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Exiled Filmmakers Reject 'Displaced' Oscar Label
30 Oct
Summary
- Filmmakers oppose a special Oscar category for exiled artists.
- Cate Blanchett's fund supports films by displaced filmmakers.
- Academy's rule change allows exiled filmmakers Oscar eligibility.
At the Tokyo International Film Festival, Iranian filmmakers Mohammad Rasoulof and Shahrbanoo Sadat expressed reservations about a proposed Oscar category specifically for exiled directors. They argued against being labeled as 'displaced,' emphasizing their identity as filmmakers first. Sadat stated, "I'm not sure if I would love to be in the category of displaced, even if they give me the Oscar." Rasoulof echoed this, preferring to focus on bridging distances and creating films.
Cate Blanchett, co-founder of the Displacement Film Fund, presented its first five short films at the festival. The fund supports artists facing displacement or those who authentically tell stories about it. Blanchett noted that the Academy's recent rule change, which makes exiled filmmakers eligible for Oscars, acknowledges the global reality for many artists whose careers are interrupted by war and conflict.
The fund, established in December 2023 following the UNHCR's Global Refugee Forum, aims to bring mainstream attention to stories of displaced persons and counter negative narratives. Its films have premiered at various international festivals, including Cannes and IFFR, and undergone Academy-qualifying screenings in Los Angeles and New York. A second cohort of filmmakers is currently producing their works.
