Mexico, Russia, and Hungary submit for Oscars

Pan's Labyrinth

Well, I didn't find this in the press, or any e-mail I've received, but Guillermo del Toro's dark fantasy PAN'S LABYRINTH has been submitted as Mexico's BFLF submission for the 79th Annual Academy Awards®. The Hollywood Reporter reported it 28 September. Written, directed and produced by del Toro, PAN'S LABYRINTH will hit U.S. theaters December 29th, released by Picturehouse.

I did not see LABYRINTH listed for San Sebastián, but Toronto listed it as a film from Spain. Hence, my confusion. It is a co-production, and Mexico has submitted it while Spain submitted VOLVER. So, I guess Mexico claims it.

Should Labyrinth be nominated, it will join recent nominees from Mexico, Carlos Carrera's EL CRIMEN DEL PADRES AMARO (The Crime of Father Amaro, 2003), and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's AMORES PERROS (Love's a Bitch, 2001).

Russia named 9TH COMPANY (9-ya rota), and Hungary selected WHITE PALMS, directed by Szabolcs Hajdu, as their respective candidates for BFLF. COMPANY, the first feature from director Fedor (sometimes as Fyodor) Bondarchuk, is based on the story of a group of Soviet soldiers abandoned to their fate by negligent officers at the end of the Russian-Afghan war of the 1980s.

A bettle between Mexico and Spain for an Oscar® nod? Now, that would be interesting.