Nominations for Oscars, Rome and Preferred at the top and Kfar Nahum, represent Arabs

Hossam Fahmy

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in the United States, known internationally as the Oscar, announced Tuesday its nominations for the 2019 Academy Awards at its 91st session in late February.

The Oscars were the most important and critical achievement of the film's most important productions. In the official nominations for the Academy, Roma and Rome's "Favorite" dominated most of the nominations, each with 10 nominations.

The good news for the Arabs was the screening of the film "Capernaum" (Kfar Nahum) by Lebanese director Nadine Labaki for the Academy Award for best foreign film, and American actor Rami Malek nominated for Best Actor in a major role.

Film of Rome .. Mexican sweep
The most important name at the Oscars this year is undoubtedly the film of Rome by Mexican director Alfonso Quarron with 10 nominations, including nominations of the most important major categories, Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress and Best Screenplay, as well as a historic nomination that may seem guaranteed to Rome. A foreign film, where no non-English speaking film has won the honor of combining two nominations for best film and best foreign film since Austrian film "Amour" (Love) 2013.

The importance of Rome stems from the fact that it is a pure Mexican film, made by black-and-white Mexican director and author Alfonso Quarron of a story inspired by his childhood memories in the city of Rome in Mexico City in the 1970s.

The entire film is starring Mexican actors, mostly non-professional, and Quaron not only acted and directed but also managed photography and editing.

The work of the amazing individual Quaron met in this film with the vision of human femininity made the story of a poor maid is the center of events, to appear in the background of this story all the problems of Mexican society from the domination of masculinity, through the ruthlessness of the capitalist system, and ending the erosion of the policies of authoritarian governments, .

At the beginning of January, Quarron won two Golden Globe awards for Best Director and Best Foreign Film for this film, but now appears to be a strong candidate to win more Oscars.

Quaron is the first Mexican and even the first Latino to win the Oscar for best director when he won Gravity in 2014, followed by his friends Alejandro Inarrito and Guillermo del Toro in 2016 and 2018.

Favorite film .. Greek Lanthemus in his new dress
The big surprise was the screening of Greek director Yorgos Lanathimos for ten Oscar awards, about the story of Australian writer Tony McNamara and his writing partner Deborah Davies. The events unfolded in the early 18th century when Queen Anne came to power and how her relationship with her friend and server In changing the course of her life and her rule.

The surprise came when Anthemus ran for so many awards in his first film about a screenplay he did not write. He also spoke English in contrast to his habit of making self-written films and often spoke Greek.

However, in this film there is no absenteeism in this film, in addition to the presence of violent sex and language, which is also a surprise, as the Academy has in recent years not to nominate such films for its main prizes.

Best Actor Actor
This may be the fiercest competition category. The Academy announced the nomination of Rami Malek and Christian Bell for their roles in "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "Vice" respectively for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

The two stars have won the Golden Globe Award in the best actor category, the owner of the category of dramas, and Bill for comedies, and they have both presented a stunning embodiment on both the formal and the psychological levels of real characters.

Malik's nomination came after a huge public success to embody the legendary English singer Freddie Mercury, who left the world early due to complications of HIV / AIDS, learned the owner of pianist and vocals, as well as intensive exercises on motor performance for this film.

While Bill snatched his candidacy after embodying the character of former US Vice President Dick Cheney, Bill gained weight more than 20 kilos for this incarnation, using a special nutritionist after feeling that his body had been damaged as a result of his increasing weight and weakness over the three decades Last.

At the end of February, the prize will be awarded to Egyptian American Rami Malik to achieve what Omar Sharif did not achieve in the mid-1960s and become the first Egyptian to win the prize, or to achieve a long-awaited award from his fans after a long period of distinguished roles.

The film represents the Arabs for the second year in a row
The most important news for the Arabs in these nominations came from the Lebanese director Nadine Labaki, where she was nominated for the Best Foreign Film Award. This nomination shows Lebanon's name on the Oscars for the second consecutive year. The film "Issue 23" by Ziad Douiri is nominated for the same award in 2018 .

Capernaum has achieved a global cash success that began with his first screening at the Cannes Film Festival 2018. The film culminated in the Jury Prize. The film was subsequently nominated for a number of international awards, most notably the Golden Globe Award, before finally making history as an Oscar nominee.

In the village of Kfar Nahum, a young child, Zine Al-Rafi, a Syrian refugee who left her country after the war broke out, chose to play a talented child.

Kfar Nahum's chance is tough, with two of the most important productions of the year - "Rome" and "Cold War" - competing for the chance to win, but it is certain that this stage of candidacy has put Lebanon back on track. In a privileged position on the world cinema map.