Kambuzia Partovi's Café Transit / Border Café, the story of an Iranian widow who encounters a number of social and personal obstacles once she begins managing her late husband's roadhouse (a practice forbidden in Iran), has been chosen as the Iranian entry for the 2006 Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award. The film's star, Fereshteh Sadr-Orafaii won the Best Actress Award at the 9th Iran Cinema Celebration last year.
According to Payvand, Border Café was selected from among three other films, Asghar Farhadi's Chaharshanbeh-Suri, Bahman Farmanara's A Little Kiss, and Maziar Miri's Slowly.
The Israeli Academy of Film and Television has submitted Adama Meshuga'at / Sweet Mud, co-winner of Israel's 2006 Ophir Awards, as the Israeli entry for the Oscars. The choice — much like the film's Ophir (co-)win — came as a surprise.
Aviva Ahuvati / Aviva My Love was considered the film to beat at the Ophirs (and it did share the Best Film award), and seemed to be the most likely choice for the Oscars. But then again, Dror Shaul's semi-autobiographical Sweet Mud is a coming-of-age tale involving a boy growing up in a kibbutz in the 1970s. Foreign-Language Film Academy voters — average age: 117, give or take a few months — tend to like movies that feature little boys' growing pains (Les Choristes / The Chorus, La Vita è bella / Life Is Beautiful, Central do Brasil / Central Station, Kolya, Bacheha-Ye aseman / Children of Heaven). In other words, the Israeli Academy clearly knew on which film they should place their Oscar bets.
The Alt Film Guide would like to thank Aviad Shamir for letting us know about the Sweet Mud selection.
54th Donostia-San Sebastián Film Festival – 2006 Award Winners