Big mistake, that’s what Film Academy when choosing a film that will represent Spain at the Oscars. Shortlist for choosing which film Spain will submit to try to get a category nomination Best Foreign Film It was: MediterraneanMarcel Barren, based on the history of Open Arms; Parallel mothersPedro Almodovar on two women who are about to become mothers; and Good boss, Fernando Leon de Aranoa, where Javier Bardem he plays a businessman facing a demonstration by a former worker at the gates of a factory.
As Leon de Aranoa himself said this Tuesday at the Academy after Irene Escolar and Ricardo Gomez read the title of his film, “I live in deja vu“, insofar as a similar situation lived in 2003… And looking at what the result was then, I dare say that the Film Academy was mistaken.
In 2003, films claiming the role of Spanish representatives were Monday in the sunfrom Leon de Aranoa; Talk to herPedro Almodovar; and Kiss story, from Jose Luis Garci… Spanish scientists have chosen Monday in the sun but he skipped the Hollywood version and ended up without a nomination. Paradoxically, Talk to her Pedro Almodovar received two nominations: Best Director and Best Original Screenplay, the last award that Almodovar received by beating scripts such as Gangs of new york Martin Scorsese or My big Greek wedding… Something that could happen again.
Almodovar still has options
Hollywood Academy rules state that the film academies of each country elect their own representative, only one, in the Best Foreign Film category. Subsequently, it is necessary to make the first cut in order to include it in the desired list, from which five nominees will come out. AND Monday in the sun in 2003 he did not receive this nomination ( list was introduced in 2006).
However, any film from any country can apply for the rest of the nominations. So we saw how the French Executor in 2011, he received awards for Best Film, Director, Actor, Costume and Soundtrack. Or that the last of Almodovar, Pain and glory, was nominated Antonio Banderas as the best actor.
All pools point to Penelope Cruz will receive a nomination for Best Actress seeing the tour that you had Parallel mothers for festivals and competitions. Actress from Alcobendas made history in Venice be the first Hispanic to win the Volpi Cup prize. And Almodovar could also receive a nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
We have the closest precedent in 2019 when Parasites, South Korean film, won 4 out of 6 awards: Film, Director, Original Screenplay and Foreign Film. The South Korean Film Academy decided, after seeing the result correctly, that it was best to send it as representative of your country make more strength. This is exactly what the Spanish Academy of Motion Picture Sciences and Arts should have done in order to support the option that has the greatest potential a priori.