The Doc Shortlist Drama
angela
Recently, the shortlist for Best Documentary Oscar nominations were announced and there were many people with some strong feelings about it.
AJ Schnack, whose film, Kurt Cobain About A Son qualified under the Academy’s rules but was not selected, wrote a lengthy article. This point was particularly interesting:
Should we prefer a competent, conventionally styled film to one that swings for the fences, one whose highs hit us in unexpected ways, even if it occasionally falters in its risk-taking? The Academy and the IDA have chosen to stand on the side of conventional and competent.
Even more importantly, should we favor a film’s message over its craft? Here again, both the Academy and the IDA have answered resoundingly. Craft always comes in last.
Tricia Regan, whose film, Autism: The Musical, was on the shortlist this year, had this to say:
Many other people are talking about this.
I looked at the shortlist and had not heard of many of these films. (And I am someone who sees a decent amount of docs.) I was disappointed that The King of Kong, my absolute favorite movie of this year, was not on this list. I have a hard time believing that all of these films are better. (Yes I know this list is subjective.) And I do believe that the storyline of the film—a battle to be the greatest Donkey Kong player in the world—stopped it from being selected. You can’t nominate a film like that for the Academy Award. Well, I think you can but the “powers that be” obviously disagree.
Thank goodness the qualification requirements have changed for next year. Eliminating the multiple-city rollout will create a bit more of a level playing field. I am not naive enough to believe that this process will magically become fair but it will be better. Too much of this has to do with the quality of your publicity or the size of your marketing budget. I wish more of it had to do with the quality of your film.
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| Posted on December 7, 2007
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