83 COUNTRIES IN COMPETITION FOR 2014 FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM OSCAR®

It's almost Oscar time or so you would think by the record submissions by 83 countries for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category for the 87th Academy Awards®.  Kosovo, Malta, Mauritania and Panama are first-time entrants.

The 2014 submissions are:

Afghanistan, "A Few Cubic Meters of Love," Jamshid Mahmoudi, director;

Argentina, "Wild Tales," Damián Szifrón, director;

Australia, "Charlie's Country," Rolf de Heer, director;

Austria, "The Dark Valley," Andreas Prochaska, director;

Azerbaijan, "Nabat," Elchin Musaoglu, director;

Bangladesh, "Glow of the Firefly," Khalid Mahmood Mithu, director;

Belgium, "Two Days, One Night," Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne, directors;

Bolivia, "Forgotten," Carlos Bolado, director;

Bosnia and Herzegovina, "With Mom," Faruk Lončarevič, director; 

Brazil, "The Way He Looks," Daniel Ribeiro, director;

Bulgaria, "Bulgarian Rhapsody," Ivan Nitchev, director;

Canada, "Mommy," Xavier Dolan, director;

Chile, "To Kill a Man," Alejandro Fernández Almendras, director;

China, "The Nightingale," Philippe Muyl, director;

Colombia, "Mateo," María Gamboa, director;

Costa Rica, "Red Princesses," Laura Astorga Carrera, director;

Croatia, "Cowboys," Tomislav Mršić, director;

Cuba, "Conducta," Ernesto Daranas Serrano, director;

Czech Republic, "Fair Play," Andrea Sedláčková, director;

Denmark, "Sorrow and Joy," Nils Malmros, director;

Dominican Republic, "Cristo Rey," Leticia Tonos, director;

Ecuador, "Silence in Dreamland," Tito Molina, director;

Egypt, "Factory Girl," Mohamed Khan, director;

Estonia, "Tangerines," Zaza Urushadze, director;

Ethiopia, "Difret," Zeresenay Berhane Mehari, director;

Finland, "Concrete Night," Pirjo Honkasalo, director;

France, "Saint Laurent," Bertrand Bonello, director;

Georgia, "Corn Island," George Ovashvili, director;

Germany, "Beloved Sisters," Dominik Graf, director;

Greece, "Little England," Pantelis Voulgaris, director;

Hong Kong, "The Golden Era," Ann Hui, director;

Hungary, "White God," Kornél Mundruczó, director;

Iceland, "Life in a Fishbowl," Baldvin Zophoníasson, director;

India, "Liar's Dice," Geetu Mohandas, director;

Indonesia, "Soekarno," Hanung Bramantyo, director;

Iran, "Today," Reza Mirkarimi, director;

Iraq, "Mardan," Batin Ghobadi, director;

Ireland, "The Gift," Tom Collins, director;

Israel, "Gett, the Trial of Viviane Amsalem," Ronit Elkabetz and Shlomi Elkabetz, directors;

Italy, "Human Capital," Paolo Virzì, director;

Japan, "The Light Shines Only There," Mipo O, director;

Kosovo, "Three Windows and a Hanging," Isa Qosja, director;

Kyrgyzstan, "Kurmanjan Datka Queen of the Mountains," Sadyk Sher-Niyaz, director;

Latvia, "Rocks in My Pockets," Signe Baumane, director;

Lebanon, "Ghadi," Amin Dora, director;

Lithuania, "The Gambler," Ignas Jonynas, director;

Luxembourg, "Never Die Young," Pol Cruchten, director;

Macedonia, "To the Hilt," Stole Popov, director;

Malta, "Simshar," Rebecca Cremona, director;

Mauritania, "Timbuktu," Abderrahmane Sissako, director;

Mexico, "Cantinflas," Sebastián del Amo, director;

Moldova, "The Unsaved," Igor Cobileanski, director;

Montenegro, "The Kids from the Marx and Engels Street," Nikola Vukčević, director;

Morocco, "The Red Moon," Hassan Benjelloun, director;

Nepal, "Jhola," Yadav Kumar Bhattarai, director;

Netherlands, "Accused," Paula van der Oest, director;

New Zealand, "The Dead Lands," Toa Fraser, director;

Norway, "1001 Grams," Bent Hamer, director;

Pakistan, "Dukhtar," Afia Nathaniel, director;

Palestine, "Eyes of a Thief," Najwa Najjar, director;

Panama, "Invasion," Abner Benaim, director;

Peru, "The Gospel of the Flesh," Eduardo Mendoza, director;

Philippines, "Norte, the End of History," Lav Diaz, director;

Poland, "Ida," Paweł Pawlikowski, director;

Portugal, "What Now? Remind Me," Joaquim Pinto, director;

Romania, "The Japanese Dog," Tudor Cristian Jurgiu, director;

Russia, "Leviathan," Andrey Zvyagintsev, director;

Serbia, "See You in Montevideo," Dragan Bjelogrlić, director;

Singapore, "Sayang Disayang," Sanif Olek, director;

Slovakia, "A Step into the Dark," Miloslav Luther, director;

Slovenia, "Seduce Me," Marko Šantić, director;

South Africa, "Elelwani," Ntshavheni Wa Luruli, director;

South Korea, "Haemoo," Shim Sung-bo, director;

Spain, "Living Is Easy with Eyes Closed," David Trueba, director;

Sweden, "Force Majeure," Ruben Östlund, director;

Switzerland, "The Circle," Stefan Haupt, director;

Taiwan, "Ice Poison," Midi Z, director;

Thailand, "The Teacher’s Diary," Nithiwat Tharathorn, director;

Turkey, "Winter Sleep," Nuri Bilge Ceylan, director;

Ukraine, "The Guide," Oles Sanin, director;

United Kingdom, "Little Happiness," Nihat Seven, director;

Uruguay, "Mr. Kaplan," Álvaro Brechner, director;

Venezuela, "The Liberator," Alberto Arvelo, director.

The 87th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 15, 2015, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

The Oscars® will be held on Sunday, February 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network.  The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

REGINALD HUDLIN TO PRODUCE ACADEMY'S 2014 GOVERNORS AWARDS!

Good is good and talent is talent.  That realization, in Hollywood continues to bring gifted people-of-color to the forefront and into the spotlight.

This positive momentum is behind the recent appointment of filmmaker Reginald Hudlin being selected to produce the 6th Annual Governors Awards for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award will be presented to Harry Belafonte, and Honorary Awards will be presented to Jean-Claude Carrière, Hayao Miyazaki and Maureen O’Hara.

This was announced by Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs, who was recently re-elected to her post.

On selecting producer Hudlin for the coveted position, Boone Isaacs said: “With Reggie’s experience, unique vision and immense creativity, the evening celebrating those who have given so much to our industry is certain to be a memorable one."

"I’m honored to be working with the Academy again,” shared producer Hudlin.  “The collective impact of this year’s Governors Awards recipients on the evolution of cinema is immeasurable.  I’m a fan of all four of these legends, so producing a celebration of Ms. O’Hara’s performances, Mr. Carrière’s storytelling, Mr. Belafonte’s dedication and Mr. Miyazaki’s magic is a pleasure."

New York filmmakers know the savvy moves that Hudlin used to place himself in such stellar, cinematic company.  He worked hard and gave advice and opportunity to developing artists.  He built a community and continues to do so.

As writer, director, producer and pioneering entertainment executive, Hudlin received a Best Picture Oscar® nomination as a producer of “Django Unchained.”  Hudlin recently produced “The Academy Celebrates the Black Movie Soundtrack” concert at the Hollywood Bowl and has executive produced the NAACP Image Awards show for the past two years.

The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award and The Honorary Award, both which receive Oscar statuettes, highlight some of the industries consistent creative pioneers.

The Honorary Award is given “to honor extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the Academy.”

Carrière, who began his career as a novelist, was introduced to screenwriting by French comedian and filmmaker Pierre Étaix, with whom he shared an Oscar® for the live action short subject “Heureux Anniversaire (Happy Anniversary)” in 1962.

Miyazaki is an artist, writer, director, producer and three-time Oscar nominee in the Animated Feature Film category, winning in 2002 for “Spirited Away.”  He is the co-founder of Studio Ghibli, a renowned animation studio based in Tokyo.

O’Hara, a native of Dublin, Ireland, came to Hollywood in 1939 to star opposite Charles Laughton in “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.”  She went on to appear in a wide range of feature films.

The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award is given to an individual in the motion picture industry whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry.

Belafonte, actor, producer, singer and lifelong activist, began performing in theaters and nightclubs in and around Harlem, where he was born.  From the beginning of his film career, he chose projects that shed needed light on racism and inequality, including “Carmen Jones,” “Odds against Tomorrow” and “The World, the Flesh and the Devil.”  He was an early supporter of the Civil Rights Movement, marching and organizing alongside Martin Luther King, Jr. and often funding initiatives with his entertainment income.  Belafonte was named a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 1987 and currently serves on the boards of the Advancement Project and the Institute for Policy Studies.  His work on behalf of children, education, famine relief, AIDS awareness and civil rights has taken him all over the world.

“The Governors Awards allow us to reflect upon not the year in film, but the achievements of a lifetime,” said Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs.  “We’re absolutely thrilled to honor these outstanding members of our global filmmaking community and look forward to celebrating with them in November.”

All four awards will be presented at the Academy’s 6th Annual Governors Awards on Saturday, November 8, at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland Center®.

THE ACADEMY CELEBRATES 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF "YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN" WITH MEL BROOKS

LOS ANGELES, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will present a 40th anniversary screening of “Young Frankenstein” with special guests Mel Brooks, Cloris Leachman, Teri Garr and executive producer Michael Gruskoff onTuesday, September 9, at 7:30 p.m. at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.  Film historian Leonard Maltin will introduce the comedy classic and host a live onstage discussion with Brooks, Leachman, Garr and Gruskoff.

“Young Frankenstein,” Brooks’s 1974 homage to the Golden Age of monster movies, features a large ensemble cast including Leachman, Garr, Gene Wilder, Peter Boyle, Marty Feldman, Madeline Kahn, Kenneth Mars and Gene Hackman.  It earned Oscar® nominations for Adapted Screenplay (Wilder, Brooks) and Sound (Richard Portman, Gene Cantamessa).

Additional Academy events coming up in September at the Bing Theater in Los Angeles are listed below, with details at www.oscars.org/events:

“Let There Be Fright: William Castle Scare Classics”
The Academy pays a centennial tribute to William Castle, one of the most popular and prolific filmmakers in fantastic cinema, with double features, ghoulish giveaways and frightful freebies every Friday in September.

September 5, 7:30 p.m.          “The Tingler” 
September 5, 9 p.m.               “Hollywood Story”
September 12, 7:30 p.m.        “House on Haunted Hill” 
September 12, 9 p.m.             “13 Ghosts” 
September 19, 7:30 p.m.        “Mr. Sardonicus”
September 19, 9:10 p.m.        “The Night Walker”
September 26, 7:30 p.m.        “Strait-Jacket” 
September 26, 9:15 p.m.        “Homicidal”

“Why Be Good?” 
September 6, 7:30 p.m.
The Academy presents the U.S. restoration premiere of Colleen Moore’s final silent film, in which she plays a wild flapper with a dubious reputation who finds herself romantically linked with her boss’s son. “Why Be Good?” features a Vitaphone soundtrack with sound effects, hot jazz and Twenties dance music.

“Animation Masters: John Canemaker Celebrates Winsor McCay and Walt Disney” 
September 13
In this three-part presentation, animation historian and Oscar-winning animation director John Canemaker examines some of the art form’s most remarkable early achievements.

Gertie the Dinosaur and the Birth of Personality Animation – 6 p.m.
Long before any princesses wandered across the screen, animation’s first female personality was spunky Gertie the Dinosaur, who celebrates her 100th birthday this year.  Canemaker hosts a salute to Gertie and her creator, the prolific comic strip artist and animation pioneer Winsor McCay.

The Lost Notebook: Herman Schultheis and the Secrets of Walt Disney’s Movie Magic – 7:30 p.m. 
Canemaker, who is the author of The Lost Notebook: Herman Schultheis and the Secrets of Walt Disney's Movie Magic, explores the fascinating mechanical and optical processes that enabled the Disney artists to delight the eye with dancing snowflakes, erupting volcanoes and other visual treats, described in a recently discovered notebook by photographer and effects specialist Schultheis.

“Fantasia” – 8:45 p.m.          
Walt Disney took one of his boldest gambles with this dazzling 1940 feature, for which his top animators scaled the heights of imagination to provide visuals for some of the most beloved pieces of classical music, conducted by maestro Leopold Stokowski.  The film’s many highlights include Mickey Mouse starring in “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” and the haunting imagery of “Night on Bald Mountain.”

“The Color of Pomegranates (Sayat Nova)” 
September 20, 7:30 p.m.
The Academy presents a new digital restoration of artist, poet and groundbreaking filmmaker Sergei Parajanov’s1968 masterpiece, a kaleidoscopic biography of the 18th century Armenian troubadour Sayat Nova.

“Two Sides of George Stevens” 
September 27
As part of the Academy’s long-standing George Stevens Lecture series on directing, “Two Sides” juxtaposes two romantic dramas from cinematographer-turned-director George Stevens.  Both films in the series are new restorations by the Academy Film Archive.

“Laddie” – 5 p.m.
Eight years before receiving his first Oscar nomination for “The More the Merrier,” Stevens directed this 1935 black-and-white feature based on Gene Stratton-Porter’s novel.  This rarely seen film will screen from a newly restored print.

“A Place in the Sun” – 7:30 p.m.
Academy Award®-nominated screenwriter Richard LaGravenese will introduce this classic, based on Theodore Dreiser’s 1925 novel An American Tragedy.  Starring Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor, “A Place in the Sun” earned six Oscars®, including Stevens’s first for Directing.

Tyrone Power Centennial 
The Academy celebrates the centennial of one of Hollywood’s most handsome and charismatic stars of the Golden Age, Tyrone Power, with matinee screenings of some of his most beloved films.

September 2, 1 p.m.               “Marie Antoinette” 
September 9, 1 p.m.               “The Mark of Zorro”
September 16, 1 p.m.             “The Black Swan”
September 23, 1 p.m.             “The Razor’s Edge”
September 30, 1 p.m.             “Nightmare Alley”