Progressive Film at the Oscars

Reel Progress Films Make it to the Red Carpet

January 23, 2008

When Academy Award nominations were announced last month, five of the 12 films screened by Reel Progress in 2007 were among the nominees for Best Documentary Feature, Best Lead Actor, and Best Animated Feature Film.

The Reel Progress presence was most felt in the Best Documentary Feature category, where three of the nominations were films screened by Reel Progress.

Alex Gibney, who was previously nominated for “Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room,” has been nominated for “Taxi to the Dark Side.” Gibney also served as Executive Producer for fellow nominee Charles Ferguson’s directorial debut “No End in Sight.” This is the first nomination for Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine, who are nominated for “ War/Dance.”

Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud’s “Persepolis,” nominated alongside the likes of Pixar’s “Ratatouille” and Sony’s “Surfs Up” in the Best Animated Feature Film category, proves that even a challenging film steeped in the most complex of geo-political issues can be recognized in a category usually reserved for the likes of Pixar, Dreamworks, and Disney.

Tommy Lee Jones’ powerful performance in “ In the Valley of Elah” received a nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Although Jones has been nominated twice for his supporting roles in “JFK” and “The Fugitive” (for which he won), “Elah” marks his first nomination in the Best Actor in a Leading Role category.

Good luck to all the nominees.

To learn more about Reel Progress, the progressive film series sponsored by the Center for American Progress, please visit www.reelprogress.org.