JTA: The Global News Service of the Jewish People

Holocaust beats Israel

By Ben Harris · February 25, 2008

JTA's Tom Tugend discusses reaction to the loss of the Israeli film "Beaufort" in the Foreign Film Oscar category and continued Jewish dominance of Hollywood.

[audio:/images/archive/022508_harris_tugend.mp3]

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The Academy Award for Chutzpah goes to … the Academy

By Ami Eden · February 25, 2008

Okay, it's true that I haven't seen any of this year's nominees for best foreign-language film. Maybe "The Counterfeiters" was the best of the bunch.

Still, on principle, it bugs me: Israel finally has a great chance to win its first Oscar (for "Beaufort") – and loses to an Austrian picture about the Holocaust!?! To add insult to injury, it was written and directed by director-writer Stefan Ruzowitzky, a descendant of Nazis and/or Nazi sympathizers.

Yes, Ruzowitzky, was quite gracious in victory, paying homage to the Jewish directors who were exiled from his native land prior to World War II. But the bottom line is there should be a rule against Israeli films losing to Holocaust-themed movies made in countries that sided with the Nazis.

And don't get me started on Leni Riefenstahl.

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