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- Brazil not to present 'Elite Squad' for Oscar nomination
Date: 27-Sep-2007 Sources: (Xinhua Online)
RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- A jury announced on Wednesday that it has decided not to recommend the popular hit 'Elite Squad' as a nomination candidate for Oscar best foreign language film for 2008.
Instead, the jury, composed of critics, filmmakers and journalists, chose 'The Year My Parents Went on Vacations' to represent Brazil in the competition with other productions from countries all over the world for one of the five Oscar nominations to the category.
Dealing with many controversial issues like criminal activities and police actions in Rio, 'Elite Squad' itself also produced controversy due to its popularity generated largely by pirates copiers in the country.
The film, whose nationwide premiere is scheduled for Oct. 12, started to be screened in only one theater in Sao Paulo last week, in order to be able to join the race.
'We all particularly liked 'Elite Squad,' but I think it follows too much the standard of U.S. TV series,' said critic and jury member Rubens Ewald.
'The Year My Parents Went on Vacations,' by director Cao Hamburger, was released in Nov. 2006. It took part in competitions at the 2007 Berlin International Film Festival, and received acclaims from critics. It also presented a good box-office performance.
Most members of the U.S. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are over 60 and 'do not like violence very much,' said Ewald.
''The Year' is an original film, which portrays the relationship between a child and an old man. There are all reasons for them to like it,' explained Ewald.
'The Year My Parents Went on Vacation' will be distributed in over 20 countries, including Spain, Italy, France, Israel and Canada. The U.S. premiere will take place in December in New York and Los Angeles, and in other 25 cities after that. The distribution of 'Elite Squad' in the United States was confirmed on Jan. 25.
As both films are to be screened in the United States, they will be able to run for Oscar nominations in other categories in 2009.
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