best forign language film Oscar. Just the thought that it's being
even if it doesn't win. Keeping fingers crossed for Sunday.
http://samachar.com/showurl.php?rurl=ht ... msn_movies Toss-up between 'Water', 'Pan's Labyrinth': Academy memberThursday, February 22, 2007
Canada-based Indian filmmaker Deepa Mehta's visually stunning 'Water'
is in fierce Oscar competition for the best foreign film against
Mexican director Guillermo del Toro's fantasy flight
'Pan's Labyrinth'.
"There is fierce competition between 'Water' and 'Pan's Labyrinth'.
The Canadian and Mexican films are battling it out for the Oscar
Academy award," an Academy member told
http://www.hollywood.tv.
The question is not if but how "Water" will win.
'Water' ranked sixth of the overall top-grossing 15 foreign language
films in 2006, making $3.3 million.
When 'Water' first opened in April 2006, it played in only five US
theatres. By October, it was in 91 theatres.'Pan's Labyrinth'
("El Laberinto del Fauno") by contrast, opened in 17 theatres just
before new year and, according to Reuter's, has already raked in $40 million.
But when it comes to winning an Oscar, these statistics are of
little consequence. In the end, deciding which film wins comes down
to the voting members.
But just to get a nomination, the distributors wage an aggressive
ad campaign months in advance. Picturehouse, which was formed
two years ago by New Line Cinema and HBO Films, upped the ante
this year, giving 'Pan's Labyrinth' a better chance of winning an Oscar
by having it nominated for screenplay, art direction, cinematography,
original score and makeup.
On the other hand, other than campaigning for best foreign film,
Fox Searchlight has done little to promote "Water" in any other
category, let alone for an Oscar in cinematography, given the
exceptional camera work by Giles Nuttgens, who also shot Mehta's
other two films - 'Earth' and 'Fire'.
So if 'Water' doesn't win the Oscar for best foreign film, it will have
no other opportunity to play up its other strengths. A loss for 'Water'
would be an even greater shame as many of Hollywood's elite
filmmakers are quite impressed with it.
Legendary actor and multiple Academy award winner Clint Eastwood
said: "Cinematically, India produces some of the best films in the world.
I am very impressed with the colours, music and cinematography. It's
only a matter of time before the Indian film industry goes international
and is on par with Hollywood."
US producer Jerry Bruckheimer said: "Indian movie producers need
to make their products more international-oriented so that they appeal
to people of all backgrounds and genres worldwide. Once they take
this action, the Indian film industry will attract a global
international cinema audience."
"Additionally, Indian movie producers must increase their print
and advertising budget," said Bruckheimer, whose credits include
"Pirates of the Caribbean", "Black Hawk Down" and
"Pearl Harbor".
He added: "The only way for them to do this would be by
raising substantially more monies for marketing. The reason why it is
so expensive to produce movies in Hollywood today is because of
the exorbitant marketing budgets associated with the movies."
It's interesting that India, which allowed its rightwing extremists to
hound Mehta out of the country by torching her sets and burning
her effigies, forcing her to film it in Sri Lanka, is now brimming with
pride that an Indian film is up for Oscar consideration.
But 'Water' is a Canadian entry and its first foreign film nomination
since winning the Oscar for "The Barbarian Invasions" in 2003. If the
film wins, Canada will be celebrating. India, on the other hand, will have
to settle for a vicarious victory.
Twice before, in 2001 with "Lagaan" and again in 2005 with "Paheli",
the Indian distributors SET India and Eros, respectively, revelled in
the fact that their films had been nominated, but did little to promote
them.
Financially, their box office numbers were abysmal. "Lagaan" played in
34 theatres for less than a month and made under $1 million.
"Paheli" played in 68 theatres for less than a month as well and
reaped only $1.4 million in revenue. The nominations were simply
treated as an icing on the cake and regarded as nothing more.
The Indian distributors fail miserably in the area of marketing.
Outside Middle Eastern countries and the NRI market, Indian films do
not have much export value.
Because of the success of such films as "Moulin Rouge", which
borrowed heavily from the cinematic extravagance of Bollywood, or
the "Bourne Supremacy", which used Goa as an exotic locale, India
and Hollywood seem to be on the brink of participating in a highly
lucrative filmmaking partnership.
But Indian directors, producers and distributors have to make the
first move. They need to set up shop in Hollywood and not only fund
those films that would appeal to the international market, but also
be willing to spend their own money on the advertising and
promotion necessary to make a film a success and not rely on
Hollywood studios.
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