[Image courtesy of CNN]
Sony Pictures Classics executive Tom Bernard pointed the finger at Best Foreign Film winner, “The Salesman,” in an non-tradional and aggresive manner. All this even before Iran's Oscar submission even won the Oscar. It all felt pre-ordained. It was a no-brainer. Farhadi's film was going to win.
“It’s fake news that will give Asghar the Oscar,” “The media has made the foreign race about a vote against Trump and not about the films.”
“He made one statement [about not attending the Oscars due to Trump’s Muslim ban). Then the media went and blew it up,” Bernard added.
As much as I do believe "The Salesman" deserved the Oscar and was my favorite of the five nominees, Bernard is on to something here. There is no denying that "Toni Erdmann" was the frontrunner of the category before the whole travel ban happened and the ensuing VISA problems Farhadi endured because of it.
This wasn't a win becase of the film's quality, but more a win for political reasons, which is not far off as to why Moonlight won Best Picture or Viola Davis and Mahershala Ali nabbed their coveted trophies. No diss intended on Barry Jenkins' movie, or the performances, which were all great, but this year's telecast was a clear and utter chance for a major political statement by the Hollywood elite. Self-congratulatory in a way. A jerk-off session or whatever you may want to call it. As I've stated before, no coincidence that Ali, Davis, Moonlight all won right after #OscarsSoWhite happened. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that.
As I told Hollywood Elsewhere's Jeffrey Wells last night: "Flashback to "In the Heat of the Night" winning post-death of MLK. I think in both cases the choice was mandated by the racial politics of the moment."
Some wondered if it might arrive this year, but its absence from the fall festivals and continued lack of a release date suggest Amazon/MGM may be holding it for next year.