The Hurt Locker

Now we know that 'The Hurt Locker' became the most rewarded film and that Avatar didn't win in any of the major categories.

Some say that this was because it had become to commercially succesful but on the other hand, this has never stopped The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences when rewarding films.

I'm however quite satisfied with this development.

The Hurt Locker was of course a film, not only with a current topic but also appealing to an American audience as it more depicts the soldiers being dedicated to their dangerous work in Iraq - not least the bomb disposal expert William James (Jeremy Renner) - not as being a bunch of trigger happy maniacs. This is a guess from my side as I haven't seen this film.

From a french point of view, it was good to see that 'Logorama' by François Alaux and Hervé de Crecy won in the category Best Animated Short Film. Congratulations!

Another positive surprise was that Sandra Bullock won in the category Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance in the film The Blind Side.

This not least as she only a couple of days ago(?) was rewarded the so called Razzi Awards as wors actress in the film All Abolut Steve!

Even if she has acted in some very mainstream and light comedies I think she's a magnificent comedienne and well worth this award - that is to say the Oscar not the Razzi.

(Photo Kathryn Bigelow copied from: http://nighthawknews.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/kathryn-bigelow.jpg)
(Photo Sandra Bullock copied from: https://www.pinterest.com.mx/pin/355643701817633411/?nic=1a)

And the winner is.....

Tonight is the night for the Oscars once more.

For us cinephiles, this is no special evening as it always has been and still is the American Championship of Film - with a few exceptions - with one singular reward for Best Foreign Film.

It's the American Film Industry 'showing off' this night and when it comes to rewards if's often very predictable.

American films are by no means bad but they are seldom innovative and if they are, it's more thanks to those independent directors who still try to develop the Seventh Art into something different, something unique, with a special aesthetics and style, separating them from the mainstream directors whos only goal is to please all and noone - 'all' being the ordinary pop corn-eating film goers; 'noone' being the cinephiles.

Among the nominated films, I'v only seen Avatar and I have written about that film before but on our blog, Aurore's and mine: http://auroregunnar.blogspot.com.

The other nominees are:

The Blind Side, director John Lee Hancock. Seems to be 'the American Dream-Film'. The fantastic country - USA - giving everyone a chance to succeed!?

District 9, director Neill Blomkamp follow the monster-vampire-zoombie-trend we've been living in for a long time now. This trend will probably continue until the 'crisis' in the Western world is over?

An Education, director Lone Scherfig from Denmark, seems to be some kind of Lolita-story but maybe I'm wrong. Might be interesting as Scherfig has made some interesting films before, notably 'Italian for beginners'.

The Hurt Locker, director Kathryn Bigelow, is one of the very talked about films. Very up to date topically. She is somewhat up and down when it comes to her œuvres I think. Strange Days being one of her most interesting films in many ways, also a very 'up to date'-story, topically, at the time.

Inglourious Basterds, director Quentin Tarantino. Tarantino can also be a very interesting director but he also has his clear ups and downs. This film seems to be a very mainstream film but I haven't seen it so I shouldn't say.

Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire, director Lee Daniels. A feel good film, depicting the overweight girl being pushed around but in the end becoming 'something' or 'someone'?

A Serious Man, directors Joel and Ethan Coen. This film might be interesting but this statement is only made after reading about it and studying the plot. They have a special aesthetics however the brothers.

Up, director Pete Docter, co-director Bob Peterson. An animated film but I don't know much about it, unfortunately. Fun though that we have an animated film among the best films award. I give the Oscars committee an eulogy for this.

Up in the Air, director Jason Reitman. With George Clooney in one of the roles, this must be a film everyone likes or...? He does have some humoristic talents however, mister Clooney. I was not imprest by Juno by Reitman but this is another film and maybe better. Juno became very appreciated in Sweden and it won the Audience Award at the Stockholm Film Festival in 2007 (besides many other awards around the world).

Then there are all the other prizes but that's another story. Tomorrow we'll see who the winners were.

It's often a great show however, this must be said!

Starts within an hour now.

The Nobel Prize Award Ceremonies

The day of the Nobel Prize Awards is the one day of the year when we will be able to see the greatest amount of men dressed liked penguins and women in dresses in all the colours of the world (almost).

I last visited the City Hall of Stockholm in connection with a shooting of a film a couple of months ago. As extra in this film I did the role of one of many journalists. This time there will be 'real' journalists but also all the laureates, their families, our Swedish politicians, students and not least the royal family.

I have previously written about Herta Müller and from what I've heard the Nobel Prize Committee obviously found her reaction, when hearing that she had been rewarded, somewhat 'mild'.

This have to do with the fact that Sweden and not least the Nobel Committee expects every laureate to fall to the ground and praise them (and the Lord?) loudly. When this is not the case, they are disappointed.

I remember Doris Lessings reaction. She wasn't at all surprised being rewarded the Nobel Prize in literature, on the contrary she felt it strange not being rewarded earlier as she already had been rewarded other literary prizes!

I like this approach!

(Photo prize plaque copied from: http://cliqueway.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/nobelprize.jpg)

The Right Livelihood Award

Among the different awards in the world I would strongly like to propagate for The Right Livelihood Award, sometimes called the 'alternative Nobel Prize'.

The founder - Jakob von Uexkull - wanted to create a prize awarding people

making a great effort within different areas of society, not only within the scientific sphere, like the Nobel Prize, and not only stemming from the industrial countries.

Jakob von Uexkull

He even offered the Nobel Foundation to contribute financially, creating two new prizes (one ecological) but they turned his offer down, as the very conservative and rigid organization this is.

Without this - or similar awards - the work carried out by the Right Livelihood Award laureates would hardly otherwise be recognized, certainly not by the Swedish Academy.

I feel that it's important promoting the work and engagement within other sectors of society besides natural science, where the latter always have been revered and admired by not least ignorant and historically narrow-minded politicians.

We have to keep in mind that natural science always creates problems for society.

Even the discoveries meant to help humanity - medical discoveries e.g. - always have great side effects and very often causes more problems than it solves.

A great deal of human intellectual resources have also - as we all know - been used to create weapons and other kinds of destructive tools meant to govern and submit humans.

Most inventions, within the natural sciences, devastates our natural resources like forests, lakes, mountains and other biotopes.

We all know this but unfortunately our politicians - and not people in general either - seldom discuss these huge problems caused by scientists who often themselves are quite narrow-minded, only interested in their own career and making some 'revolutionary discovery', rendering them immortality!

Saying this, I'm not as naive to believe that the Right Livelihood laureates are a group of idealists only seeking to promote the good of mankind.

I just want to point out that I think that the work they carry out, seldom gets the attention it deserves, thus making this award very important.

It's however not only important for the laureates and their work but also important as a reminder to people in general that there are other kinds of commitments at least as important as the scientifical work and - I would like to add - sometimes more important.

The laureates 2009 are:

David Suzuki;

René Ngongo;

Alyn Ware;

and

Catherine Hamlin;

As two examples I can mention David Suzuki and Catherine Hamlin.

In the motivations for why they should be rewarded we can read (Suzukis first and then Hamlins):

-"for his lifetime advocacy of the socially responsible use of science, and for his massive contribution to raising awareness about the perils of climate change and building public support for policies to address it".

is awarded -
"for her fifty years dedicated to treating obstetric fistula patients, thereby restoring the health, hope and dignity of thousands of Africa's poorest women".

(Picture logotype copied from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_Livelihood_Award)

(Photo David von Uexkull copied from: https://www.rightlivelihoodaward.org/support/foundation/founder/)

(Photo David Suzuki copied from:https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiPvMuci6vlAhUxDWMBHV1wBt8Qjhx6BAgBEAI&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rightlivelihoodaward.org%2Flaureates%2Fdavid-suzuki%2F&psig=AOvVaw37NepUzgnrE7-fYgOXKd-8&ust=1571669481525089)

(Photo René Ngongo copied from: https://www.rightlivelihoodaward.org/laureates/rene-ngongo/)

(Photo Alyn Ware copied from: http://www.worldmarchusa.net/images/alyn_ware.jpg)

(Photo Catherine Hamlin copied from: http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2008/03/28/drcatherinehamlin_wideweb__470x318,0.jpg)

The Astrid Lindgren-prize to 'Banco del Libro', Venezuela

Svenska (English below):

Organisationen Banco del Libro från Venezuela har erhållit 2007 års Astrid Lindgren pris (Radions Kulturnytt om detta). Läs om: Astrid Lindgren.
Detta är en icke vinstdrivande organisation med sitt huvudontor i Caracas.
1960 lades grunden för denna organisation då ett bytescenter för läroböcker grundades.
Man har under snart ett halvt sekel genom olika projekt förmedlat böcker och lusten att läsa och skriva till ett oräkneligt antal barn och unga.
Man har också låtit bygga modellbibliotek, initierat skolbiblioteksnätverk, startat barnboksförlag med mera.

English:

The organization Banco del Libro have received the Astrid Lindgren prize for 2007.
This is a non profital organization with its headquarter in Caracas, Venezuela.
In 1960 the foundation for this work was laid down when a exchange center for textbooks (school books) where initiated.
Throughout nearly half a century this organization have tried to mediate the wish to read and write to an inummerable amount of children and young people.
The organization has also built model libraries, intiated networks of school libraries, started publishing houses for childrens books and much more.

(Photo exteriorally Banco del Libro copied from: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4xvYfpifv2BeG6JHpMl3vVL8eY67FVGJWfhmmORLg-k2C9ObWJE5CdPZzi52-A-gcSWVQc7hIGS94I0aw19p1A8UpmF3g7b6iOe5AssUfjP2cR-qyD8YYWywWQuoXrWtBbyIx/s400/EXPO3.jpg)
(Photo interiorally Banco del Libro copied from: http://www.alma.se/upload/alma/pristagare/2007/langre_pres_04.jpg)
(Photo interiorally at the bottom of this page copied from: http://www.bancodellibro.org.ve/img/tienda.jpg)

The Oscars

Svenska (English below):

Nattens Oscarsgala bjöd kanske inte på särdeles många överraskningar mer än att Martin Scorcese fick en Oscar för första gången i sitt filmliv.

Har ej sett filmen 'The Departed' men känner instinktivt på mig att detta inte är hans bästa eller kanske ens en av hans bästa filmer.

Han har många gånger varit nominerad och nu kände man kanske att det var på tiden att han erhöll en utmärkelse så att man inte behöver ge honom en heders Oscar för 'lång och trogen tjänst'.

Helen Mirren var också hon förhandstippad och jag kan, efter att ha sett filmen 'The Queen' anse att hon var väl värd denna utmärkelse.

Hennes agerande och utseende bestod inte endast in porträttlikhet utan det kändes som hon lyckades komma bakom eller rättare låta oss som åskådare komma bakom 'masken' Elizabeth II.

Forest Whitaker var också en på förhand tippad kandidat som redan tidigare vunnit ett antal utmärkelser vilket inte ökade överraskningsmomentet.

Filmen 'The Last King of Scotland' har jag dock inte sett men däremot har Whitaker gjort ett antal bra rollgestaltningar genom åren varför han säkert var väl värd denna statyett.
Ämnet är viktigt. Att visa upp en av de grymmaste diktatorerna under efterkrigstiden.
Enligt uppgift dödade han 300 000 människor under åren 1971-79!

Övriga vinnare kan ni läsa om via länken till Oscarsgalan.

Rent generellt kan man säga att denna gala kanske i glamourhänseende fortfarande har sitt intresse men ur ren cineastisk synvinkel är en sedan många år död.
Det är oftast ett amerikanskt mästerskap eller anglo-amerikanskt d:o och de verkligt intressanta filmerna hittar man sällan vid denna galatillställning.

English:

"And the Oscar goes to....."!

The Academy Award - 'the Oscars' - the 'gala' - is over.

No surprises tonight, with the exception of Martin Scorcese.
The fact that he won was not surprising from the standpoint that he often has been nominated in the past but never succeeded in winning this 'trophy'.
On the other hand - without being able to comment in detail on this film 'The Departed' as i haven't seen it - I don't believe it is his best film ever, not even one of his best.
Not least as it is a remake of another film, 'Infernal Affairs'.
He probably got the Award for 'long and faithful duty' within the film industry or for the fact that he should have been awarded before, several times.

Helen Mirren won the Oscar for best Actress in a leading Rôle and this was not surprising either.
After seing the movie - 'The Queen' - I agree that she was worth the prize.
Her acting and look was not only very portrait like but she also managed in making us as viewers to get the impression that she revealed something behind the 'mask' Queen Elizabeth II.

Forest Whitaker in 'The Last King of Scotland' - about Idi Amin - was rewarded an Oscar for best Actor in a Leading Rôle and this was not surprising either.
He has already been awarded for this rôle prior to the Oscar.
I haven't seen the film but it got good reviews, not least concerning his acting and Whitaker have done a lot of good acting through the years why he most certainly is well worth this distinction.
The subject is important though. Displaying one of the most cruel post World War II dictators.
According to some figures he killed 300 000 people between 1971-79!


On a whole one can conclude that from a cinephile standpoint this 'gala' is fairly uninteresting as it always - more or less - has been 'The American Championship of Films'.
It is dead as a promotion for qualitative and diversified films on a wide scale and world wide.
As a show it still attracts attention though.

To find interesting films one have to look elsewhere.

(Photo 'Oscar' taken from:. http://digitaldaily.allthingsd.com/files/2009/02/oscars_1.jpg)
(Photo Martin Scorsese taken from: http://www.lesitedelevenementiel.com/wp-content/uploads/martin_scorsese.jpg)
(Photo Helen Mirren taken from: http://www.wikinoticia.com/images/espectadoresnet/espectadores.net.wp-content.uploads.2011.03.helen_mirren.jpg)
(Photo Forest Whitaker taken from: http://img2.timeinc.net/people/i/2007/startracks/070226/forest_whitaker.jpg)