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Record 61 countries vie for best foreign film Oscar
2006-10-20
A record 61 countries are vying for Oscars glory in next year's Best Foreign Language Film category, officials said, with Kazakhstan the sole first-time entrant. Academy Awards organisers announced the list of entries for the coveted prize roughly three months ahead of the formal announcement of nominations for other main categories at next year's 79th Oscars. The 61 entries will eventually be whittled down to five nominees who will all jostle for the most famous statuette in show business at the 2007 Academy Awards which take place in Hollywood on February 25. Spanish entry "Volver", directed by Pedro Almodovar and starring Penelope Cruz, has emerged as an early front-runner for Oscars glory, and has earned glowing reviews since its release. The movie is a tragi-comedy about four women, and part of the action takes place in Almodovar's native region of La Mancha in central Spain. Almodovar has already won a Foreign Language Oscar for 2000's "Todo Sobre Mi Madre" (All About My Mother). But "Volver" faces stiff competition from China's entry, Zhang Yimou's stunning "Curse of the Golden Flower" as well as Mexico's acclaimed fantasy-horror offering, "Pan's Labyrinth," directed by Guillermo del Toro. Bosnia's 2006 Berlin film festival Golden Bear winner "Grbavica" by Jasmila Zbanic is also entered. Russia is meanwhile harbouring high hopes for Fyodor Bondarchuk's gritty Afghan war drama, "9th Company", which has been selected after being released nearly a year ago. Kazakhstan's maiden appearance comes in the shape of "Nomad," co-directed by Sergei Bodrov, Talgat Temenov and Ivan Passer. Authorities in the former Soviet republic are reportedly hoping the film can salvage the damage done to the country's image by the satirical British comedy "Borat", which lampoons the nation. Oscars organisers meanwhile revealed Finland's entrant, Aki Kaurismaki's "Lights in the Dusk", had been subsequently withdrawn by the director's request. Foreign Language committee chair Mark Johnson is attempting to persuade Kaurismaki to change his mind and enter the film, a statement said.
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