Iran’s “No Date, No Signature” misses out on Oscar
TEHRAN –(Iranart)- “No Date, No Signature”, Iran’s submission to the Oscars, has failed to make it to the shortlist in the best foreign film category.
Directed by Vahid Jalilvand, the film that won accolades in several prestigious international events, including the Venice film festival, was expected to repeat another success for Iranian cinema at the Oscars after Asghar Farhadi’s “A Separation” and “The Salesman”.
“Birds of Passage” from Colombia, “The Guilty” from Denmark, “Never Look Away” from Germany, “Shoplifters” from Japan, “Ayka” from Kazakhstan, “Capernaum” from Lebanon, “Roma” from Mexico, “Cold War” from Poland and “Burning” from South Korea were the shortlisted films, the Academy Awards announced on Monday.
The films have been selected from among 87 submissions to the category. Members will vote to nominate five films for final Oscar consideration.
“No Date, No Signature” was sent to the 91st Academy Awards amid calls from certain people for the Farabi Cinema Foundation, the organization that selects Iran’s submissions to the Oscars every year, to boycott the Oscars over Washington’s withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
“The Academy is a non-governmental institution and belongs to American cineastes,” Farabi said in a press release announcing the movie as Iran’s entry to the Academy Awards in September.
“In addition to the American cineastes, the Academy also enjoys filmmakers from Europe, Latin America, Africa, Asia, as well as groups of honorable Iranian filmmakers. American cinema, in particular the Academy members in their frame of mind, along with the absolute majority of the U.S. press and media, are the main centers for opposition, criticism and divergence against Trump’s populism and his racist and despotic policies,” the foundation added.
“Iranian cinema as part of the general diplomacy of the country, can use the Oscar competition as an opportunity to reinforce its ties with other nations, to influence public opinion in the world and, as a result, to increase the global pressure on the U.S. government.”
source: Tehran Times