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Veteran movie director sees no point in Russia participating in Oscars

According to Nikita Mikhalkov, "choosing a film that will represent Russia in a country that, in fact, now denies the existence of Russia, is simply pointless"

Russian Chairman of the Union of Cinematographers Nikita Mikhalkov Mikhail Metzel/TASS

Russian Chairman of the Union of Cinematographers Nikita Mikhalkov

© Mikhail Metzel/TASS

MOSCOW, August 26. /TASS/. Chairman of the Union of Cinematographers of Russia, Nikita Mikhalkov, is certain that Russia should not nominate any film for an Oscar with the US Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences this time. Such a nomination would be "pointless," Mikhalkov told TASS in an interview.

The Russian Oscar Committee selects a Russian film that might qualify for an Oscar in the Best Foreign Language Film nomination. Earlier, film director Andrey Konchalovsky told TASS that the political situation must not be allowed to influence the Russian Oscar Committee. He is certain that Russia should nominate its film for an Oscar. Alexey Uchitel, a committee member and film director, concurs with this view.

"I quit this committee. I think that it is absolutely irrelevant," Mikhalkov said. "The way I see it, choosing a film that will represent Russia in a country that, in fact, now denies the existence of Russia, is simply pointless." Mikhalkov recalled that he had previously suggested the creation of a Eurasian Film Academy as an alternative to the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which would distribute its own awards. Work on this project is in progress, Mikhalkov added.

Following the death of film director Vladimir Menshov, the Russian Oscar Committee has been headed by Pavel Chukhrai. The committee has to nominate a film from Russia in the autumn of 2022 that might vie for an Oscar award. Movies that have been or will be in commercial distribution from January 1 to December 31, 2022, can be nominated for an Oscar.

Contestants for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar category are nominated by countries themselves. Then the participant countries are selected. Russian films won this award three times with; War and Peace by Sergey Bondarchuk (1968), Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears by Vladimir Menshov (1981) and Burnt by the Sun, by Nikita Mikhalkov (1994). The 95th Academy Awards Ceremony will take place on March 12, 2023.

Nikita Mikhalkov is the President of the Moscow International Film Festival (MIFF). The festival opens on Friday and will last till September 2. TASS is the MIFF’s media partner.

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