Despite achieving box-office success on both sides of the Atlantic, Juan Antonio Bayona's 'El Orfanato' has been left off the provisional shortlist for this year's Best Foreign Film Oscar.
Over the last few weeks alone, the film has netted nearly a million dollars in the USA despite only being shown at less than 70 cinemas nationwide.
The nine candidates, which were chosen from 63 entrants, are: 'Les Faussaires' (Austria), 'The year my parents went on vacation' (Brazil), 'L'âge des ténèbres' (Canada), 'Beaufort' (Israel), 'L'inconnue' (Italy), 'Mongol' (Kazakhstan), 'Katyn' (Poland), '12' (Russia), and 'The Trap' (Serbia).
Only five of these will make it to the final shortlist, from which the winner will be announced at this year's Oscar award ceremony, that is scheduled to take place at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles on the 24th February.
Bayona's 'Orfanato' chosen as Spain's Oscar candidate By: thinkSPAIN Thursday, September 27, 2007
'El Orfanto' (The Orphanage) by novice director, Juan Antonio Bayona, has been chosen as Spain's candidate for this year's Best Foreign Film Oscar, ahead of José Luis Garci's 'Luz de domingo' and Emilio Martínez Lázaro's 'Trece Rosas'.
The final shortlist of five will be announced on the 22nd January prior to the prize-giving ceremony itself on the 24th February.
'El Orfanto' stars former TV presenter, Belén Rueda (photo, taken on location), who won a Goya for her performance in Alejandro Amenábar's 'Mar Adentro'.
Described as an unnerving tale of terror and suspense with a surprising twist, the film is set in an orphanage on Spain's north coast, and also stars Geraldine Chaplin and Mabel Rivera.
It was received with a ten-minute ovation when it was shown outside competition at the Cannes festival, and will go on general release in Spain on the 11th October.
