Hollywood suspense for The Class, Oktapodi and Desplat
French films are hoping to carry off their fair share of awards in Los Angeles on Sunday evening at the Oscars ceremony, which last year brought success to actress Marion Cotillard.
Nominees at this 81st edition include Laurent Cantet’s Palme d’Or-winning The Class [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Carole Scotta
interview: Laurent Cantet
film profile], which is widely tipped to triumph. The movie produced by Haut et Court and released in the US by Sony Pictures Classics is competing for the title of Best Foreign Language Film (which has not been won by France since 1993).
Other contenders in this category include German feature The Baader Meinhof Complex [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Austrian production Revanche [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Götz Spielmann
film profile], Japanese title Departures, and Israeli director Ari Folman’s Waltz with Bashir [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], which was co-produced by France’s Les Films d'Ici and Arte France.
Among the five nominees for the Best Animated Short Oscar is Oktapodi. Produced by Gobelins Film School, this final-year project by six directors (Julien Bocabeille, François-Xavier Chanioux, Olivier Delabarre, Thierry Marchand, Quentin Marmier and Emud Mokhberi) has won numerous prizes at international festivals.
Nominated in 2007 for The Queen [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Andy Harries
interview: Stephen Frears
film profile], French composer Alexandre Desplat is hoping that The Curious Case of Benjamin Button will earn him his first Oscar, to add to an already impressive collection of awards (Golden Globe in 2007, César in 2006 and a Silver Bear at Berlin in 2005).
Among French international sellers, Pathé is hoping to see the ten nominations for Slumdog Millionaire [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Danny Boyle
film profile] turn into a crop of Oscars and Rezo Films want to see Melissa Leo (Frozen River) pick up the title for Best Actress.
Finally, Wild Bunch would enjoy the limelight of a win by Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei or Penelope Cruz, who are nominated in the categories of Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress for The Wrestler and Vicky Cristina Barcelona [+see also:
trailer
film profile], respectively. Both films were co-financed and sold by the French company.
(Translated from French)
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