Angel soars into Oscar race

by Annika Pham

23/09/2010 - The Norwegian Oscar committee has chosen Margreth Olin’s debut film The Angel [trailer] (Engelen) as this year’s entry in the race for Best Foreign language Film at the Academy Awards.

The Angel was one of three local films, alongside A Somewhat Gentle Man [trailer, film focus] and Limbo, to be shortlisted from 16 Norwegian films released theatrically from October 1, 2009 to September 30, 2010.

Maria Bonnevie, who gave an outstanding performance in the film as a drug-addicted mother who cannot keep custody of her child, won Best Actress at Tallinn last December while the film picked up the Audience Award at the latest Göteborg International Film Festival.

Released last October in Norway, the film produced by Speranza Film sold over 100,000 tickets. TrustNordisk handles world sales.

Last year’s Norwegian Oscar entry was Max Manus [trailer] and the last time Norway was nominated in the Best Foreign Language Film category was in 2001 for Elling [trailer]. The Oscar nominations will be announced on January 25 and the awards ceremony in Los Angeles is planned for February 27.