"In Darkness" Nominated for an Oscar
W ciemności (In Darkness) by Agnieszka Holland is one of the films nominated for the 84th Academy Awards. This feature film, co-financed by the Polish Film Institute, received an Oscar nomination in the Best Film in a Foreign Language category. One of the nominations for Best Achievement in Cinematography went to cinematographer Janusz Kamiński for War Horse, the latest feature by Steven Spielberg. Nominations were announced on January 24.
In Darkness in Top Five
The list of nominated Best Foreign Film candidates includes another four films: Bullhead by Michael R. Roskam (Belgium), Monsieur Lazhar by Philippe Falardeau (Canada), A Separation by Asghar Farhadi (Iran), and Footnote by Joseph Cedar (Israel). The nominees were selected by members of the Academy from a list of 63 submitted titles.
Polish-German-Canadian Co-Production
In Darkness focuses on the story of a Polish man named Leopold Socha who helps a group of Jewish refugees from the Lvov ghetto find shelter in the city sewers. Risking his own life, he saves a number of men, women and children. With his help, they spend almost 14 months under ground. The role of Socha was played by Robert Więckiewicz. In Darkness also features appearances by Agnieszka Grochowska, Kinga Preis, Julia Kijowska, Marcin Bosak, and the German actor Benno Fürmann. The film was lensed by Jolanta Dylewska.
In Darkness was produced by Zebra Film Studio, and co-produced by Hidden Films Inc. (Canada) and Schmidtz Katze Filmkollektiv GmbH (Germany). The film was co-financed by the Film Institute, and received support from the Łódź Film Fund. Distribution in Poland is handled by Kino Świat.
Another Success for In Darkness
This nomination for the Academy Awards marks yet another highlight in the film’s recent string of success. On January 17, 2012, Agnieszka Holland’s feature was nominated for the 32nd Canadian Film Awards in the Best Screenplay, Best Editing, and Best Sound categories, having previously been nominated for the 17th Critics’ Choice Awards. In Darkness also received the Golden Frog award for Best Cinematography (Jolanta Dylewska) at the 19th Plus Camerimage Film Festival in Bydgoszcz, and the Best Director Award at the 56th Valladolid International Film Festival in Spain. The film was also recognized by audiences in Argentina and the United States, winning audience awards in Mar del Plata and Saint Louis respectively.
Nominations – and Then What?
On February 1, members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will once again receive voting ballots, and choose subsequently the winners from the list of nominees that was announced on January 24. Voting continues through February 21. On February 6, a meeting of all nominees for the 84th Academy Awards will take place. On February 11, the technical Academy Awards will be presented. The awards ceremony for all remaining categories will be held on February 26, 2012.
Further details available at: www.oscar.com.
Marta Sikorska
Translated by Karolina Kołtun