In the last two Oscar races, Israel’s entries for best foreign-language film were among the select five finalists – “Waltz with Bashir” last year, and “Beaufort” in 2008.
Both movies dealt with Israel’s wars in Lebanon, and this year the Israel film academy had the choice of sending “Lebanon,” a powerful picture on the same conflict, to Hollywood.
However, since neither of the previous war movies had won the top prize, the Israeli academy decided to switch topics, according to various commentators.
The choice as Israel’s best picture of the year, and automatically the country’s entry in the Oscar race, was “Ajami,” a first-class film on Arab-Jewish life and tensions in a mixed quarter of Jaffa.
Whatever the rationale, “Ajami” has so far not turned on American film critics.
Though it ain’t over until the ballots are counted, as this point it seems unlikely that “Ajami” will make it onto the list of finalists.
While last year, the Golden Globes pick was for best foreign film was “Waltz With Bashir,” in the 2010 nominations, announced Tuesday (Dec. 15), the Israeli entry struck out.
The new Globes list includes two foreign films which have generated the most buzz so far, “The White Ribbon” from Germany and France’s “A Prophet.” Also among the Globes finalists are Italy’s “Baaria,” Spain’s “Broken Embraces” and Chile’s “The Maid.”
In other picks so far, the Los Angeles Film Critics Assn. chose another French drama, “Summer Hours,” as best foreign film, while the New York Film Critics Circle opted for “The White Ribbon.”
In these Hollywood beauty contests, upsets are the norm, but if somebody wants a sure bet in one of the main Oscar categories, it would be on Christoph Waltz.
The Austrian actor, playing a suave and sadistic Nazi officer, who is finally bested by a bunch of hard-nosed American Jewish soldiers in “Inglourious Basterds” tops every best supporting actor list so far. – Tom Tugend
Editor's Picks
What Ever Happened to the LA Times?
Dan Schnur
Who Are the Jews On Joe Biden’s Cabinet?
Ryan Torok
No Labels: The Group Fighting for the Political Center
Larry Greenfield
Latest Articles
Performative Actions Must Stop
Samuel J. Abrams
Change Is Good – A poem for Parsha Tzav
Rick Lupert
A Bisl Torah – Hope Revealed
Rabbi Nicole Guzik
The Unraveling of Candace Owens
Orit Arfa
Longing for Shushan after October Seventh
Gershon Hepner
A Moment in Time: “Thinking Outside of the Box”
Rabbi Zach Shapiro
Culture
A Love Letter to ‘The Jewish Holiday Table’
Debra L. Eckerling
Moroccan Fish: A Taste of Casablanca for Passover
Sharon Gomperts and Rachel Emquies Sheff
Katie Workman: The Mom 100, Comfort Food and Ground Turkey Tacos
Debra L. Eckerling
Print Issue: Got College? | Mar 29, 2024
March 28, 2024
With the alarming rise in antisemitism across many college campuses, choosing where to apply has become more complicated for Jewish high school seniors. Some are even looking at Israel.
Rabbis of LA | Grief Helped Pave a Career Highway for Rabbi Anne Brener
March 28, 2024
Her father died when she was an infant; when she was 23, her mother and 18-year-old sister died three months apart.
New York Jewish Couple Redefines Kosher Wine Market
March 28, 2024
“We want Jews to stop drinking terrible wines or good wines that are overpriced. They don’t need to compromise anymore.”
Campus Watch March 28, 2024
March 28, 2024
A roundup of incidents, good and bad, happening on school campuses.
Hollywood
Podcasts
Katie Workman: The Mom 100, Comfort Food and Ground Turkey Tacos
Debra L. Eckerling
Jamie Pachino: “So Help Me Todd,” Food on TV and Chocolate Chip Cake
Debra L. Eckerling