Michael Moore won’t be causing a ruckus at the Oscars this year
Capitalism: A Love Story snubbed by the Academy Awards
In a surprising snub, Michael Moore’s Capitalism: A Love Story heads a list of high profile non-fiction features ignored in the long-list vying for a Best Documentary Academy Award Nomination.
The rotund polemicist had previously won the award for Bowling Columbine and pushed for his Palme D’Or winning follow-up Fahrenheit 9/11 to contend in the Best Picture category. The snub is quite astonishing although it may well relate to his controversial acceptance speech in 2002 where he used the Academy stage to badmouth then incumbent president George W. Bush.
Capitalism: A Love Story is joined, rather incredibly, by James Toback’s insightful Tyson biopic and one of the years best films Anvil! The Story of Anvil. Moore was also not the only former winner to fail to gain a nomination either. David Guggenheim, director of An Inconvenient Truth, and his film It Might Get Loud also constitute a notable omission.
Of the films that did make the list, the renowned Food, Inc and eco-doc The Cove are the two most high profile and rank amongst the favourites to scoop the golden statuette come awards night. However, of the rest of the potential nominees, The Beaches of Agnes could prove an underdog. A documentary focusing on the life and work of Agnes Varda, the French director, The Beaches Of Agnes is an endearing tale of a respected European film maker and could easily appeal to the Academy voters. Personally, however, my choice would belong with Burma VJ. The stunning covertly-filmed expose on the inhumane treatment of Burmese citizens and their brave attempts at uprising against subordination is a vital, miraculous work that incorporates the best of journalism and cinema into one emotionally exhausting documentary.
The full long-list of nominees is as follows:
The Beaches Of Agnes
Burma VJ
The Cove
Every Little Step
Facing Ali
Food, Inc
Garbage Dreams
Living in Emergency: Stories of Doctors without Borders
The Most Dangerous Men in America: Daniel Ellsberg and The Pentagon Papers
Mugabe and the White African
Sergio
Soundtrack for a Revolution
Under Our Skin
Valentino The Last Emperor
Which Way Home
