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In Hollywood they are preparing to roll out the red carpet for the most
important night of the year- so what can we expect from Oscar this time
around? In one of the most poignant scenes in Whale Rider- the story of a young girl struggling to find her place in a male dominated culture- Pai (Keisha Castle-Hughes) dressed in traditional Maori costume, lips blackened and hair pushed back from her face, takes the stage at her schools end of year concert. Dedicating her speech to her absent grandfather, Pai speaks slowly, explaining, I come from a long line of Maori chiefs, stretching back to Paikea. I broke that line, and it is nobody's fault it was broken". Within this beautifully crafted scene and the ones that follow Pai accepts her circumstances of her birth (her twin brother died during childbirth, so as her fathers only child she broke the male bloodline), and makes the decision to prove to her Grandfather and the rest of the tribe that she is the true heir to Paikea and can become the Whale Rider. In the process Keisha Castle-Hughes exudes a confidence and ability far beyond her tender years. Aged only twelve when she was cast in the lead role in the adaptation of Witi Ihimaeras novel, Keisha Castle-Hughes (she was discovered by the same agent who discovered Anna Paquin, who won an Oscar aged eleven for The Piano) despite no previous experience has proved she is more than capable of carrying the film and steer her character through a huge range of emotion and depth. Now Keisha has made history as the youngest ever Best Actress nominee in the seventy-six year history of the Academy Awards. The competition is tough, with seasoned pro Diane Keaton also in the running for the prize. You would think this would be a little bit intimidating for a girl who is barely into her teens, but Keisha is proving that she is a force to be reckoned with- she may be following in pretty large footsteps but she doesnt seem to be a girl whos unsteady on her feet. In a recent interview she admitted she was overwhelmed to be nominated, but said that she couldnt decide what colour to wear at the ceremony and was wondering whether she would get to meet fellow nominee Johnny Depp, Hes like God she gushed. Whether or not Keisha finds herself in possession of a golden statuette come February 29th, what her nomination and that of Djimon Hounsou (In America), Ken Watanabe (The Last Samurai), and Shohreh Aghdashloo (House of Sand and Fog) does signify is a tide change. Theres little room in this years best of list for A-listers like Nicole Kidman, Jack Nicholson and Russell Crowe despite all appearing in hit films this past year. The Academy Awards have moved away from big starry nominations says Ian Freer, Associate Editor of Empire Magazine. Instead Oscar has cast his net far and wide, yielding a crop of nominees that is more global and diverse than ever before, Its a very international list and I think thats terrific says Edward Lawrenson, Deputy Editor of Sight and Sound Magazine. Any fear that independent films would be overlooked has not been substantiated, with City of God, In America and Whale Rider all being recognised by the American Academy. With 2004 being the year for recognising new and previously unrecognised talent, several actors and actresses have received nominations for breakout career defining performances. Naomi Watts is a case in point. After receiving critical acclaim for her performance in Mullholland Drive (2001), New Zealand born Naomi was hailed as one of the best actresses of her generation. After a couple of less well received films, Naomi Watts has struck gold with her harrowing performance as a grieving drug addict in Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritus gritty drama, 21grams and well deserves her Best Actress nod. Parts of her performance are unwatchable, said one American critic for all the right reasons. Similarly Charlize Theron has been commended for her transformative performance as serial killer Aileen Wuornos (she gained 30lb and donned heavy makeup for the role, making her even more unrecognisable that Nicole Kidman was playing Virginia Woolf last year). Having already won a Golden Globe and a share of the Best Actress prize at the Berlin Film Festival (joint winner with Sandino Moreno for Maria Full of Grace) this year for her performance in Monster, adding an Oscar nomination to the list is all the more remarkable given that Charlize has only been acting five years. In her short career, Charlize Theron has quickly established herself as an actress who isnt afraid to mix commercial movies such as The Italian Job and Sweet November with something a little more challenging. Perhaps the most surprising nomination this year belongs to Johnny Depp, nominated in the Best Actor category for Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. The film did good business at the box office and was definitely a crowd pleaser, but it doesnt really fit the mould as standard Oscar fare. Though with Bill Murray also receiving a nod for his performance as a jaded film star in Lost in Translation, we are perhaps witnessing a resurgence in the recognition of comedic performances. A few years ago Bill Murray announced that he was over the whole Oscar thing, saying that, if you want the Oscar really badly, it becomes a naked desire and ambition. It becomes very unattractive. Having been nominated for the first time in a career spanning over a quarter of a century, Bill Murray may just have got the taste for award glory, so far this year he has already bagged both the Golden Globe and a BAFTA for Lost In Translation. Lost in Translation tells the story of the unlikely bond that forms between two strangers who meet in a Tokyo hotel, and is a stunning and powerful second film from director Sofia Coppola. With two BAFTAs and a trio of Golden Globes under its belt, Lost in Translation has four Academy Award nominations, and is fast proving to be as successful on the awards circuit as it has been with critics. Having said this, there is a rather large hobbit shaped fly in the ointment. In any other year the safe money would be on Sofia Coppolas chaste love story to sweep the boards, but given the sheer weight and impact of Return of The King, the culminating part of Peter Jacksons retelling of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, its likely that Lost In Translation will find itself usurped by the hobbits come Oscar night. Win or lose, Sofia Coppolas Best Director nomination marks a piece of Oscar history as she is the first American woman to be recognised in this category, and only the third female director to be nominated (joining Jane Campion- The Piano, 1993 and Lina Wertmuller- Seven Beauties, 1976) and should Sofia win the Coppola family would become the second three-generation after the Hustons (Walter, John and Angelica) to win the Academy Award. Having spent her teens and twenties figuring out what she wanted to do, including a stint at art school, teaching herself photography and starting her own clothing line, Sofia Coppola finally decided to follow in Daddys footsteps, a decision she didnt make lightly, I didn't have the guts to say, I want to be a director, especially coming from my family. But a career in the movie industry seemed inevitable for the woman who made her on screen debut as the newborn son of Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) in the closing scenes of The Godfather. An ill-fated return as Michaels grown up daughter Mary Corleone in The Godfather Part Three (she was a last minute replacement for Winona Ryder) effectively marked the end of Sofias acting career which is probably just as well, as once she got behind the camera she really began to shine. Sofias determination was obvious, against her fathers advice she wrote the script for The Virgin Suicides when the option already belonged to someone else (pouncing as soon as the deal fell through) and has acknowledged that the Coppola name has been both a help, I think this movie [Lost in Translation] would have taken maybe twice as many years to get made if my last name was Smith Everyone has to do whatever they can to get a movie made. I get phone calls returned probably faster because of my last name, and a hindrance, I guess that most kids from known families, theres a clich that they dont work as hard. But Im definitely a hard worker, and I dont think about proving myself. When youre working with people, they can tell whether or not you know what youre talking about. Anthony Minghellas Civil War epic, Cold Mountain has also found itself in a position it wasnt expecting to be in. Despite cranking up an impressive seven nominations, Cold Mountain was overlooked in the Best Film and Best Director categories and failed to net the nomination it expected for Nicole Kidman (although Jude Law and Renee Zellweger were nominated) - Miramax boss Harvey Weinstein blames the films US December release date and the shortened Oscar season on his film failing to bring home the top nominations. For the first time in twelve years, Miramax doesnt have a Best Picture contender in the mix, and despite for the third year in a row picking up 15 nominations for the company as a whole, Weinstein says that The fact that the Oscars will be held in February this year, rather than the traditional March, has changed the whole positioning of movies and that they plain ran out of people who had seen the movie. It may be just a case of sour grapes- Cold Mountain was less well received by American audiences, with some Oscar voters reportedly saying that they had found the film oppressive and austere. Whatever the reason Weinstein has said that Miramax will bring forward the release of Neverland starring Johnny Depp to October and Martin Scorseses The Aviator to November in a bid to secure 2005 Oscar nominations. This year sees the welcome return of Billy Crystal to the Academy Awards as he resumes his role as presenter for the eighth time. This year also sees the return of glitz and glamour to the proceedings after last years more sombre atmosphere after the outbreak of war in Iraq. Fashion co-ordinator for this years ceremony, Patty Fox says, It will definitely be full out glamour on the red carpet Its all about fashion and then once were inside the theatre its all about film. Its basically an event where the highest form of fashion art meets the highest form of film art and the two are this creative synergy. One addition to this years ceremony will be the introduction of a five second delay on the TV broadcast, introduced in the wake of the controversy over Janet Jacksons performance at the Super Bowl, which generated over 200,000 viewer complaints. Academy president, Frank Pierson has slammed the networks decision, calling it a form of censorship despite reassurances that the delay will omit only profanity. With Hollywood hotting up for what industry insiders are calling one of the most open races in recent Oscar history, no doubt there will be a few surprises on the night. Says Steven Gaydos, Executive Editor of Variety Magazine; I think this is an odd year- there is no clear consensus across the board You cant say LOTR is a sure thing at the Oscars. A fantasy film has never won in 76 years and a lot of people in the acting branches are not impressed. They will be leaning more towards Mystic River, driven more by reality and a social element. Couple this with the fact that this year there are a mere thirty-three days between the announcement of the nominations and the opening of the envelopes, the pressure has really been on for the industry to promote their films whilst staying within newly implemented rules designed to limit aggressive campaigning by film distributors. Come February 29th though, all eyes will be on those working their way down the red carpet, keep your eyes peeled for a bright eyed thirteen year old wont you? And if you happen to see Johnny Depp, please point him in Keishas direction. By Emma Dixon AUTHOR: Emma Dixon  TAGS: Entertainment festival oscars Film Culture Movies BOOKMARK: Digg it | Add to Del.ICIO | Add to FARK ACTIONS: Comment Save Print Register free acount 
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