Israel’s “Waltz With Bashir” got a double dose of good news this week when it garnered a Golden Globe for best foreign-language film while at the same time advancing in the Oscar race.
The two achievements solidified the film’s front-runner status and ups Folman’s chances to take home Israel’s first-ever Oscar at next month’s award ceremony.
“Waltz” is an edgy animated film by and about director Ari Folman as a traumatized veteran trying to recover his memories of the first Lebanon War.
On Tuesday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that “Waltz” had made its shortlist of nine semifinalists, chosen from among 65 entries.
The nine qualifiers will be narrowed down to five finalists by a selection committee this weekend. The five nominees will be announced Jan. 22, and the ultimate winner on Feb. 22.
Also making the list of nine was Germany’s “The Baader-Meinhof Complex,” which follows the bloody trail of the West German Red Army Faction that terrorized its countrymen deemed subservient to American and Israeli “imperialism” in the 1960s and ’70s.”
In his brief acceptance speech at Sunday’s Golden Globe show, Folman dedicated his trophy to the eight babies (including three of his own) born to the film’s production staff during the four years it took to complete the picture.
“I hope that when they grow up, these babies will watch this film and will see it just as an ancient video game that has nothing to do with reality,” he said. Also at the Golden Globe event, the sponsoring Hollywood Foreign Press Association honored filmmaker Steven Spielberg with the Cecil B. DeMille Award for his lifetime achievement.
Britain’s Kate Winslet took home the trophy for best supporting actress for her role as a former SS concentration camp guard in “The Reader.” She also won the best actress award for her portrayal as a suburban housewife in “Revolutionary Road.”
Veteran director Woody Allen showed that he was still in the game when his film, “Vicky Christina Barcelona,” won top honors for best musical or comedy picture.
Israelis could also take some vicarious satisfaction that the HBO drama “In Treatment,” which was adapted from the Israeli TV hit show, “B’Tipul,” won the best performance by an actor nod for Gabriel Byrne as the show’s psychiatrist.
