A feature-length animated documentary filmed in Mandarin was chosen to defend Canadian colors at the Oscars in the category of best international film. Already winner of the audience award at the Hot Docs festival in Toronto, EternalSpringdirected by Jason Loftus, echoes the career of Chinese cartoonist Daxiong.
Posted at 3:00 p.m.
The film also evokes, through a combination of contemporary images and animations inspired by Daxiong’s illustrations, the 20e anniversary of a subversive operation in which the cartoonist took part to defend political and religious freedoms from the Chinese authorities.
Produced by Lofty Sky Entertainment, EternalSpring hits theaters September 23 in Quebec.
On the way to the “short list”
PHOTO PROVIDED BY LOFTY SKY PICTURES
A scene fromEternalSpring.
For the teamEternalSpringthe next step, always difficult to overcome, will now be to reach the second round, when 15 feature films, among the dozens that will be launched in the race (92 countries submitted a film last year), will be selected for this called the “short list”.
Earlier this year, the coveted Oscar went to Drive My Car, by Japanese Ryūsuke Hamaguchi. For now, only five countries have already shown their colors for the next race, including South Korea, represented by Decision to Leave. Park Chan-wook’s film won the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival.
Remember that in the history of the Oscars, seven Canadian feature films have been selected among the five finalists in the category of the Oscar for best international film. The Decline of the American Empireby Denys Arcand (1987), Jesus of Montrealby Denys Arcand (1990), Waterby Deepa Mehta (2007), Firesby Denis Villeneuve (2011), Mr. Lazharby Philippe Falardeau (2012), Rebelby Kim Nguyen (2013), without forgetting Barbarian invasions, by Denys Arcand (2004), the only Canadian winner in this category. Last year, drunken birdsa film by Ivan Grbovic, was chosen to represent Canada, but did not make it past the second round.
The short list will be revealed on December 21. The five finalist feature films will be announced with all the nominations on January 24, 2023. The 95e Oscar Party will take place on March 12, 2023 at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles.