Post date: Feb 24, 2011 2:58:12 PM
Oscar nominated documentary and documentary short filmmakers get together ahead of the Academy Awards to talk about their art on Wednesday night (February 23).
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (FEBRUARY 23, 2011) REUTERS - The Oscar nominees in the Feature Documentary and the Documentary Short were honored at a reception Wednesday night (February 23) at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills.
The evening provided the filmmakers a chance to "meet and greet" each other in a relaxed atmosphere prior to Sunday's (February 27) Academy Awards.Leading issues of the day are at the center of most of the five films up for best documentary feature Oscar.
Sebastian Junger, co-director for "Restrepo," a film which tells the story of violence and bravery among an outfit of American troops stationed in one of the most dangerous combat zones in Afghanistan, said he's not surprised by what has recently unfolded in the Middle-east.
"There is really no other alternative. People deserve to have a vote, people deserve to have self-determination. I think it is fantastic and I hope it sweeps through every country in the Arab world," explained Junger.
Director Charles Ferguson was also among the nominees attending. His documentary "Inside Job," meticulously dissects the financial disaster that brought the global banking system to its knees and ruined the lives and savings of millions of people.
The filmmaker is not sure whether anything has changed.
"Unfortunately, no, there is not much difference. Not much has changed. Not much reform and many people think in another 10 to 15 years it could happen again. It is unfortunate," said Ferguson.
Controversial graffiti artist Banksy had never made a documentary before, but decided to take on "Exit Through the Gift Shop" when thousands of hours of footage of various street artists at work fell into his lap. He turned it around into an 89-minute film that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2010 and has been making its way to the top of critics' lists ever since.
The film's producer, Jamie D'Cruz, has no idea as to whether the mysterious Banksy will make an Oscar appearance.
"I don't have anything to say about that. I don't know where he is or whether he will be there on Sunday or what he is going to do. I probably should know, but I don't. I will have to disappoint you on this one," said D'Cruz.
Other films in the Feature Documentary category include director Lucy Walker's film "Waste Land" and Josh Fox's film "GasLand," which raises the debate over the extraction of fuel from shale gas.
The 83rd annual Academy Awards will be broadcast live on Sunday, February 27 from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California.