The disputed Palestinian film Paradise Now, the tale of two childhood friends who volunteer to be suicide bombers, was nominated on Tuesday for a best foreign language Oscar. The film, by director Hanny Abu-Assad, is competing against France’s Joyeux Noel, Italy’s Don’t Tell, Germany’s Sophie Scholl — The Final Days, and South Africa’s crime drama Tsotsi, by Gavin Hood.
Gay cowboy movie Brokeback Mountain, Crash, Good Night, and Good Luck, Munich and Capote won nominations for the best picture Oscar.
Crash is Paul Haggis’s racially charged urban drama, Good Night, and Good Luck is George Clooney’s 1950s United States political drama, while Munich, directed by Steven Spielberg, tells the story of the aftermath of the 1972 massacre of Israeli athletes at the Olympic Games.
Bennett Miller’s Capote, starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, tells the story of legendary US author Truman Capote’s battle to write In Cold Blood.
Ang Lee’s Brokeback led the nominations, with eight nods, and is the clear favourite for the March 5 Oscars. – AFP
