24/09/2003

Pupi Avati has decided to withdraw his film A Heart Elsewhere from the shortlist of candidates competing for the Italian nomination to go forward for the Oscar for Best Foreign Film. The director, who is also president of Cinecittà Holding, has taken the decision following a row about an additional 112 new voters added to the David di Donatello jury. It is the members of this body who decide which Italian film will be put forward to the Hollywood Academy Awards to compete for the Oscar. It also votes on the films to receive the Italian equivalent of the prize.
“If my film was put forward for the Oscars – explained Avati today – it would be easy to read something incorrect between the lines. It’s a suspicion that I can’t allow, a dignified choice".
It appears that Avati himself was against increasing the number of jury members, which has also been contested by some directors over the past few days, especially Mario Monicelli, who is concerned about possible repercussions.
But according to Gian Luigi Rondi, the president of the Davids (which has just recently become an Academy) "the jury was correctly appointed, following the rules, with absolute transparency".