2003 Oscar Awards

Best Director
by Stepanie Morgan, Columbus Wired Columnist (3/18/03)

Directors nominate the five top directors. Yes, it’s the guy that yells, “Action!” and “Cut!”

Nominees:

“Chicago”

“Gangs of New York”

“The Hours”

“The Pianist”

“Talk To Her”

Chicago	Rob Marshall
Past Oscar Nominations	None.
Past Wins	2003 – Director’s Guild Award “Oustanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures” – “Chicago” 2002 – NBR Award “Best Debut Director” – “Chicago” 2000 – American Choreography Award “Outstanding Achievement in Television – Variety or Special” – “Annie” 2000 – Emmy “Outstanding Choreography” – “Annie”
Pass-Overs	None.
Miramax Factor	ABSOLUTELY.
Hip Factor	Everybody loves a musical!
# of Nominations	13
Age	32
Intangibles	This is only Marshall’s second directing credit – and his first feature film. His prior credit was a TV version of “Annie,” so he’s swimming in very familiar territory. Prior to directing, he was a choreographer.

Gangs of New York	Martin Scorsese
Past Oscar Nominations	1994 – “Best Screenplay – Adapted” – “Age of Innocence” 1991 – “Best Director” – “Goodfellas” 1991 – “Best Screenplay – Adapted” – “Goodfellas” 1989 – “Best Director” – “Last Temptation of Christ” 1981 – “Best Director” – “Raging Bull”
Past Wins	2003 – FFCC Award “Best Director” – “Gangs of New York” 2003 – Golden Globe Award “Best Director” – “Gangs of New York” 2002 – SEFCA Award “Best Director” – “Gangs of New York” 1999 – Bronze Wrangler Award “Theatrical Motion Picture” – “The Hi-Lo Country” 1994 – Bodil Award “Best American Film” – “The Age of Innocence” 1993 – NBR Award “Best Director” – “The Age of Innocence” 1991 – BAFTA Award “Best Adapted Screenplay” – “Goodfellas” 1991 – BAFTA Award “Best Direction” – “Goodfellas” 1991 – BAFTA Award “Best Film” – “Goodfellas” 1991 – Bodil Award “Best Non-European Film” – “Goodfellas” 1991 – BSFC Award “Best Director” – “Goodfellas” 1991 – CFCA Award “Best Director” – “Goodfellas” 1991 – CFCA Award “Best Screenplay” – “Goodfellas” 1991 – Independent Spirit Award “Best Feature” – “The Grifters” 1991 – NSFC Award “Best Director” – “Goodfellas” 1990 – LAFCA Award “Best Director” – “Goodfellas” 1990 – NYFCC Award “Best Director” – “Goodfellas” 1990 – Silver Lion Award “Best Director” – “Goodfellas” 1986 – Cannes Film Festival Award “Best Director” – “After Hours” 1981 – NSFC Award “Best Director” – “Raging Bull” 1977 – NSFC Award “Best Director” – “Taxi Driver” 1976 – Golden Palm (Palm D’or) – “Taxi Driver”
Pass-Overs	Scorsese has never won an Oscar.
Miramax Factor	Yes.
Hip Factor	He made an appearance as himself on “Curb Your Enthusiasm” last season.
# of Nominations	10
Age	60
Intangibles	Rumor has it that “Gangs of New York” will be the last film Scorsese directs. Numerous entities have given him lifetime achievement awards already.

The Hours	Stephen Daldry
Past Oscar Nominations	2001 – “Best Director” – “Billy Elliot”
Past Wins	2003 – Reader Jury of the “Berlinger Morningpost” Award “Best Picture” – “The Hours” 2003 – VFCC Award “Best Director” – “The Hours” 2002 – Award of the Japanese Academy “Best Foreign Film” – “Billy Elliot” 2002 – Lumiere Award “Best Foreign Film” – “Billy Elliot” 2001 – Amanda Awards “Best Director” – Billy Elliot” 2001 – BAFTA Awards “Best British Film” – “Billy Elliot” 2001 – Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists Silver Ribbon “Best Director” – “Billy Elliot” 2001 – ALFS Award “British Director of the Year” – “Billy Elliot” 2001 – Norwegian International Film Festival Sliver Clod Award “Best Foreign Film of the Year” – “Billy Elliot” 2001 – Norwegian International Film Festival “Most Enjoyable Film (Theater Owners” – “Billy Elliot” 2000 – Austin Film Festival Audience Award “Best Distributed Film” – “Billy Elliot” 2000 – British Independent Film Awards “Best Director” – “Billy Elliot” 2000 – Golden Castle Award “Best Film” – “Billy Elliot” 2000 – Golden Hitchcock Award “Best Film” – “Billy Elliot” 2000 – Dinard British Film Festival Public Award “Best Picture” – “Billy Elliot” 2000 – Edinburgh International Film Festival Audience Award “Best Picture” – “Billy Elliot” 2000 – Flanders International Film Festival Audience Award “Best Picture” – “Billy Elliot” 2000 – Molodist International Film Festival “Best Film Award” – “Billy Elliot” 2000 – Propeller of Motovun “Best Feature” – “Billy Elliot” 2000 – Stockholm Film Festival “Audience Choice Award” – “Billy Elliot” 2000 – Stockholm Film Festival “Best Directorial Debut” – “Billy Elliot” 2000 – Stockholm Film Festival “FIPRESCI Award” – “Billy Elliot” 2000 – San Paulo International Film Festival “International Jury Award” – “Billy Elliot” 2000 – Valladolid International Film Festival “Best New Director” – “Billy Elliot”
Pass-Overs	In this country, “Billy Elliot” was largely mentioned as “that film that was nominated for ‘Best Picture’ for some inexplicable reason.”
Miramax Factor	No.
Hip Factor	Brought a very smart book to screen – makes you want to read!
# of Nominations	9
Age	42
Intangibles	“The Hours” is only his third film, but he has two incredibly different films to his credit.

The Pianist	Roman Polanski
Past Oscar Nominations	1981 – “Best Director” – “Tess” 1975 – “Best Director” – “Chinatown” 1969 – “Best Screenplay – Adapted” – “Rosemary’s Baby”
Past Wins	2003 – BAFTA Award “Best Film” – “The Pianist” 2003 – BAFTA Award “David Lean Award for Direction” – “The Pianist” 2003 – Cesar Award “Best Director” – “The Pianist” 2003 – Cesar Award “Best Film” – “The Pianist” 2003 – Goya Award “Best European Film” – “The Pianist” 2003 – NSFC Award “Best Director” – “the Pianist” 2002 – BSFC Award “Best Director” – “The Pianist” 2002 – Golden Palm (Palm D’or) – “The Pianist” 1999 – European Film Awards “Outstanding European Achievement in World Cinema” – “The Ninth Gate” 1981 – BSFC Award “Best Director” – “Tess” 1980 – Cesar Award “Best Director” – “Tess” 1980 – Cesar Award “Best Film” – “Tess” 1980 – LAFCC Award “Best Director” – “Tess” 1975 – Bodil Award “Best Non-European Film” – “Chinatown” 1975 – Golden Globe Award “Best Director” – “Chinatown” 1970 – French Syndicate of Cinema Critics “Best Foreign Film” – “Rosemary’s Baby” 1966 – Golden Berlin Bear “Best Film” – “Cul-de-Sac” 1965 – Berlin International Film Festival “FIPRESCI Award” – “Repulsion” 1965 – Silver Berlin Bear “Best Film” – “Repulsion” 1962 – Venice Film Festival “FIPRESCI Award” – “Noz w wodzie”
Pass-Overs	See intangibles that will negate all pass-overs.
Miramax Factor	No.
Hip Factor	Period piece about the Holocaust, a perpetual favorite.
# of Nominations	7
Age	69
Intangibles	In a year with four high-profile entertainment arrests for child pornography AND the Michael Jackson interviews, Roman Polanski’s inability to enter the US for fear of immediate incarceration on his own statutory-rape conviction will not be a help.

Talk To Her	Pedro Almodovar
Past Oscar Nominations	None.
Past Wins	2003 – BAFTA Award “Best Film Not in the English Language” – “Talk to Her” 2003 – BAFTA Award “Best Screenplay – Original” – “Talk to Her” 2003 – Bodil Award “Best Non-American Film” – “Talk To Her” 2003 – Czech Lion Award “Best Foreign Film” – “Talk To Her” 2003 – Cesar Award “Best European Union Film” – “Talk To Her” 2002 – European Film Award “Best Director” – “Talk to Her” 2002 – European Film Award “Best Screenwriter” – “Talk to Her” 2001 – European Film Award Audience Award “Best Director” – “Talk to Her” 2000 - BAFTA Award “Best Film Not in the English Language” – “All About My Mother” 2000 – BAFTA “David Lean Award for Direction” – “All About My Mother” 2000 – Bodil Award “Best Film Not in the Enlgish Language” – “All About My Mother” 2000 – CFCA Award “Best Foreign Language Film” – “All About My Mother” 2000 – Cinema Brazil Grand Prize “Best Foreign Film” – “All About My Mother” 2000 – Cesar Award “Best Foreign Film” – “All About My Mother” 2000 – David Award “Best Foreign Film” – “All About My Mother” 1999 – Cannes Film Festival “Best Director” – “All About My Mother” 1999 – Cannes Film Festival “Prize of the Ecumenical Jury” – “All About My Mother” 1999 – European Film Award Audience Award “Best Director” – “All About My Mother” 1988 – Golden Precolumbian Circle Award “Best Director” – “Law of Desire” 1988 – Golden Precolumbian Circle Award “Best Screenplay” – “Law of Desire” 1988 – European Film Award “Best Young Film” – “Woman on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown” 1987 – Berlin Film Festival “Teddy” – “Law of Desire” 1987 – International Fantasy Film Award “Best Director” – “Matador” 1993 – Cesar Award “Best Foreign Film” – “High Heels” 1989 – David Award “Best Director – Foreign Film” – “Woman on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown” …and many more.
Pass-Overs	None.
Mirimax Factor	No.
Hip Factor	Foreign Film nominated in non-foreign film categories. Very “Crouching Tiger.”
# of Nominations	2
Age	51
Intangibles	Outside of the hard-core foreign-film goers, Almodovar is largely unknown to the U.S.

The Bottom Line:

No one voting wants this to be the last year that Scorsese directs a film and forgets to give him an award. This will be a lifetime achievement award as much as anything.

But don’t turn your back on Stephen Daldry. He’s a great spoiler contender.

Best Director by Stepanie Morgan, Columbus Wired Columnist (3/18/03)

Best Director
by Stepanie Morgan, Columbus Wired Columnist (3/18/03)