Markell
THE LUCKY ONES, Neil Burger
MANAGEMENT, Stephen Belber
ME AND ORSON WELLES, Richard Linklater
MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA, Spike Lee
NEW YORK, I LOVE YOU, various
NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH, Rod Lurie
PASSCHENDAELE, Paul Gross
A PERFECT DAY, Ferzan Ozpetek
PRIDE AND GLORY, Gavin O'Connor
PUBLIC ENEMY NO. 1, Jean-Francois Richet
THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES, Gina Prince-Bythewood
SERAPHINE, Martin Provost
SINGH IS KINNG, Anees Bazmee
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, Danny Boyle
STONE OF DESTINY, Charles Martin Smith
SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK, Charlie Kaufman
WHO DO YOU LOVE, Jerry Zaks
A WOMAN IN BERLIN, Max Farberbock
THE WRESTLER, Darren Aronofsky
A YEAR AGO IN WINTER, Caroline Link
ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO, Kevin Smith

46TH NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL (26 September-12 October)

24 CITY, Jia Zhangke
AFTERSCHOOL, Antonio Campos
ASHES OF TIME REDUX, Wong Kar Wai
BULLET IN THE HEAD, Jaime Rosales
CHANGELING, Clint Eastwood
CHE, Steven Soderbergh
CHOUGA, Darezhan Omirbaev
A CHRISTMAS TALE, Arnaud Desplechin
THE CLASS, Laurent Cantet
FOUR NIGHTS WITH ANNA, Jerzy Skolimowsky
GOMORRAH, Matteo Garrone
HAPPY-GO-LUCKY, Mike Leigh
THE HEADLESS WOMAN, Lucrecia Martel
HUNGER, Steve McQueen
I'M GOING TO EXPLODE, Gerardo Naranjo
LET IT RAIN, Agnes Jaoui
LOLA MONTES, Max Ophuls
NIGHT AND DAY, Hong Sang-soo
THE NORTHERN LAND, Joao Botelho
SERBIS, Brillante Mendoza
SUMMER HOURS, Olivier Assayas
TOKYO SONATA, Kiyoshi Kurosawa
TONY MANERO, Pablo Larrain
TULPAN, Sergey Dvortsevoy
WALTZ WITH BASHIR, Ari Folman
WENDY AND LUCY, Kelly Reichhardt
THE WINDMILL MOVIE, Alexander Olch
THE WRESTLER, Darren Aronofsky

Brief Comments on Emmy Noms

So they've come out (you can see the entire list HERE).

The ones that I'm happiest about:
-Kristin Chenoweth ("Pushing Daisies") and Amy Poehler ("Saturday Night Live") in the Best Supporting Comedy Actress category. Poehler makes history by being, believe it or not, the first "SNL" performer to get a major acting nomination since the show began in 1975.
-"Dexter" for Best Drama series and Dexter himself, Michael C. Hall, for Best Drama Actor.
-Jeff Probst ("Survivor") for Best Reality Host. Even if the show itself has not been consistently good (though the last one was pretty exciting), Probst is a pioneer in this field and has always been good at his job.
-The multiple nominations for Ricky Gervais, one of the funniest people on the planet, and his "Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale."
-Multiple nominations for "Battlestar Galactica," though that's only a consolation for its not having made even the semi-finals round for the Best Drama Series category.

The ones that spoiled my fun:
-No Mary McDonnell ("Battlestar Galactica") in the Best Drama Actress category. Travesty! But it was sort of expected.
-Despite reaping an astounding 12 nominations, "Pushing Daisies," one of the most inventive and amusing shows on TV, failed to get a nod for Best Comedy Series. What gives?

Honestly, those two things have dissipated my interest in the awards this year, though of course I'll still be rooting for my favorites. Right now I'd love to see this happen on Emmy night (21 September):

BEST DRAMA SERIES - "Dexter" (Or: "House")
BEST COMEDY SERIES - "Entourage"
BEST DRAMA ACTOR - Hugh Laurie, "House" (Or: Michael C. Hall, "Dexter")
BEST DRAMA ACTRESS - Glenn Close, "Damages"
BEST DRAMA SUPPORTING ACTOR - William Shatner, "Boston Legal"
BEST DRAMA SUPPORTING ACTRESS - Candice Bergen, "Boston Legal" (Or: Chandra Wilson, "Grey's Anatomy")
BEST COMEDY ACTOR - Steve Carell, "The Office" (Or: Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock," Lee Pace, "Pushing Daisies")
BEST COMEDY ACTRESS - Christina Applegate, "Samantha Who?" ( Or: Tina Fey, "30 Rock")
BEST COMEDY SUPPORTING ACTOR - Neil Patrick Harris, "How I Met Your Mother" (Or: Jeremy Piven, "Entourage")
BEST COMEDY SUPPORTING ACTRESS - Amy Poehler, Saturday Night Live" (Or: Kristin Chenoweth, "Pushing Daisies," Jean Smart, "Samantha Who?")

Emmy Awards Wish-list

The television Academy that awards the yearly Emmys is doing something new this year: releasing their top 10 lists in the major categories. That means we know in advance the 10 shows or people who have a chance of being the five nominees for each of those categories. No more nail-biting and hoping against all hope until nomination night for your favorites to be nominated. And this time, the voters will get to really see those 10 shows and performances and pick their five favorites from those.

The lists for the categories can be seen here. I'm happiest about the Mary McDonnell nod (she totally deserves at the very least a nomination). Now that the lists are out, here's my wish-list for the nominees (and winners in bold) in the comedy and drama series and acting categories:

BEST COMEDY SERIES
"Entourage"
"The Office"
"Pushing Daisies"
"30 Rock"
"Two and a Half Men"

Of these, I only regularly watch "Entourage" and "Pushing Daisies." The latter is amazing. Maybe not as funny as outrageous comedy shows could be, but it's the most outstanding one in this bunch in terms of overall production and concept. I don't actually watch a lot of "The Office" and "30 Rock," but Steve Carrell is great and so is the cast of "30 Rock." The few episodes of "Two and a Half Men" that I've seen were really funny, so I'm choosing it over the other shows, which I'm either sadly unfamiliar with or not liking at all ("Family Guy" and "Ugly Betty").

BEST DRAMA SERIES
"Boston Legal"
"Dexter"
"Friday Night Lights"
"House"
"The Tudors"

I love "Dexter" and "House." I've also always liked "Boston Legal." I think "Friday Night Lights" deserves a nomination. I have not seen a single episode of "The Tudors," but I like costume dramas, so it's getting my vote. I've heard that "The Wire" is really good, but I haven't seen an episode. Ditto the others...except "Grey's Anatomy," which IMO should NOT be here over great shows like the criminally overlooked "Battlestar Galactica."

BEST DRAMA ACTOR
Kyle Chandler, "Friday Night Lights"
Brian Cranston, "Breaking Bad"
Michael C. Hall, "Dexter"
Hugh Laurie, "House"
James Spader, "Boston Legal"

Laurie deserves an Emmy NOW. It's unbelievable that he has not won yet. Hall should at least be nominated with his charmingly deceptive performance as Dexter Morgan. Spader, last year's winner, is always great, so he should be in the top five again. I just chose Chandler because I'm familiar with the show and he's decent in it, and Cranston because I love the idea of him doing drama. I'd probably have chosen Gabriel Byrne if I had been able to watch his show, as I like the guy as an actor.

BEST DRAMA ACTRESS
Glenn Close, "Damages"
Minnie Driver, "The Riches"
Sally Field, "Brothers and Sisters"
Mary McDonnell, "Battlestar Galactica"
Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer"

McDonnell totally deserves this. Her performance in her submitted episode, "Faith," is a masterclass in acting. I like Field's and Sedgwick's performances in their respective shows. Close is great in anything, especially when she plays someone mean as she does in "Damages." I like Driver, so I chose her over Hargitay (whose performance I don't particularly like), Hunter (whose show I can't be inclined to watch), and the others about whom I cannot form an opinion.

BEST SUPPORTING DRAMA ACTOR
Christian Clemenson, "Boston Legal"
Ted Danson, "Damages"
T.R. Knight, "Grey's Anatomy"
William Shatner, "Boston Legal"
Blair Underwood, "In Treatment"

Shatner is a hoot; I love watching him in anything. Clemenson as Jerry Espenson is endearing. Much as I hate the show he's in, Knight's performance has been okay for me. I just chose Danson and Underwood because they're the ones I know among the other semi-finalists. I wouldn't mind either of them getting dropped.

BEST SUPPORTING DRAMA ACTRESS
Candice Bergen, "Boston Legal"
Jill Clayburgh, "Dirty Sexy Money"
Rachel Griffiths, "Brothers and Sisters"
Sandra Oh, "Grey's Anatomy"
Chandra Wilson, "Grey's Anatomy"

This was a tough one for me, at least for picking my preferred winner. I love Bergen in "Boston Legal," but unless she's had a much meatier role in this latest season (which I haven't seen), I'm not so convinced that she should win. On the other hand, Wilson and Oh are just about the only good things in "Grey's Anatomy" for me. And Wilson is great. I also like Griffiths in "Brothers and Sisters." I don't watch "Dirty Sexy Money," but I loved Clayburgh in Running with Scissors.

BEST COMEDY ACTOR
Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"
*Zach Braff, "Scrubs"
Steve Carrell, "The Office"
Lee Pace, "Pushing Daisies"
*Josh Radnor, "How I Met Your Mother"

Like I said, I don't regularly watch "The Office," but Carrell's hilarious anywhere. So is Baldwin. I love Pace's show much more than him, but he makes for an endearing hero. I'd like Braff and Radnor to get in, but I put in asterisks because the last two slots are uncertain and they might not be in the semi-finals after all.

BEST COMEDY ACTRESS
Tina Fey, "30 Rock"
Anna Friel, "Pushing Daisies"
Felicity Huffman, "Desperate Housewives"
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "New Adventures of Old Christine"
Sarah Silverman, "The Sarah Silverman Program"

Another tough one to pick the winner for. I ultimately went for Fey because, while I've laughed harder at Louis-Dreyfus's turn, I appreciate Fey's more subdued performance more. Friel is simply adorable. I normally find Silverman overly crass, but it would be amusing to see her get nominated. Huffman's a great actress, whether it's drama or comedy, so she deserves this over her co-stars (especially Longoria, who inexplicably got into the semi-finals whereas Teri Hatcher did not).

BEST SUPPORTING COMEDY ACTOR
Jon Cryer, "Two and a Half Men"
Kevin Dillon, "Entourage"
John Krasinski, "The Office"
Neil Patrick Harris, "How I Met Your Mother"
Jeremy Piven, "Entourage"

Harris or Piven? I love them both. In the end I chose the former, as I like his show more and Piven's been winning everything. It's time for Barney Stinson! Cryer's pretty funny as support to Charlie Sheen in their show. I just chose Dillon and Krasinski because I either do not know or like the others. Rainn Wilson annoys me.

BEST SUPPORTING COMEDY ACTRESS
Kristin Chenoweth, "Pushing Daisies"
Jane Krakowski, "30 Rock"
Amy Poehler, "Saturday Night Live"
Holland Taylor, "Two and a Half Men"
Vanessa Williams, "Ugly Betty"

I love the fact that Chenoweth, Krakowski, and Poehler are all in the list. Chenoweth is hilarious as Olive Snook. Krakowski has always been a great comedian and should have been nominated several times already even back during her "Ally McBeal" days. But I chose Poehler because she's simply a riot and can be so in so many guises, whether it's as Dakota Fanning, Hilary Clinton, or "Project Runway" winner Christian Siriano. Taylor's okay, much more deserving than co-star Conchata Ferrell in my opinion. I don't like the "Ugly Betty" show, but Williams works out her role pretty well.

Grant and Zhang are lost for words

Interesting. Hugh Grant and Ziyi Zhang will be starring together in a romantic comedy called Lost for Words. Grant plays a British film star who gets cast in a film by a female Chinese director (Zhang). Things get complicated when Grant initially falls for their flirtatious translator (still uncast), who eventually plays around with the translation to foil a potential romance between Grant and Zhang.

I like the concept, and it would be amusing to see Zhang in a romantic comedy. And Hugh Grant's an amazing comedian. The role of the translator is crucial. I wonder who they'll cast.

Emmy FYC: Mary McDonnell

If there is any justice in the world (and, sadly, in the awards community there very rarely is), Mary McDonnell will get an Emmy nomination for Best Actress in a Drama Series for her amazing performance as President Laura Roslin in "Battlestar Galactica," easily the best show on television. She has been consistently great as the cancer-stricken President of the less than 40,000 surviving humans of the 12 tribes, but the first few episodes of this current season have been, quite simply, a spectacle of this two-time Oscar nominee's skill. And the best showcase of this so far is this week's episode, "Faith." Simply fantastic. This episode should definitely be the submission for the campaign for McDonnell's nomination.

Emmy FYC: "Battlestar Galactica" for Best Drama Series, Mary McDonnell for Best Actress in a Drama Series, and whatever else the show is eligible for.

The Women of Cannes 2008

*Information and rankings updated to reflect the film details now available on the Cannes website.

In Saturday's article, I went through the 67 Cannes Best Actress winners since 1946, in anticipation of what could very well be the most exciting race in recent years. While cineastes celebrate Festival de Cannes for its usually bold, unconventional choices, there's no denying the thrill that the international film-going community felt when it was announced that among the 22 films In Competition would be anticipated and potential Oscar contenders Blindness (Fernando Meirelles), Changeling (Clint Eastwood), Che (Steven Soderbergh), and Synecdoche, New York (Charlie Kaufman). When was the last time that the Fest seemed so much like the arena for pre-Oscar competition? And what do these four titles mean for the Fest's Best Actress category? Julianne Moore, Angelina Jolie, Amy Ryan, Franka Potente, Catalina Sandino Moreno, and at least five possibilities from Synecdoche. Add to that list a bevy of world cinema's ingenues and veterans, and it's a dream slate for any actressexual (for the uninitiated, that's a term coined by Nathaniel Rogers of Filmexperience that refers to love for or obsession with actresses and their performances).

Now that we've looked at the history of the category, it's time to dive into this year's race. To get some extra perspective, we must of course be aware of who will be deciding the winners for this year's competitions. The 2008 Festival de Cannes Jury is headed by director and Oscar-winning actor Sean Penn, and the other members are: French actress Jeanne Balibar; director Rachid Bouchareb (Days of Glory); Italian actor Sergio Castellito; director Alfonso Cuaron; actress Alexandra Maria Lara (Control); Oscar nominee Natalie Portman; author and director Marjane Satrapi (Persepolis); and Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul.


THE ACTRESSES
In order of likelihood of winning

1) JULIANNE MOORE
Blindness (Brazil/Canada/Japan)


Role: A doctor's wife who becomes the only person who can see in a town afflicted with mysterious blindness.

Status: Moore has been Oscar-nominated several times before, including an uncommon double-dip in 2003. After a string of relative missteps, Blindness could be her chance to return to the awards spotlight.

Chance: Very High.

FOR: The film enjoys much hype because of its source material and its high-profile director Fernando Meirelles. It's the Opening Film. It could also be the return to form for Moore that everyone is waiting for. Americans have historically performed exceptionally in this category. Jury Plus: It sounds like a role that Portman would love to try, and the film looks like something right up Cuaron's alley.

AGAINST: The last American actress to win this award was Holly Hunter for The Piano in 1993. In recent years, two Asian performers, an ensemble of Spanish actors, an Icelandic pop icon, and others of previously unrewarded nationalities have broken the dominance of French, Italian, British, and American actresses. Then again, that could actually work for Moore.

2) MARTINA GUSMAN
Leonera (Argentina/South Korea/Brazil)


Role: A 25-year-old pregnant woman who is sent to jail for murder and has to raise her son in prison.

Status: Gusman starred in only one film prior to Leonera. She has more credits as a producer and costume assistant.

Chance: Very high.

FOR: Imprisonment (Lee Grant, Krystyna Janda, Maggie Cheung) and struggling to raise a child (Sophia Loren, Anne Bancroft, Cher, Bjork, Cheung, Do-Yeon Jeon) seem to be good formulae for a Cannes Best Actress win. Cannes also has not turned a blind eye to young actresses and performers from Argentina.

AGAINST: Cannes has had a tendency to honor performances from relatively more experienced actors. But it wouldn't really deter the jury from choosing her. The real problem about being a neophyte this year is having to go against seasoned veterans like Moore and Deneuve.

3) ANNE CONSIGNY
Un conte de Noel (France)

Role: A woman who rigidly heads her disintegrating family and throws out her wanton brother.

Status: Consigny has appeared in over 30 projects and has been nominated for a Cesar. She was last seen in The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.

Chance: High.

FOR: Hers seems to be the central role and one of the more emotional in this film, and that's saying a lot when your co-star (and onscreen mother) is Catherine Deneuve. Historically, French actresses or actresses in French productions have had the best performance in this category. She has an additional hook in that her son is an adolescent with serious mental problems. Cannes has been friendly to such mother roles.

AGAINST: Catherine Deneuve. Even if her role is larger, the mere presence and stature of Deneuve may overshadow her.

4) CATHERINE DENEUVE
Un conte de Noel (France)

Role: The matriarch of a family challenged by death and strained relations.

Status: Deneuve is an Oscar-nominated and multi-Cesar-awarded French screen legend. She served as the Vice President of the Cannes jury in 1994, and she has been in 14 Cannes selections, including eight In Competition.

Chance: High.

FOR: As you can see above, Deneuve has been no stranger to the Festival. But she has never won. Her role is likely substantial enough to warrant a strong rally for her to win her first Best Actress award from Cannes.

AGAINST: This isn't the Oscars, so the "career award" rule does not necessarily apply here. If the performance is too conventional, or it takes a backseat to that of Anne Consigny (who plays her daughter), then the jury might not feel inclined to give her the award.

5) JOAN CHEN, TAO ZHAO, LIPING LU
Er shi si cheng ji (China)

Roles: Three factory workers whose lives over the span of 50 years will be chronicled, culminating in the demolition of the factory to give way to a skyscraper.

Status: Chen was for a time the most famous face in Asian cinema. After a few missteps in Hollywood, she has regained her status as both actress and director. She is fresh off critical acclaim and awards for her role in The Home Song Stories. Tao has few films credited to her name. Tao appeared in director Zhang Ke Jia's Venice winner Still Life. Liping is more seasoned, with nominations and wins from bodies in China and Japan.

Chance: Considerable.

FOR: Since Maggie Cheung won for Clean in 2004, another Asian, Korea's Do-Yeon Jeon, has won the top prize. 24 City is the only major Chinese film selection this year, and it's directed by a recent favorite of international festivals, Zhang Ke Jia. Chen is practically an icon in world cinema, though underrated. She has won awards in most festivals with the notable exception of Cannes.

AGAINST: There's no telling at this point if any particular actress has a role that is significantly more substantial than the others'. Cannes juries have given ensemble awards before, most recently for the actresses of Volver in 2006, but this year's judges might not be so keen on doing the same so soon after that.

6) ANGELINA JOLIE
L'Echange (USA)

Role: A mother whose lost child is returned to her, but not as she had known him.

Status: Jolie has won one Oscar. She is known more for box office hits than critical favorites, and her public persona has eclipsed her status as an actress. Like Moore with Blindness, Jolie could get a career resurgence with this film directed by Clint Eastwood.

Chance: Considerable.

FOR: The film is arguably even more anticipated by Oscar-watchers than Blindness, since it has iconic Clint Eastwood, no stranger in Cannes, at its helm. The role, that of a tormented mother, is quite popular in this category, and the extra twist in the theme may work well. Jury Plus: Penn, the head of the jury, won his only Oscar so far for his role in Eastwood's Mystic River.

AGAINST: Jolie is not as critically acclaimed as Moore, and she may be too mainstream and controversial for the tastes of a Cannes jury, regardless of who comprises it. And a jury headed by an Eastwood actor may not be too keen on becoming controversial should they award Jolie.

7) DIANNE WIEST, SAMANTHA MORTON, or the Ensemble
Synecdoche, New York (USA)

Roles: The women in the life of a theater director, including a celebrated actress (Wiest) and his lover (Morton).

Status: Wiest is an acclaimed actress who has two Oscars and one other nomination. Morton is also highly regarded, with two Oscar nominations to her credit. The rest of the women in the ensemble (Michelle Williams, Catherine Keener, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Emily Watson, Hope Davis) are themselves respected actresses, most with at least one Oscar nomination.

Chance: Fair.

FOR: This is potentially one of the greatest showcases of female talent in recent cinema, assuming that they all have substantial roles that don't tastelessly clash with each other. Given Wiest's longevity and Morton's role, they may have the biggest chances among the women in both Cannes and the Oscar nominations for the 81st Academy Awards. Jury Plus: Morton has worked with both Penn (Sweet and Lowdown) and Lara (Control). Wiest has worked with Penn (I Am Sam). Keener was directed by Penn in Into the Wild.

AGAINST: How does each role complement the others? Are they just accessories to Philip Seymour Hoffman's central performance? Just like with the trio of 24 City, the jury might not be so keen on giving another ensemble award so soon after Volver's similar victory.

8) ARTA DOBROSHI
Le silence de Lorna (Belgium/France/Italy)


Role: A young Albanian woman who must decide whether or not to keep silent about the impending crime against a man she had married for Belgian citizenship.

Status: Dobroshi has appeared in only two films prior to The Silence of Lorna.

Chance: Fair.

FOR: On paper, the role (mixture of tragedy and hope) sounds like it could be an awards-magnet, particularly in international film festivals. This film was directed by brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, winners of the 2005 Palm d'Or for L' Enfant.

AGAINST: Like the lead in L' Enfant, Dobroshi is a neophyte. She has to be exceptional, with such a responsibility of carrying the whole film on her shoulders.

9) ORSI TOTH
Delta (Hungary/Germany)

Role: A young woman who is punished by townsfolk for a relationship with her brother that they deem inappropriate.

Status: Toth has been acting in films since 2002 and has won several awards in her native Hungary and elsewhere.

Chance: Fair.

FOR: This type of role, with hints of suffering and familiar struggle, has performed quite well in past Cannes years. Several Hungarian performers have also been awarded in this category.

AGAINST: Though Cannes has not shied away from touchy subject matters and graphic depictions of violence, it would take something extra to have a performance, particularly from a relative newcomer, shine through.

10) GINA PAREÑO
Serbis (Philippines/France)

Role: The matriarch of a family that runs a prostitution service within an old provincial movie theater.

Status: Pareño is a veteran actress in her native Philippines. Her performance in last year's Kubrador was a significant comeback and earned her accolades there and abroad.

Chance: Fair.

FOR: This category has historically been friendly to the roles of mothers in trying conditions. Though Pareño herself does not play a prostitute, the profession has also enjoyed representation among the winners of this category (Giulietta Masina and Melina Mercouri). Two Asian actresses have won since 2004.

AGAINST: Philippine cinema is only beginning to have a resurgence; the last time that a Filipino film was In Competition was in 1984. Pareño's performance, usually understated, nevertheless has to be powerful enough to make an impression.

The Other Contenders:

MARIA ONETTO as a woman who faces daily life after a car accident causes her to lose her connections with people in La mujer sin cabeza (Argentina/Spain/France); FRANKA POTENTE as community revolutionary and spy Tamara Bunke in Che (USA); LAURA SMET as a woman who haunts the man who left her as he is about to be married in La frontiere de l'aube (France/Italy); ANNA BONAIUTO as the wife of Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti in Il Divo (Italy/France); GIOVANNA MEZZOGIORNO as a young Italian woman who crosses paths with a hotshot German photographer in Palermo Shooting (Germany); LILI MONORI as the mother of two scandalous siblings in Delta (Hungary/Germany); GWYNETH PALTROW and VINESSA SHAW as two women vying for the affections of a bachelor in Two Lovers (USA); HATICE ASLAN in Uc Maymun (Turkey/France/Italy); RACHEL BLANCHARD in Adoration (Canada); ISABELLA ROSSELLINI in Two Lovers (USA); CATALINA SANDINO MORENO in Che (USA); AMY RYAN in L'Echange (USA); JACLYN JOSE in Serbis (Philippines/France).

Cannes 2008 In Competition Lineup

Adoration, Canada, Atom Egoyan
Blindness, Brazil/Canada/Japan, Fernando Meirelles
Che, USA/France/Spain, Steven Soderbergh
Delta, Hungary/Germany, Kornel Mundruczo
Entre les murs, France, Laurent Cantet
Er shi si cheng ji, China, Jia Zhangke
Gomorra, Italy, Matteo Garrone
Il Divo, Italy/France, Paolo Sorrentino
L' Echange, USA, Clint Eastwood
La frontiere de l'aube, France/Italy, Philippe Garrel
La mujer sin cabeza, Argentina/Spain/France, Lucrecia Martel
Le silence de Lorna, Belgium/France/Italy, Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne
Leonera, Argentina/South Korea/Brazil, Pablo Trapero
Linha de passe, Brazil, Walter Salles, Daniela Thomas
My Magic, Singapore, Eric Khoo
Palermo Shooting, Germany, Wim Wenders
Serbis, Philippines/France, Brillante Mendoza
Synecdoche, New York, USA, Charlie Kaufman
Two Lovers, USA, James Gray
Uc Maymun, Turkey/France/Italy, Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Un conte de noel, France, Arnaud Desplechin
Waltz With Bashir, Israel/France/Germany, Ari Folman

Source

Scarlett in G.I. Joe (2009)

Source: JoBlo.com

The Last Airbender (2010)

HOLLYWOOD, CA – April 16, 2008 – Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies have greenlit the live-action epic adventure “M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender,” which will launch over the Independence Day weekend in 2010, opening on Friday, July 2, 2010.

Shyamalan, the visionary creator of the Oscar®-nominated “The Sixth Sense,” “Signs” and the upcoming “The Happening,” will direct and produce the epic action-adventure based on a script that he penned. Joining him as producers are Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall, who produced the blockbuster “Indiana Jones” and “Jurassic Park” film franchises, Sam Mercer (“The Sixth Sense,” “The Happening”) and Scott Aversano (“Failure to Launch,” “The School of Rock”). Michael DiMartino & Bryan Konietzko, the creators of the popular TV series, “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” that inspired the film, will serve as executive producers.

“I was drawn to the series because of its influences: one being Hayao Miyazaki, said Shyamalan. “I’ve always been a huge fan of Miyazaki’s work. He is one of the greatest storytellers in the world and makes anime films in Japan. His combination of spirituality and super natural elements have brought depth and meaning to his art form. In “The Last Airbender,’ I see an opportunity to make a live-action version of a Miyazaki film.”

“We're delighted to be partnering with Nickelodeon to bring M. Night Shyamalan's vision of “The Last Airbender” to the big screen and to audiences of all ages,” said John Lesher, President, Paramount Film Group.

“M. Night Shyamalan’s exciting vision for a film with the potential of ‘The Last Airbender,’ is another perfect fit for the Fourth of July holiday weekend that we have used to launch such blockbusters as ‘War of the Worlds’ and ‘Transformers,’” said Rob Moore, Vice Chairman, Paramount Pictures.

Based on the hugely successful Nickelodeon animated TV series, the live-action feature film is set in a world where human civilization is divided into four nations: Water, Earth, Air and Fire.

The Fire Nation is waging a ruthless, oppressive war against the other three nations. The film’s hero, the reluctant young Aang, is the “Last Airbender” - the Avatar who, according to prophecy, has the ability to manipulate all of the elements and bring all the nations together. Aided by a protective teenage Waterbender named Katara and her bull-headed brother Sokka, Aang proceeds on a perilous journey to restore balance to their war-torn world.

"M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender” promises to be a summer movie for the ages, combining the imagination and visual canvas of the “Lord of the Rings” saga with the action and spectacle of “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.”

Source: AICN

Pinoy Actor Focus: Vilma Santos

Number of films: 193

Number of awards: 36 wins (including: 6 FAMAS Awards; FAMAS Hall of Fame; 4 FAP Awards, 8 Gawad Urian Awards; 1 Cinemanila Award; Cinemanila Lifetime Achievement Award; 1 Brussels International Festival award)

Most important films: Trudis Liit (1963); Kampanerang Kuba (1973); Darna and the Giants (1974); Burlesk Queen (1977); Pagputi ng Uwak, Pag-itim ng Tagak (1978); Relasyon (1982); T-Bird at Ako (1982); Broken Marriage (1983); Sister Stella L. (1984); Tagos ng Dugo (1987); Ibulong Mo Sa Diyos (1988); Pahiram ng Isang Umaga (1989); Dahil Mahal Kita (1993); Bata, Bata...Paano Ka Ginawa? (1998); Anak (2000); Dekada '70 (2002)

Relasyon (1982)

Dekada '70 (2002)

My favorite Vilma Santos performances: As Sister Stella Legaspi (Sister Stella L.), a nun who realizes her true calling amidst social injustice; as Dolzura Cortez (Dahil Mahal Kita), the first publicized Filipino HIV/AIDS patient; and as Lea Bustamante (Bata, Bata...Paano Ka Ginawa?), a woman with an abundant lust for life and love.

Dahil Mahal Kita (1993)

Bata, Bata...Paano ka Ginawa? (1998)

Popularity: Along with Nora Aunor, Santos is the Philippines's most popular, awarded, and well respected actress. She has gained the moniker "Star for All Seasons."

Current status: Governor of Batangas province. Last film was Mano Po III: My Love in 2004.

What I'd love to see her in: A supporting role (just for a change; huge Filipino actors doing supporting roles is extremely rare); an international film

Image sources: Philippine Cinema Vault, Video 48, Star for All Seasons
Information source: IMDb

La Terza Madre (2007)

Dario Argento's Suspiria is rightly considered to be one of the essential horror films. It is an atmospheric, supernatural tale of dark sorcery, made memorable by gore, the dream-like quality of the sets, and the brilliant score by the Goblins. The story of the three ancient witches, begun in Suspiria with Mater Suspiriorum (Mother of Sighs), is continued in Inferno. This sequel, which revolves around Mater Tenebrarum (Mother of Darkness), is ultimately less memorable than its predecessor, thought it's a worthy follow-up with much of the same feel: a sense of unease, a forbidding aura of nightmarish evil.

The last installment of Argento's Three Mothers trilogy, La Terza Madre, does not form a cohesive whole with its prequels. Gone are the stylistic touches that made the first two films so otherworldly, to be replaced instead with intense violence, choppy flow of scenes, and questionable uses of CGI. Mater Lacrymarum (Mother of Tears) is set up as the most sinister of the three and even appears in Inferno as a seductive, malevolent vision, but at no point in La Terza Madre does her sheer maleficence manifest itself. And the final confrontation between her and heroine Sarah Mandy (Asia Argento) is as disappointing as the rest of the movie, in that, just like the film as a whole, there was so much wasted potential. The film starts off with a very dark, demonic feel to it, and the next few sequences (i.e., the first murder at the museum) are sufficiently mesmerizing, but then it becomes an overlong, sometimes dragging trip through confusing plot-lines and gratuitous gore. It's no Suspiria, nor even an Inferno. Still, it has some nice Argento touches, and it finishes one of the most interesting horror mythologies used in cinema, so it's recommended viewing. At least for Argento fans.

Grade: B

Why the Philippines has no Best Foreign Language Film Oscar Nomination

The Philippines has sent Foreign Language Film entries since the category started in 1956, when Italy's La Strada won. Why have its films never been nominated?

Since its inception in 1956, the Best Foreign Language Film category of the Oscars has been among the most exciting, anticipated, and controversial races every year. Many still question the need for a category that separately honors the best of non-English language films, but it is here where the heavyweights of international cinema have been rightly cited. Federico Fellini's La Strada was the first competitive winner, and after that Ingmar Bergman, Akira Kurosawa, Luis Bunuel, Francois Truffaut had their names and those of their films on ballots that were supposed to represent the best of world cinema. In more recent years, the category has been hounded by controversies, mostly regarding the selection process involved in whittling down the list of submitted entries to five nominees. But until the Academy devises a better way to honor non-English language films (if ever they do), many will continue to see a Best Foreign Language Film nomination as the highest possible honor that such projects could achieve.

Just as it has in every major international beauty pageant, the Philippines has been sending a film submission to AMPAS on a fairly regular basis since 1956. But unlike in those pageants, glory has so far eluded the country in this highly competitive Oscar category. This has even prompted The LA Times Envelope's Tom O'Neil to lament the nomination-less record of such countries as the Philippines that have diligently sent representative films in the hope of gaining the Academy's approval for their nations' best.

Which begs the question: are the films sent by their respective countries or finally approved by the Academy necessarily the best that those countries had to offer during the eligibility year? How do the countries select their film champions? Is it racial prejudice, wrong selection, or simply "wrong film for the wrong time" that handicaps the chances of a country getting its film a nod from Oscar? These are questions worth asking as we examine why the Philippines has never received and likely will not receive in the near future a Best Foreign Language Film nomination.

Filipino filmmakers and cineastes remember fondly--and with a certain amount of regret--that there was a time when Philippine cinema was among the most respected in the Asian film industry. Directors like Eddie Romero, Ishmael Bernal, Gerardo de Leon, and, of course, Lino Brocka got major ink from international critics and film viewers, with many of their films being showcased and honored in major festivals like Cannes and the Berlinale. Manuel Conde's Genghis Khan won a major award from the British Film Institute and, interestingly, was under consideration for the Honorary Foreign Language Film Award in 1953 (the 26th Academy Awards). It was not for lack of quality or reputation that the Philippines was passed over for Oscar glory.

The Philippines did not actually send many of its seminal local films for consideration (or, for one reason or another, they were declared ineligible). Prior to the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) taking charge of the task of submission and sending their first official entry (Karnal, or Of the Flesh, Dir: Marilou Diaz-Abaya) in 1984 (57th), four organizations had that responsibility. The bodies were the Film Society of the Philippines, the Film Institute of the Philippines, the Philippine Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences, and the Philippine Movie Producers Association. The statistic: four submissions in 28 years. These were Anak Dalita (Dir: Lamberto V. Avellana) in the inaugural year (29th); The Moises Padilla Story (Dir: Gerardo de Leon) in 1961 (34th); Dahil sa Isang Bulaklak (Because of a Flower; Dir: Luis Nepomuceno) in 1967 (40th); and Ganito Kami Noon...Paano Kayo Ngayon? (As We Were; Dir: Eddie Romero) in 1978 (51st).

Ganito Kami Noon...Paano Kayo Ngayon?, one of only four submissions during the First and Second Golden Ages of Philippine cinema

Those 28 years covered what are generally considered the First (1950s) and Second (1970s to early 1980s) Golden Ages of Philippine cinema. Why only four submissions? Just a few of the unsent jewels: Lino Brocka's Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang (You Have Been Weighed and Found Wanting; 1980), Maynila: Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag (Manila in the Claws of Brightness; 1975), Insiang (1976), and Jaguar (1979); Ishmael Bernal's Manila By Night/City After Dark (1980) and Himala (1982); Mike de Leon's Kisapmata (In Just the Wink of an Eye; 1981) and Batch '81 (1982); and Peque Gallaga's Oro, Plata, Mata (1982). Many of the aforementioned, particularly the Bernal and Brocka projects, enjoyed popularity and critical acclaim inside and outside the country. De Leon's Kisapmata, Gallaga's Oro, Plata, Mata, and any number of Brocka's and Bernal's have been called genuine masterpieces of Philippine cinema. Where were these films in the Oscar race?

Where was Maynila: Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag?

The FAP's subsequent submissions were not necessarily the right choices, at least not all the time. It is a given fact that no one film in a given year would be considered the "best" by everyone. But being the official submitting body for the Philippines, the FAP should be cognizant of which of the Philippines's "best" films for a year would be most likely to net an Oscar nomination. Let's take a closer look at each of the country's submissions since 1984:

-1984 (57th): Karnal (Of the Flesh; Dir: Marilou Diaz-Abaya). Karnal was among the strongest and most awarded films of that year. It is a powerful film about lust and murder amidst love, set in a rural Filipino village in the 1930s. It was also a condemnation of then President Ferdinand Marcos's dictatorship, as many important films of that era were. However, another critical anti-government film came out that year: Sister Stella L. (Dir: Mike de Leon), which starred cinema icon Vilma Santos. Ultimately, it is the latter that is considered by many cineastes as among the country's best productions, and one of the consistently excellenet de Leon's most prominent.

-1985 (58th): Kapit sa Patalim, Bayan Ko (My Country--In Desperate Straits; Dir: Lino Brocka). Another easy and adequate choice. Aside from winning major local prizes, it also garnered the late Brocka, the country's premier filmmaker, his second nomination for the Golden Palm in Cannes. It would be interesting to see how close this film got to snaring an Oscar nomination, as it is probably the best choice for a submission that the country has made since it began participating in the race.

-1986 (59th) to 1994 (67th): No submissions. It could not have hurt to have submitted something, if only to make the Philippines a regular presence in voters' minds, but the FAP cannot be completely blamed: these were relatively weak years for strong Filipino films that could possibly garner favorable Oscar attention. Insubstantial erotic films (then called "TF" or "titillating films), action pictures, and projects based on actual massacres and other heinous crimes dominated the cinemas during this period. These were also times of great social change in the Philippines, with the 1986 EDSA Revolution throwing Marcos out of office and the new Aquino administration being saddled with the responsibility of rebuilding the nation amidst constant coup de etat threats. However, the failure to submit Lino Brocka's Orapronobis, a 1989 film that got major play in international festivals, is glaring. Other essential Filipino films that could have been sent for consideration: Macho Dancer (Dir: Lino Brocka; 1989) and Sakay (Dir: Raymond Red; 1993).

-1995 (68th): Inagaw Mo ang Lahat sa Akin (Harvest Home; Dir: Carlitos Siguion-Reyna). Siguion-Reyna was to make a name for himself in later years as the filmmaker of choice for sensual dramas. But before that, a rather conventional drama got him a possible ticket to the Oscars. To say that this is an odd choice for a submission would be a severe understatement. It was not nominated for the top prize by two of the major award-giving bodies of the Philippines (the critics of the Urian, and FAP itself). Aside from that, there was no lack of options. Significantly more important and more awarded that year was The Flor Contemplacion Story, Joel Lamangan's timely film on the trial and conviction of a Filipina domestic helper in Singapore, played by respected veteran actress Nora Aunor. The film is very dramatic, as many Filipino films tend to be, but it's a biopic and raises questions on foreign relations and cultural differences. Siguion-Reyna's film started the trend of submissions being melodramatic pieces set in rural or destitute conditions.

-1996 (69th): Segurista (Dead Sure; Dir: Amable Aguiluz). This film was the most critically acclaimed and awarded of its year, so it was likely also the obvious choice then for FAP. Of the other popular melodramas that year, Gil M. Portes's Mulanay: Sa Pusod ng Paraisoand Antonio Jose Perez's Mumbaki would have been the only other sensible choices, both being culturally sensitive pieces of good cinema.

-1997 (70th): Milagros (Dir: Marilou Diaz-Abaya). Diaz-Abaya's second submitted film is another traditional Filipino drama that, like Segurista before it, is about a woman in the escort service. However, it was penned by revered Filipino writer Rolando Tinio, so it was a cut above the others of its kind. Siguion-Reyna's erotic Ligaya ang Itawag Mo sa Akin (They Call Me Joy) would have been a more controversial choice. Aguiluz's Rizal sa Dapitan, a film about the Philippine national hero Jose Rizal, would have been an adequate choice had it been well received by critics and awarding bodies.

-1998 (71st): Sa Pusod ng Dagat (In the Navel of the Sea; Dir: Marilou Diaz-Abaya). Another film set in the rural Philippines, this time about a fisherman. Diaz-Abaya could have deserved a third Oscar-submitted film that year, but not for this. That same year, she directed Jose Rizal, perhaps one of the definitive and most honored of the projects based on the national hero. It is a costume drama set in the Spanish era of the Philippines and about an internationally recognized historical figure. It could have easily made the short-list of the Best Foreign Language Film category, even though the competition was especially fierce that year (with Brazil's Central Station and Italy's Life is Beautiful among the eligible pictures). This could easily be the most bewildering submission of FAP in all its years of submitting entries. Even Chito Roño's Vilma Santos-starrer Bata, Bata...Paano Ka Ginawa?, a non-conventional drama penned by respected novelist Lualhati Bautista, would have been a better choice than Navel.

Jose Rizal: the Marilou Diaz-Abaya film that should have been submitted for consideration in 1998

-1999 (72nd): Saranggola (The Kite; Dir: Gil M. Portes). Yet another melodrama set in the squalor of Manila; somehow FAP failed to realize that the Academy does not go for films like these. Jeffrey Jeturian's Pila-Balde (Fetch a Pail of Water), possibly the only other choice, is similarly themed, but at least it had major representation in international festivals, an aspect of selection that FAP has not been able to utilize fully to date.

-2000 (73rd): Anak (The Child; Dir: Rory Quintos). For a country that supposedly takes great pride in its heroes, it is very telling how it could neglect to send for consideration yet another film on Jose Rizal. Mike de Leon's Bayaning Third World had the additional advantages of being utterly unconventional and post-modern in its approach, and having as its director Mike de Leon, one of the major contributors in the Second Golden Age. Instead, FAP opted for Anak, an overly dramatic film elevated by Vilma Santos's bravura performance and its touching on the plight of Overseas Contract Workers. It is not a bad film, but it is undoubtedly one of FAP's weakest and most unenlightened choices for a submission.

Would Bayaning Third World not have been a better choice in 2000?

-2001 (74th): Gatas sa Dibdib ng Kaaway (In the Bosom of the Enemy; Dir: Gil M. Portes). Here's the statistic: this film did not win a single citation from any award-giving body. In fact, its only nomination was one for its lead actress. How did it get FAP's nod as the official submission? First, practically all of the other major players that year were known more for their eroticism than for anything else (Hubog, Live Show, La Vida Rosa). Second, the film that got most citations that year was a challenging five-hour opus based in the United States. Never mind that it won a number of international awards. Looking back now, however, Batang West Side by iconoclast Lav Diaz should have been the ONLY logical choice, whatever its length.

-2002 (75th): Mga Munting Tinig (Small Voices; Dir: Gil M. Portes). FAP undoubtedly loves Portes, enough to give him a third chance at an Oscar nomination. Inspirational, saccharine, and multi-awarded (including three major wins at the Palm Beach International Film Festival), it is perhaps Portes's only truly justified entry. Too bad this melodrama is not the type of film that voters go for, particularly not in a year with Hero (People's Republic of China), El Crimen del Padre Amaro (Mexico), The Man Without a Past (Finland), and eventual winner Nowhere in Africa (Germany) among the competition.

-2003 (76th): Dekada '70 (Dir: Chito S. Roño). Based on an award-winning book by respected novelist Lualhati Bautista, it would be difficult to argue the selection of this film as the country's entry. It is a powerful family drama set during the regime of the dictator Marcos, and it won major local awards.

-2004 (77th): Crying Ladies (Dir: Mark Meily). This whimsical dramedy was well loved during its release for the affecting performances of Sharon Cuneta and Hilda Koronel, and for its unconventional style. Sleek and polished, it was ready-made for an international audience. At least technically. The story, about professional mourners in burials, is difficult enough for many Filipinos to relate to. What more for foreigners? Ken Rudolph, a member of the foreign film committee of AMPAS, says just as much in his blog. Maryo J. de los Reyes's Magnifico, a heart-tugging drama that won honors in the Berlinale, might have been a better choice in retrospect.

-2005 (78th): No submission, supposedly because of FAP's failure to inform AMPAS of its change of address. Cesar Montano's Panaghoy sa Suba (The Call of the River), a film shot in the Visayan dialect, and Lav Diaz's 10-hour Ebolusyon ng Isang Pamilyang Pilipino (Evolution of a Filipino Family) would have been good choices, though Panaghoy may have had a better shot at being short-listed.

-2006 (79th): Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros (The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros; Dir: Auraeus Solito). This is perhaps one of FAP's better choices. An endearing film that is one of the stalwarts of the Philippine digital movement, it played well in international festivals and even scored a nomination at the Independent Spirit Awards. It had some amount of buzz coming into the race. But did the digital format hurt its chances? Rudolph says in his review that the video transfer was fuzzy and made watching it difficult. Or was its homosexual tone detrimental to its chances?

One of the best Filipino digital films. But did that hurt the film's Oscar chances at the end?

-2007 (80th): Donsol (Dir: Adolfo Alix, Jr.). A picturesque film on love and heartache in the midst of whale sharks in Sorsogon, Donsol is visually appealing and emotional, and it is timely with its environmental slant. For these reasons, it was probably the logical choice among the digital films released during the eligibility period. But just like Pagdadalaga, the digital film transfer proved inadequate (Rudolph's review), and the new style of direction so favored by the emerging crop of Filipino filmmakers may have been too simplistic for the voters. This should be addressed if the digital wave of Filipino cinema is to have a chance at that elusive Oscar gold.

-2008 (81st): Ploning (Dir: Dante Nico Garcia). The entry for the 81st Academy Awards is a small, charming, well loved film starring and produced by Judy Ann Santos, a huge celebrity in the Philippines. Like Donsol before it, Ploning relies as much on the beauty of its set location--a quiet, seaside town in Palawan--as on the more traditional film aspects. The zealous campaign by Santos and her supporters proved successful in convicncing FAP to send it as the nation's entry, and the decision would have been entirely justified had Brillante Mendoza's Serbis (Service) not been released the same year. Unlike Ploning, Serbis had major international recognition; it was a contender for no less than the Golden Palm in Cannes, a feat not achieved by any Filipino film since Kapit sa Patalim, Bayan Ko, the Philippine entry in 1985. It was a bewildering move on FAP's move to dismiss Serbis, to say the least.

There have been good choices over the years, but even in those years when the Philippines seemed to have sent the most logical submissions, the Academy did not look favorably enough upon the entries to nominate them. Quite simply, many of the Philippine entries have themes that are not the Academy's cup of tea. The Academy traditionally prefers costume epics, war films (particularly those that have to do with the second World War), culturally significant movies, intimate interpersonal pieces, or works by renowned auteurs. With a few exceptions (like Dekada '70, perhaps), the country's recent submissions have not played on any of these popular themes.

There is, of course, the question of whether or not the voters actually bother to watch entries from the Philippines. While the nomination for Vietnam in 1993 (The Scent of Green Papaya; Dir: Anh Hung Tran) might dispel notions of prejudice against films from small Southeast Asian films, it is telling that films from the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, and their neighbors have not gained traction amidst the usual nominees: film giants like Sweden, Italy, Germany, and Japan. Prior to its getting its Oscar nomination, Scent won attention at Cannes and some other international festivals. Filipino films do not have a strong enough presence in major film festivals, especially in recent years. Since 1995, none of the country's entries has been screened at any of the more significant fests like Cannes and Berlin. A significant splash in Sundance, in recent years a fairly good market for eventual Oscar nominees, would do wonders for a Filipino film. It is also worth noting that Scent was mostly a French production, so the filmmakers had at their disposal foreign funding and technical capabilities and the backing of a big film giant of a country.

Hypothetically, what would then be the Philippines's best shot at an Oscar nomination? A film that 1) is co-produced by a foreign company; 2) is directed by a premiere, internationally known Filipino filmmaker; 3) is about a major historical event or figure, such as the revolution against Spain, the EDSA Revolution, or, the Academy's favorite, World War II (or another film on Jose Rizal, or one based on his "Noli Me Tangere" or "El Filibusterismo"); 4) and gets major representation (actual awards would just be a plus) in Cannes or Berlin. Serbis, the overlooked option last year, was co-financed by French collaborators, directed by a filmmaker who has been making a name for himself in the international film festival circuit, and was up for the Golden Palm in Cannes. At three out of four, it was the Philippines's best shot at a nomination in many years. Much as our directors love making them, family melodramas, particularly those set in the environs of the urban poor, are still unlikely to get the attention of the foreign language film committee. And if the film is to be made on digital, the issue of flawed video transfer raised with Pagdadalaga and Donsol must be promptly addressed.

Of course, Filipino filmmakers should not make films for the sake of getting an Oscar nomination. Despite the general dearth of quality Filipino films in the current era, there are emerging directors with unique visions and statements, giving Philippine cinema an all-new look and welcome new direction. It remains to be seen how this new identity of Filipino films will play out in an ever-expanding international movie scene, and how an evolving Academy would respond to it.

Thanks to Torene Svitil, Awards Department Head of AMPAS, for vital information on the Philippine entries!

A Bit of History: Philippine Entries to the Oscars

1953 (26th Academy Awards) - Genghis Khan (Directed by Manuel Conde) *Under consideration for Honorary Foreign Language Film Award

1956 (29th) - Anak Dalita (Directed by Lamberto V. Avellana)


1961 (34th) - The Moises Padilla Story (Directed by Gerardo de Leon)

1967 (40th) - Dahil Sa Isang Bulaklak (Because of a Flower; Directed by Luis Nepomuceno)


1978 (51st) - Ganito Kami Noon...Paano Kayo Ngayon? (As We Were; Directed by Eddie Romero)


1984 (57th) - Karnal (Of the Flesh; Directed by Marilou Diaz-Abaya)

1985 (58th) - Kapit sa Patalim, Bayan Ko (My Country--In Desperate Straits; Directed by Lino Brocka)


1995 (68th) - Inagaw Mo ang Lahat sa Akin (Harvest Home; Directed by Carlitos Siguion-Reyna)


1996 (69th) - Segurista (Dead Sure; Directed by Amable Aguiluz)

1997 (70th) - Milagros (Directed by Marilou Diaz-Abaya)

1998 (71st) - Sa Pusod ng Dagat (in the Navel of the Sea; Directed by Marilou Diaz-Abaya)

1999 (72nd) - Saranggola (The Kite; Directed by Gil M. Portes)

2000 (73rd) - Anak (The Child; Directed by Rory B. Quintos)


2001 (74th) - Gatas...Sa Dibdib ng Kaaway (In the Bosom of the Enemy; Directed by Gil M. Portes)

2002 (75th) - Mga Munting Tinig (Small Voices; Directed by Gil M. Portes)

2003 (76th) - Dekada '70 (Directed by Chito S. Roño)

2004 (77th) - Crying Ladies (Directed by Mark Meily)

2006 (79th) - Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros (The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros; Directed by Auraeus Solito)


2007 (80th) - Donsol (Directed by Adolfo Alix, Jr.)

TOMORROW: A piece on why the Philippines has not yet succeeded in getting itself a Best Foreign Language Film nomination.

Information source: Torene Svitil, Awards Department Head, AMPAS
Photo source: Philippine Cinema Vault