Three Europeans selected as candidates
The Academy Awards have just made official the list of documentaries selected as candidates for Oscars in 2006. Thirteen features will compete for prestigious statuette and three are from Europe, where their critical success was matched in the theatres.
Among them, Darwin's Nightmare, feature by Austrian Hubert Sauper takes a very sombre look at the devastating commercial exploitation of the African continent. Sold internationally by Celluloïd Dreams, this knock-out film is co-produced by French company Mille et une productions, Austrian Coop 99 and Belgian Saga Film.
Second European documentary nominated, is a film that the Americans clearly discovered with pleasure since it broke all records set by French films at the US box-office (read news). March of the Penguins [+see also:
trailer
film profile], a first feature by Luc Jacquet and produced by Bonne Pioche, with investment from the French arm of Buena Vista and sold internationally by Wild Bunch.
Finally, the UK is also in official selection thanks to Rupert Murray's unknown man. Unknown White Male, the true story of a man who wakes up amnesiac and tries to patch together his life, is produced by Spectre Broadcast Ltd, director and producer Beadie Finzi’s company based in London. The film received support from Channel 4 Television .
The other films selected by the Academy are all majority American. And many of them share common social and political themes such as Occupation : Dreamland where a TV crew follows American soldiers in Iraq and also Rize which describes this new dance from the poor neighbourhoods of Los Angeles.
List of candidates :
After Innocence by Jessica Sanrs, USA
The Boys of Baraka by Heidi Ewing Rachel Grady, USA
Darwin's Nightmarre, by Hubert Sauper, FR/AT/BE
The Devil and Daniel Johnston Jeff Feuerzeig , USA
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room Alex Gibney, USA
Favela Rising Jeff Zimbalist Matt Mochary, USA/Brésil États-Unis - Brésil
Mad Hot Ballroom Marilyn Agrelo, USA
March of the Penguins Luc Jacqu, France
Murrball Henry Alex Rubin Dana Adam Shapiro , USA
Occupation: Dreamland Gart Scott & Ian Odds, USA
On Native Soil: The Documentary of the 9/11 Commission Report, Linda Ellman, USA
Rize, David LaChapelle, USA
Stre Fiight Marshall Curry ,USA
Unknown White Male Rupert Murray, UK
39 Pounds of Love, Dani Menkin, USA
(Translated from French)
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