Wednesday
31Dec
AFI Finally Acknowledges Existence of 'Slumdog Millionaire'
Wednesday, December 31, 2008 at 11:39AM
Earlier this awards season, I had a thing or two to say
about the ten best films of 2008 as voted by the
American Film
Institute. There's nothing wrong with anything on the list; you won't
find The Happening on there anywhere.
I took my fair share of ridicule for assailing the exclusion, both here and in a column written by Variety's Anne Thompson, who happens to be an AFI member. "Yes, we left off Slumdog Millionaire--the creators and backers of the film must be primarily American," she wrote, adding condescendingly, "It's the American Film Institute!" Well, frankly, that's horseshit. Who cares if it's American? Are you more concerned with film or geography? Again I ask, what makes a movie "American"?
Here are some films that have made the cut for AFI lists since 2001: Moulin Rouge!, the Irish-American co-production In America, Babel, the French-American co-production The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, the Colombian-American production Maria Full of Grace, and all three Lord of the Rings movies.
Would anyone call Peter Jackson and his Kiwi crew American, even if Time-Warner gave them the money? What about Babel? Where's the American creator in that equation? Ditto Moulin Rouge! and In America. If it needs both American "creators and backers" then this year's list shouldn't include films made by foreign directors, canceling out The Dark Knight.
Slumdog Millionaire was partially financed by Warner Bros. through the now-defunct Warner Independent Pictures. According to Boyle, the studio kicked in $5 million of its $13 million budget. Just think: If this had been a $9 million movie, it could've qualified as being "American."
Ridiculous. It's much the same argument I repeat every year about the Best Foreign Language Film category. Does the language make it a better film? Would Once stand out if it were in French any more than it does in English? No. The language is a superfluous point. AMPAS should be honoring filmmakers in countries like Ireland, Japan, Turkey, Bolivia, or wherever. The award should be for films that don't have the advantages of film financing we enjoy in the United States and in maybe ten other countries with viable international exports. But instead of having an international film award that highlights movies from English-speaking countries alongside foreign language films, it has to be in a foreign language.
For the AFI, its distinction means leaving out Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Amelie, Amores Perros, Let the Right One In, and countless others. And for what? So we can make sure The Human Stain, Happy Feet, and The Devil Wears Prada get their days in the sun? OK then.
But now the AFI has reversed field in some respects, acknowledging Slumdog Millionaire as a Moment of Significance in 2008. What the hell is that? I'm glad you asked:
"AFI Moments of Significance may include accomplishments of considerable merit; influences with either a positive or negative impression; trends, either new or re-emerging; anniversaries or memorials of special note; and/or movements in new technologies, education, preservation, government or other areas that impact the art film, television and digital media."
Said the group of Slumdog, "[It] is a signpost in America's search for greater authenticity in its stories." Yes, it is...just don't confuse it with being "American" or being one of the best films of the year.
Colin Boyd | Permalink | in AFI, Critics, Danny Boyle, Lists, Slumdog Millionaire | Print Article | Email Article | 7 Comments
Reader Comments (7)
It's great that the movie has finally been recognized. It's a very good movie, but there is simply no way it is the best movie of the year. I mean, have you seen the damn thing? It's so riddled with cliches, so utterly predictable, so wholly and completely unbelievable. The presentation was good, it was a fun ride, and they really did a brilliant job showing a true India to us westerners, but I have trouble saying much more than that. And despite what were almost universally positive reviews from the press, there were few gushing reviews, and I think that sums up this movie perfectly. While regarded as a good movie by nearly everyone out there, few can call it great.
Not to drop to personal attacks or anything but I believe Variety's Anne Thomspon to be one of many film 'critics' that are horribly out of touch with the exciting changes in the landscape of modern cinema. First I agree wholeheartedly with the cry "Who cares if it's American? Are you more concerned with film or geography?" Perhaps if great foreign films were acknowledged by the AFI they wouldn't have to make American remakes of "let the right one in" and "the lives of others." Like every other globalized industry its time for the AFI to include the wealth of great films from around the globe in their deliberations instead of focussing on just the ten best americans, who, as you said, are not composed of wholly american financing or talent. Wake up Variety.
[Yes, I am also still bitter about Speed Racer not being shortlisted for Oscar effects awards and like the academy Variety's Anne Thompson also deemed it unworthy - sorry I forgot how groundbreaking the special effects in Quantum of Solace are... I haven't seen a good car/boat/plane chase like that since before I was bloody born!!! Lets celebrate the new and innovative, not the stale and redone.)
Not to nitpick, but Chris Nolan holds dual citizenship. Of course Bale, Oldman, Ledger and Cain don't.
AFI = Racists
I'm not saying Anne Thompson's out of touch; in fact, I find myself in agreement with her on nearly every major point she's made over the past few years. But the "It's the American Film Institute" line is pretty dismissive, frankly, especially when you look at the great many films that the AFI has simply chosen to ignore because they're not from around here. There's simply no logic to it, because "American" is such a loose term.
How is Moulin Rouge! eligible? Because Fox bankrolled it or because John Leguizamo's the worst thing about it and he's from New York? It wasn't made here. Most of the cast members are from foreign countries, the crew is primarily Australian, and it's about a place in France. I'm being a little sarcastic here, but hopefully you understand the illustration.
Really, the inclusion of the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy has nothing to do with Jackson, nor Andrew Lesnie, nor the brilliant artists at WETA, if you believe the logic that its "creators and backers" have to be primarily American. The only thing the AFI is acknowledging in that case is the money trail, and that's just asinine.
I think the AFI does some good things for film, but it's a backward notion for a group representing a country built on cultural and ethnic diversity to proudly and defiantly shun some of the greatest films in a given year as well as some of the greatest films ever made on the basis that they're not "American" enough.
The AFI situation reminds me of what happened two years ago regarding Letters From Iwo Jima. The Golden Globes had to list it as a foreign language picture (It won), but it was not eligible to be considered for top overall drama. The Academy could not list it for best foreign language picture, which it most likely would have won, but instead nominated it for best picture. Different groups have different rules.
Probably the best written article I've read in a long time.