| Golden Globe Foreign Language
Nominees
History
of the Golden Globe Awards
In early 1944, a number of movie stars went to 20th Century Fox
Studios to see what a small group of foreign journalists, reporting from Hollywood back to
their homelands, had found to be especially interesting and worthwhile during the
turbulent preceding year. Lunch was served in the commissary, and all applauded when
"The Song of Bernadette" was declared best motion picture and Jennifer Jones and
Paul Lukas took home the honors (in form of scrolls) in the leading actress/actor
categories The journalists, all members of the Hollywood Foreign Press, decided that this
would be a yearly event for the purpose of delivering an impartial view on motion pictures
and their impact. In order not to be swayed and influenced by the powers in Hollywood--not
even the Academy Award choices--it was important to them that they give their awards
before the Oscars. The basic awards for motion picture, leading and supporting actors and
actresses were supplemented with a director's award the second year, an award that became
permanent.
Since 1955, the Golden Globes have honored achievement in television
as well as film. By 1962, the general public was invited to share in the celebration when
KTTV in Los Angeles first televised the awards. The Golden Globes Awards from the very
first were born out of a wish to create bridges between countries and cultures all around
the globe and have, over the years, kept alive, a feeling of celebration rather than
competition.
Wednesday, January 12 - 7: 30 PM
A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT (UN LONG DIMANCHE DE FIANCIALLES),
France, Warner Independent, 134 min. Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet adapts Sebastien
Japrisot’s hard-to-film novel and transforms it into a phantasmagorial tour-de-force.
Audrey Tatou (AMELIE) totally embodies Mathilde, a young woman separated from her lover
Manech (Gaspard Ulliel). Wrenched from each others’ embrace by the onset of WWI, the
two lovers struggle to find each other again.
Thursday, January 13 - 7:30 PM
Double Feature: THE SEA
INSIDE (MAR ADENTRO), Spain; Fine Line Feature, 125 min. Director Alejandro
Amenabar (THE OTHERS) and actor Javier Bardem (BEFORE NIGHT FALLS) relate the true life
story of quadriplegic Ramon Sampredo who waged a courageous, unrelenting struggle for the
right to die in the face of overwhelming odds. Amenabar supplies exactly the right balance
of drama and humor without resorting to sentimentality or strained seriousness. Bardem
excels in perhaps his most challenging role.
THE CHORUS (LES CHORISTES) France,
2004, Miramax, 95 min. Director Christophe Barratier’s story of a teacher opening up
new vistas to boys in a rigid boarding school through his curriculum of music. A light and
airy crowd-pleaser from France.
Directors Alejandro Amenabar and Christophe Barratier to
introduce screenings (TBC).
Friday, January 14 - 7:30 PM
Double Feature: HOUSE OF FLYING
DAGGERS (SHI MIAN MAI FU), China, 2004, Focus Feature, 119 min. Director Yimou
Zhang, hot off the success of his previous gorgeous martial-arts epic HERO, follows up
with this slambang swordplay adventure featuring Takeshi Kaneshiro and Andy Lau (FULLTIME
KILLER) as Tang dynasty police officials investigating a headstrong dancer Ziyi Zhang
(CROUCHING TIGER,HIDDEN DRAGON) who may be involved with the notorious revolutionary
faction, "House Of The Flying Daggers".
THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES (DIARIOS
DE MOTOCICLETA) 2004, Focus Feature, 128 min. Adapted from the travel
diaries of pre-Cuban-Revolution Che Guevara (Gael Garcia Bernal), director Walter Salles
follows college graduate Guevara and best friend Alberto (Rodrigo De la Serna) as they
motorcycle across South America before having to settle down into the world of grown-up
responsibility. Beautiful, funny and an unpretentious look at how hearts and eyes are
opened to the world around us.
Directors Yimou Zhang and Walter Salles to introduce
screenings (TBC).
Seminar with all 5 nominated
directors at the Egyptian on Jan. 15 at 1 PM. |
