COMMENTARY: Kaurismäki and the Oscars

By Veli-Pekka Lehtonen
     
      The Golden Globe Awards have long had something of a shady reputation.
      The distributors of the gongs - the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HfPA) - has been regarded as a secret society, as partly corrupt - and even with a tendency to cuddle up and curry favour with Tinseltown's stars.
      From the Finnish perspective, it was interesting that two nights ago, the Golden Globe in the Best Foreign Language Film category went to Iran, to a drama entitled A Separation ("Jodaeiye Nader az Simin"), directed by Asghar Farhadi.
      The film has also been considered as the number one favourite to win an Academy Award in the category for non-English-language films.
      In other words, the movie's ante-post reputation was strengthened ahead of the Oscars on February 26th. Aki Kaurismäki’s Le Havre is also competing for the same award.
     
Kaurismäki’s company Sputnik is not willing to comment on the details of the lobbying on behalf of Le Havre.
      Nevertheless, the essential marketing campaign has been run by Janus Films, which is the US distribution company of the Finnish movie.
      The time for lobbying is over.
      Preliminary information about Le Havre’s success in the States will be received on Wednesday, when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences publishes the list of nine nominees shortlisted for 2012 Academy Award consideration.
      I believe that Le Havre will be in the list, and so do many other people.
      For example the publications Hollywood Reporter, Indiewire, and Screen have all been flagging on behalf of Kaurismäki's latest release.
      Initially, a total of 63 countries sent their entries to the screening committee.
     
The route to the podium for the Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars is long and complex, and it is unlike that of the other couple of dozen awards given out.
      This is how Kaurismäki’s fate in this competition will be determined.
      Until recently, Oscar nominees have been presented to a few hundred professional members of the Academy, who will give scores to the movies.
      The six best films will qualify for the next stage.
      An additional committee will complement the list, which will eventually include nine final nominees.
      As a rule, the names of decision-makers have not been made public, but according to the weekly online paper The Wrap, the names of those who have previously participated in the voting process include actors Ryan Gosling, Keanu Reeves, and Mira Sorvino, directors Jonathan Demme and Nora Ephron, film editor Thelma Schoonmaker, and screenwriter Dustin Lance Black.
      The chairman, film producer Mark Johnson, is said to have been the most influential voter.
     
Once the nominees have been shortlisted, another 30-member committee will choose the final five Oscar nominees.
      A list of all Oscar nominees will be released on January 24th.
      Subsequently, 5,800 Academy members will cast their votes.
      At the end of February, the winner will be announced at the glitzy gathering in Hollywood's Kodak Theatre.
     
     
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 17.1.2012


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Aki Kaurismäki abandons his long boycott against Academy Awards (12.8.2011)
  Kaurismäki´s Le Havre wins International Critics´ Prize at Cannes (23.5.2011)
  New Kaurismäki film with refugee theme debuts at Cannes festival (18.5.2011)

See also:
  Godfather Kaurismäki and his new movie (13.9.2011)
  Aki Kaurismäki plans to shoot new films in Spain and Germany (4.11.2011)

Links:
  The Oscars 2012
  Golden Globe Awards
  Le Havre on the Internet Movie Database