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Zhang Ziyi, the main actress in "House of
Flying Daggers" |
Movies from 49 countries or regions are in competition for the
foreign-language prize at February's Academy Awards, among them the film
festival hits "House of Flying Daggers," "Nobody Knows" and "Kontroll."
The number of entries was down from last year, when a record 56
countries or regions submitted films for Oscar consideration. Each country
or region is allowed to submit one film.
China's entry, "House of Flying Daggers," is a martial-arts historical
epic from director Zhang Yimou, whose previous martial-arts tale "Hero"
was nominated for the foreign-language award for 2002 and became a hit in
U.S. theaters when it was released last August.
"House of Flying Daggers," which debuted to a warm reception at May's
Cannes Film Festival, features "Hero" co-star Zhang Ziyi as a
ninth-century rebel in a romantic triangle with two men whose love for her
leads to tragedy.
Japan's offering, Hirokazu Kore-eda's "Nobody
Knows," earned the best actor honor at Cannes for child star Yagira Yuuya,
playing a boy who must take charge of his three younger siblings
after their mother leaves.
Nimrod Antal's "Kontroll," Hungary's entry, was well-received at Cannes
and September's Toronto International Film Festival and won top honors at
this month's Chicago Film Festival. The comic thriller follows a motley
group of Budapest subway ticket takers on the job as a killer stalks the
tunnels, shoving passengers in front of speeding trains.
Oscar nominations will be announced Jan. 25 and awards will be
presented Feb. 27.
(Agencies) | 
Updated: 2004-10-22 14:37