Jolie’s acclaimed war film snubbed on Oscar shortlist
Angelina Jolie’s critically praised Cambodian film, “First They Killed My Father,” will not contend for an Oscar in 2018.
Jolie’s Netflix passion project — which she co-wrote, produced and directed — had been selected as the Cambodian entry in the best foreign film category for the 90th Academy Awards on March 4.
But the film was not on the shortlist of nine candidates for five nominations that were announced Thursday by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Ninety-two films had originally been considered in the foreign film category.
Unveiling “First They Killed My Father” to acclaim at September’s Toronto Film Festival, Jolie said she made the film for the people of Cambodia and also for her Cambodian-born son, Maddox, 16, who has an executive producer credit.
Written by Jolie and Cambodian activist Loung Ung and based on Ung’s memoir of the same name, “First They Killed My Father,” witnesses the country’s Khmer Rouge takeover through the perspective of a five-year-old Cambodian girl.
Jolie read Ung’s book in 2000, when she shot “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” in the country.
The film was critically wellreceived with an 88 per cent critical approval score on the aggregate review site RottenTomatoes.com.
The final foreign film Oscar nominations will be announced on Jan. 23.
Here’s the shortlist of foreign films still in the running.
Chile: “A Fantastic Woman,” Sebastian Lelio, director;
Germany: “In the Fade,” Fatih Akin, director;
Hungary: “On Body and Soul,” Ildiko Enyedi, director;
Israel: “Foxtrot”, Samuel Maoz, director;
Lebanon: “The Insult,” Ziad Doueiri, director;
Russia: “Loveless” Andrey Zvyagintsev, director;
Senegal: “Felicite,” Alain Gomis, director;
South Africa: “The Wound,” John Trengove, director;
Sweden: “The Square,” Ruben Ostlund, director.