The thing about Michael Moore and the Academy – they have kind of been there, done that. When people say to me, “Of course it wasn’t nominated; it was bad,” that means nothing. They have their own particular tastes, especially their Doc branch, which is notorious for choosing films in a bubble.¬†¬† AJ Schnack knows the scene a whole lot better than I do — here is what he had to say about the Oscar doc short list:
In my mind, the Academy’s list solidifies BURMA VJ, THE COVE and FOOD, INC. as frontrunners for the nomination – with perhaps a battle between THE COVE and FOOD, INC. for the award.
FOOD, INC. remains the only film that’s nominated at the Cinema Eye Honors, the Gothams and the IDA Documentary Awards. All three films are up for Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Feature Filmmaking at the Cinema Eye Honors, which are set to be announced January 15 – just before the Oscar ballots are due.
What strikes me about The Cove and Food, Inc. is that they are both clearly activist documentaries that will hopefully bring attention to something we all need to think about a little bit more. Both are going to cause much friction with big business. Just wait until Food, Inc. starts making some noise.
There are going to be a lot of interested parties ready to obliterate that documentary. Like The Cove, it has the problem of people not wanting to see it. If they do well at the Oscars, even if people don’t see them, they will, perhaps, become aware of what the films are saying. I’m too ignorant at the moment of the others on he shortlist to form a meaningful opinion. So we’ll just have to wait on that.¬†¬†AJ continues:
If I had to throw down on the other two nominees at this point, I’d go with Agnes Varda’s THE BEACHES OF AGNES, a kind of career capper for a great filmmaker, and MUGABE AND THE WHITE AFRICAN, which surprised when it led last week’s IDA nominations.
THE COVE is up for 7 Cinema Eye Honors, leading the pack at that event. BURMA VJ is up for 5, FOOD, INC. for 4. BEACHES OF AGNES is up for 2 awards at Cinema Eye – Directing and Animation. MUGABE will vie against BURMA VJ and 4 other films in the International Feature category.
