Whilst living in France I recall the remarks of Toscan du Plantier who was and probably still is someone of note within French film production. He had been at an Academy Award evening where Cyrano de Bergerac, dir. Jean-Paul Rappenau, 1990 was in competion for best foreign language film. the French didn't get it despite believing their film to be a winner. Du Plantier came back from this award ceremony, it wasn't his first, with a more jaundiced view of the award process. I can't recall what he said precisely, but it went something along the lines of: they, the Academy, give the award not to the best foreign film, because that might 'show up' Hollywood, rather, they give it to the most deserving of praise/encouragement, the not-quite-up-to-our-standards-but meretorious-nonetheless.

Regards,
Simon Sigley