> The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of > Global Dialogue & Democracy > >The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Refuses >Palestinian Film to Enter the Oscar Race >By Al-Awda >December 07, 2002 > >The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has refused to allow >any Palestinian-made films to enter into the Oscars foreign film race >because it does not accept Palestine as a "nation". The Palestinian >Authority tried to submit Elia Solaiman's film, "Divine Intervention", but >was refused, even though the film was highly awarded at the Cannes >Film Festival this year. > >Below is a response from a Hollywood Producer on this news lightly >mentioned in the film industry trade magazine, Variety. > >You may write/contact the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and >Sciences at: > >Academy Foundation >8949 Wilshire Blvd. >Beverly Hills, CA 90211 >Phone: 310-247-3000 >Fax: 310-859-9351 >www.oscars.org <http://www.oscars.org> >Email: [log in to unmask] > > > > > The Academy Goes to War with the Bush Administration in the > Oscar Race > >The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has decided to >refuse the Palestinian entry, "Divine Intervention", for the nomination >of Best Foreign Film, while accepting submissions from countries like >Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Chad. > >This decision has been expedited under the false pretext that the >Academy doesn't recognize Palestine as a nation. It would be >interesting to read the definition of "nation" as seen by the Academy of >Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. > >What the Academy knows and therefore reminds everybody, is that the >government of each nation is allowed to submit one film to represent >its country. This more or less defines the right for a film to be >presented. Therefore, as long as the Palestinian government had >agreed to submit "Divine Intervention" by Elie Souleimane, the >Academy had no right to refuse to include it in the selection, unless the >Academy, sitting atop its unchallenged power and authority doesn't >recognize the Palestinian government. That would be unfortunate. > >Even the Bush administration, although they would prefer that such >government doesn't exist, was able to communicate and negotiate with >Palestine, thus recognizing its existence. If Palestine doesn't exist in >the movie world, why then was the same "Divine Intervention" selected >as a Palestinian entry at the Cannes Film Festival this year? I'm sure >that by now, Palestinian filmmakers - and there are a few, very >talented people - wonder what nationality they are. Israeli? How ironic! > >As we very well know, the Israeli government would never choose to >send to Hollywood, a Palestinian film to represent its country. So for >the Academy, it's probable that Palestinian films simply cannot be >submitted, denying in a way, their right to exist. > >Sounds familiar? Isn't it in the Constitution of the Academy, or at least >in its principles, to promote art without any distinction of race, religion >or politics? Well, sometimes, the Bush administration would use the >phrase "in times of war." > >Now that art has to be put to the service of politics, it seems to me that >the Academy and the entire Hollywood film industry has lost yet >another piece of its credibility. > >By Phil Ed for Au-Cinema.com <http://www.au-cinema.com/> >http://www.miftah.org > >------- End of forwarded message ------- ---- Online resources for film/TV studies may be found at ScreenSite http://www.tcf.ua.edu/ScreenSite