OUR ENTRIES TO THE 81st OSCAR Best Foreign Language Film
The Oscars has invited 96 countries to submit entries (films) to their Best Foreign Language Film category. This award has been given out since 1956 and so far, Vietnam is the only country in our region to achieve an Honorary Award (a nomination) in 1993.
Singapore’s entry this year is "My Magic" -- a film about a single parent’s attempt to win his sons love and respect; the former magician made a painful choice that lead to the two souls coming in terms with each other. Dialogues in Tamil and directed by Eric Khoo. [FilmAsia’s review]
Thailand’s entry is the much publicized and highly controversial film -- Love of Siam (รักแห่งสยาม). A film about a gay romance of two teenage boys and discusses sexuality with “groundbreaking” frankness. The film made US$1.3 million in 3 weeks and almost swept all the local film awards. Dialogues in Thai and directed by Chookiat Sakveerakul. [WiseKwai’s review]
The Philippines’ entry is the picturesque film "Ploning"; about a man’s search for the enigmatic woman who has deeply wounded him in the past (not literally, heartbroken is the right word). Dialogues in Cuyonon/Filipino and directed by Dante Nico Garcia. [Rianne Soriano’s review]
Vietnam, the only Southeast Asian country to ever nominated, did not send any entry this year. The Vietnamese Ministry of Culture received only 1 entry (Black Forest) to represent the country but the film wasn’t commercially released [read as: disqualified]
Indonesia, the only other more successful SE Asian country in the Oscar’s Best Foreign Language film with more than 5 films accepted to the competition did not make it to the 01 Oct deadline.
Malaysia, Cambodia and Burma did not send entries this year; while Laos, Brunei and Timor Leste do not have local movie industry.
BISEAN wishes the best of luck to “My Magic”, “Love of Siam” and “Ploning”. Make us proud!
Nominations (Honorary Awards) will be announced on 22 January 2009, and the winner will be announced on 22 February 2009 at the 81st Oscars.
Singapore’s entry this year is "My Magic" -- a film about a single parent’s attempt to win his sons love and respect; the former magician made a painful choice that lead to the two souls coming in terms with each other. Dialogues in Tamil and directed by Eric Khoo. [FilmAsia’s review]Thailand’s entry is the much publicized and highly controversial film -- Love of Siam (รักแห่งสยาม). A film about a gay romance of two teenage boys and discusses sexuality with “groundbreaking” frankness. The film made US$1.3 million in 3 weeks and almost swept all the local film awards. Dialogues in Thai and directed by Chookiat Sakveerakul. [WiseKwai’s review]
The Philippines’ entry is the picturesque film "Ploning"; about a man’s search for the enigmatic woman who has deeply wounded him in the past (not literally, heartbroken is the right word). Dialogues in Cuyonon/Filipino and directed by Dante Nico Garcia. [Rianne Soriano’s review]
Vietnam, the only Southeast Asian country to ever nominated, did not send any entry this year. The Vietnamese Ministry of Culture received only 1 entry (Black Forest) to represent the country but the film wasn’t commercially released [read as: disqualified]Indonesia, the only other more successful SE Asian country in the Oscar’s Best Foreign Language film with more than 5 films accepted to the competition did not make it to the 01 Oct deadline.
Malaysia, Cambodia and Burma did not send entries this year; while Laos, Brunei and Timor Leste do not have local movie industry.
BISEAN wishes the best of luck to “My Magic”, “Love of Siam” and “Ploning”. Make us proud!Nominations (Honorary Awards) will be announced on 22 January 2009, and the winner will be announced on 22 February 2009 at the 81st Oscars.
Related post: Our Oscars So Far
18 Comments:
maybe SEAsia can make a singular movie in the future? i don't know. i just thought that would create some buzz, enough for oscar top honchos to take notice.
Of these 3 South East Asian entries, I would have to say MY MAGIC would have the edge.
I have seen all these 3 films and Singapore's My Magic has the usual "formula" picked by Oscar verdicts.
Indonesia missed the deadline? No entries from us? Is this official? I want to know please.
Reviewing more than 80 non-English films is not an easy feat. Much lobbying is involved to get a film noticed.
Pisanu, since you came from a family of lobbyists (political, cultural, etc.), why not do Thai films a favour? It wouldn't hurt if one Thai film would make it to the nominations at least, huh?!!!
phrai,,,and what is it for the leela-anont clan? distinction? i don think so. they would rather dig a tunnel to burma than to have their family name published in the papers.
and hey guys!,,,why am i not on the southpark banner?
the oscar's bflf nominations is quite predictable these past years. i would have to say:
greece
finland
iran
france
norway
...would make it to the final 5. it's a no brainer really.
but nonetheless, i agree with carrie...singapore's entry can be a good choice.
Love of Siam is too long. Ploning is too dragging. My Magic is too "film-festival" to me.
question to everyone though, is my magic pan's labyrinth-ish or amelie-ish?
@ curbside_puppet,,,a little bit of both but more on the amelie-ish. i reckon.
@ Amelia K.,,, you missed poland and the netherlands.
@ Phraipattana,,, you are so dead after that comment of yours. lol. who gave you that information about lobbying? good luck ;-)
hold it...
Laos, Brunei and Timor Leste do not have their own movie industry? That's quite perturbing but at the same time interesting. Especially for aspiring producers who want to start their own movie empire in emerging markets like Laos.
What, with an average of 7% economic growth rate? Laos could be a gold mine.
:)
@ Jake...that's why Thai movies are making loads of money in Laos. You got an interesting input.
best wishes on our entries! :D
Im rooting for Rak Haeng Siam... Go Pchy and Mario...
I don't believe that Indonesia missed the deadline. I think Indonesia just decided not to submit. There's no reason why we should miss the deadline - our film industry is currently at full swing, and I think we're among the top film-producing countries in S.E.A. nowadays although IMHO 70% of our film outputs are far from festival / academy awards quality...
Additional info: Indonesia commercially-released more than 60 Indonesian films between January 2008 - October 2008.
Anyway, I'm rooting for "Love of Siam" this year! Nice film!
Just watched Love of Siam and eyelovet!! The length of the movie made up for the development of the characters. Plus, its a very fresh take on gay themed films. Ang galing! :P
Thanks for sharing this film with us :)
Unfortunately, I don't think any of the three Southeast Asian movies will get nominated for an Oscar. There's too much competition from European films this year, and none of these movies are supposed to be the best films of the year (although I can't wait to see LOVE OF SIAM)
I think the official list won't be announced until early next week, but I think Indonesia will submit a film! As Enrique said, film production is way up!
BTW, Laos doesn't have a film industry, but they did make their first film in years this year- "Good Morning Luang Prabang", which played in Lao & Thai cinemas.
Cambodia & Malaysia are invited but they have each only submitted a film once. Burma is not invited, because they have never asked the Oscars for an invitation.
IMHO, it would be really great if ASEAN countries could form a single entity that is founded to market or to configure strategies to promote ASEAN's films as a block rather than individual countries on their own. In fact, i think could turn our filming/music industry into some kind of giant exporters of good films/music comparable to hongkong/china filming industry, bollywood or even hollywood , as per say.
G'luck, Judy Ann. I hope Ploning gets nominated. Good luck to the other 2 movies as well. I didn't know some of our neighbors don't have local movie industry.
Post a Comment