Lust, Caution and The Kite Runner to vy for Bafta foreign film award
Story by Jack Foley
ANG Lee’s sexually explicit thriller Lust, Caution and Marc Forster’s controversial Afghanistan-based drama The Kite Runner are among five movies up for Bafta’s 2008 foreign film award.
Lee’s work is based upon a short story by revered Chinese writer Eileen Chang, while Forster’s moving story is based upon the best-seller by Khaled Hosseini. Both are seen as possible Oscar contenders.
But they face stiff competition from last year’s Best Foreign Language Oscar winner, The Lives Of Others, as well as Edith Piaf biopic La Vie En Rose and Cannes hit The Diving Bell & The Butterfly.
The nominees were announced before the main categories are revealed on January, 16, 2008 in order to give Bafta members more time to view the five films in contention.
The shortlist was decided by a newly-formed Chapter made up of Academy voting members with specific foreign film expertise.
Commenting on the nominations, Finola Dwyer, chairman of BAFTA’s Film Committee, said: “We are delighted to be able to announce the contenders for this award today, chosen by BAFTA members who watch a large number of foreign language films and who have a great interest in world cinema.”
Last year’s foreign film Bafta was deservedly awarded to Spanish language fantasy Pan’s Labyrinth, from Mexico’s Guillermo del Toro.
This year’s Bafta ceremony takes place on February 10 at London’s Royal Opera House.