In this day and age an Egyptian film getting an Oscar is pretty much unheard of, but this may not be the case for long. A panel of experts has chosen Ahmed El Saka’s movie ‘Al Jazeera’ (The Island) to enter the race for Oscar for ‘Best Non-American Movie’! The film was chosen because of the humanitarian themes in the movie and the outstanding production and performance by all those who were part of the movie.
‘Al Jazeera’ tells the story of an outlaw who challenges a corrupt police official only to be arrested and put on trial! Mahmoud Yaseen, Layal Elwi and Mahmoud Qabeel were all part of the panel of experts who chose ‘Al Jazeera’ but they abstained from voting for movies that they had been part of.
I truly hope that ‘Al Jazeera’ wins the Oscar, it deserves the honor and it would mean that Egyptian cinema is catching up with Western cinematic productions.
By Karim
The movie was chosen by the Egyptian panel of experts, and will be passed on to the Academy in Hollywood where over 50 movies have been submitted.
The Academy when then choose 4-5 movies that will get the official nomination...
Egypt always submits a movie to the Oscars...but it's never been officially nominated.
Last year it was Shaqet Masr El Gededa, and the year before it was Omaret Yacobien.
So, this is not an official nomination, which the article seems to say. This is just the beginning of a long road before the movie gets an official nomination by the Academy in Hollywood.
i hope for the best, he's a great actor and hope the movie will win.. good luck..
I haven't see the movie but I sure hope that it gets notminated because even if it doesn't win an Oscar it'll get a great publicity. It' about time the Arab cinema get some kind of representation in America.