By Darius KADIVAR
Satrapi and Parronaud's animated Bio Epic Nominated for Best Animation at
Upcoming Oscars
Phew ! We can finally breath. The French Animation Persepolis is
definitively in the Race for the upcoming Oscars®. If it has not been selected
for best foreign film amongst the 63 submitted films in this category it has
nevertheless made it to the final nomination list in best Animation. What a
suspense ever since its incredible Box Office and critical success in Europe and
struggling its way through the tides and troubled waters of this year's
particularly tough competition. Having earned the Prix du Jury aka
Jury Prize in Cannes for its 60th Annual, Persepolis may well
win the ultimate recognition at the 80th Oscar® ceremony that will be
held on Sunday February 24th 2008 at the Legendary Kodak Theatre at
Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by ABC beginning at 5 p.m.
PT, beginning with a half-hour arrivals segment. OK Let's Not provoke fate for
the Oscar's are always incredibly unpredictable in its final choice and all will
now depend on the Academy members to make to definitive choice
…
Let's hope however that Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Parronaud's
animated bio epic based on the real life story of its Iranian born ( but French
Citizen) author will be honored by the Academy a FIRST for an Iranian artist to
date. It would indeed be a recognition towards an entire community and country (
But definitively not its Regime) who has alas been on one hand wrongly labled as
part of an Axis of Evil by political neo cons in the White House and for
a film judged as Islamophobic on the other hand by an unpopular Islamic
Fundamentalist regime in Iran out of touch with the realities of
its time as well as with its own youth.
Persepolis has
been chosen to run against two other nominees in Best animated feature film
category : Walt Disney's Ratatouille and another Sony
Pictures production Surf's
Up.
Still
in the Race: Ratatouille, Persepolis and Surf's Up. ©imdb and
Oscar®
It is interesting to note that fans of La Mome aka La Vie en
Rose and those of Persepolis ( who also happen to often be the same)
won't be disappointed by a useless rivalry between two excellent films which
would have otherwise been competing unfairly in the same category. Fortunately
both films ( and unlike predictions triggered by the Golden Globes results )
will be in the race one Persepolis as best animation and the other La Mome for
best Actress for Marillon Cotillard and a nomination for best costume for the
Edith Piaf Bio Epic film.
Fair Choice: La Vie En Rose Star Marillon Cotillard runs
for
Best Actress and an extra nomination for best
costume design. Phew !
Satrapi's film is No more
in Rivalry with La Mome.
©imdb
The
upcoming Oscars will be as unpredictable as ever since even in the Best Foreign
film category the Oscar Academy seems to have made a totally different choice
from that of the Golden Globes by nominating films from such newcomers as
Poland, Austria, Russia, Israel and believe it or not Kazakhstan.
The eclectic choice may be motivated by the 80th anniversary of the
Academy which hopes to mark a milestone in recognizing World Cinema in the same
lines as the Cannes film Festival. Also the choice of the Golden Globes in
Foreign film category be it in nominations or ultimate Award is not at all
reflected in this years Oscar Nominations in the same category which makes the
suspense all the more intense.
Part of the French Cast of Persepolis and its
directors : (Left to Right)
Catherine Deneuve, Marjane Satrapi, Chiara
Mastroianni, Vincent Parronaud,
and Simon Akbarian.
©imdb.com
On a final note what can be said is that Persepolis is not
only still in the Race but also has probably a stronger chance of winning
an Oscar.
VIVE LE CINEMA !
MAIS
SURTOUT
PERSEPOLIS ! ;0)
Authors
Notes:
See complete List of Nominees
Recommended Readings:
The Eye of
the Tiger and the Persepolis Generation by Darius KADIVAR
Allez
Marjane! by Darius
KADIVAR
Persepolis to Represent
France at Hollywood Oscars 2008! by Darius KADIVAR
Persepolis Nominated for
European Oscars! by Darius KADIVAR
MAGIC IN THE MAKING:
Satrapi's Cinephilic Choice for Persepolis Cast by Darius KADIVAR
Persepolis Tops French Box
Office Record!
by Darius KADIVAR
Satrapi's Persepolis
Soundtrack CD Released by Darius
KADIVAR
Satrapi's Persepolis wins
"Prix du Jury" at Cannes by Darius KADIVAR
Satrapi Launches Official
Website & Production Blog by Darius KADIVAR
Persepolis Runs In Cannes
Palme D'or Selection 2007 by Darius KADIVAR
AN
INDEPENDENT EYE: French Based Film Producer/Distributor Hengameh Panahi of
Celluloid Dreams by Darius
KADIVAR
Iranian Pioneers in French Cinema by Darius
KADIVAR
About the
Author: Darius
KADIVAR is a Freelance Journalist, Film Historian, and Media Consultant. He is
also contributes to OCPC Magazine in
LA/US and to the
London
Based IC Publications The Middle East
Magazine and Persian
Heritage Magazine.
