04/12/2002 - Academy announces the 54 potential Oscar winners but excludes Suleiman's movie

Divine Intervention by Elia Suleiman, winner of the Jury Gran Prix at the last Cannes film festival will not, after all take part in the race to win the best foreign language film Oscar next 23 March in Los Angeles. Although the Academy just announced the list of the films submitted, it does not recognise Palestine as an independent nation. Produced by Frenchman Humbert Balsan and starring Elia Suleiman and Manal Khader, Divine Intervention is the profound love story between a Palestinian living in Jerusalem and a Palestinian woman resident in Ramallah.
This year’s list of potential Oscar winners was produced by Frenchman Humbert Balsan and stars Elia Suleiman and Manal Khader.
This year a new record was set with 54 films, three more than last year – the additions being Afghanistan with Fire Dancer by Jawed Wassel (whose dismembered body was found in his New York apartment in October); Bangladesh with The Clay Bird by Tareque Masud and Ciad with Abouna by Mahamat Saleh Haroun.
Two other countries were refused admission to the Oscar race: Hong Kong’s The Touch by Peter Pau – because it was made in the English language and the United Kingdom’s submission, The Warrior by Asif Kapadia, made in Hindi and not in English. It was replaced by a Welsh-language film entitled Eldra by Tim Lyn.
The Academy’s commission, presided over by Mark Johnson, has begun the final selection of the five nominees, scheduled to be announced on 11 February 2003.

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