The American Film Academy released tonight (Tuesday through Wednesday) the shortlist of 15 films still vying for nominations in the international film category, without including Eran Kolirin's film.
As you may recall, Kolirin's "Let There Be Morning" won seven Ophir Awards, including for Best Picture, which made him our actual Oscar nominee.
The film is an adaptation of Sayed Kashua's book published in 2004 and follows Sami (Alex Bakri), an Arab-Israeli citizen who, after visiting with his family in his home village for his brother's wedding celebrations, could not return home following an IDF siege on the village. Which forces him to deal with his identity and national affiliation.
The previous time a Collierin film was sent to the Oscars ended earlier.
It was the "orchestra's visit" in 2007, which was technically disqualified because it contained too much English and not enough foreign language, contrary to the rules of the academy's regulations at the time.
In his place was finally sent "Beaufort" by Joseph Cedar, as he managed to pick up nominations that year.
The shortlist is led by several foreign films that have received rave reviews in recent months;
Including director Asgar Prahadi's Iranian "hero" who has already won two Oscars in the last decade, for "Farewell" from 2011 and "The Agent" from 2016.
"Hero" premiered at the Cannes Film Festival last summer and won Prahadi the prestigious Grand Prix.
He won the Cannes title with Finnish director Yoho Kusman for his film "Cell No. 6", and the two continue to compete head to head in the shortlist for the Oscars, alongside the Italian film "The Hand of God" by Paolo Sorrentino, whose film "Beautiful Forever" won an Oscar for international film in 2014 , And is also considered a favorite, as is the Japanese film "Drive in My Car," directed by Ryosuke the Gucci, which was crowned two weeks ago as the best film of the year by a friend of New York film critics.
These four films are even vying for the Best Foreign Language Film Award at next month's Golden Globe ceremony.
The shortlist for the Oscars also includes representatives from Austria, Belgium, Bhutan, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Kosovo, Mexico, Norway, Panama and Spain.
A decade has passed since Israel's last candidacy, then with a "footnote" by Yosef Cedar (the year Prahadi won).
Israel holds the dubious achievement of the country with the most nominations, ten in number, without ever winning.
The nomination for the 94th Academy Awards will take place on February 8, and the grand ceremony will be held on March 27 in Los Angeles, following a postponement decided in advance due to the Winter Olympics broadcasts and Corona constraints.
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