Oscars 2012: a somewhat different view

 

The Academy Awards occasionally include great films and artists in their ranks, but more often than not they come across as the emblem of an industry which understands film as a commodity, rather than an art form. Not that any of this is of interest to the mainstream media, which in this time of the year are packed with articles on the upcoming ceremony. Such publications may be rich in numbers, but they are often poor in terms of diversity; so why don’t we try to make room for something a little bit different for a change?  

TIME LightBox, for instance, has produced a rather unusual set of interviews with actors and actresses; some of them are Oscar nominees and some are not. Τheir interviews are beautifully shot in black and white from different angles, and include occasional close ups of their hands and faces. Content-wise the material is rich and dense, and the end result is a sense of intimacy, very much unlike the conventional interviews actors are often called to do in the context of the promotion of their films. I was particularly impressed by Viola Davis’ articulate exploration of the reason why the image of the maid has been seen as demeaning by the African American community, and the concomitant difficulties involved in playing such a role.

Although the lion’s share of attention goes to films nominated for the most popular awards, rare gems may be discovered in lesser-known categories just as well. The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, which is nominated for the best animated short award, is a characteristic example. The film is directed by William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg, and tells the story of Mr. Lessmore, a Buster Keaton-like figure who is taken by a storm resembling Hurricane Katrina to a land where books are alive. Bookworms and animation aficionados of the world unite? Most probably, yes. But above all, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore is great cinema: highly imaginative, visually stunning, and emotionally sincere.