Italian Entry Locked Out of Oscar Race
Even the annual Oscar competition can\’t stay clear of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.\nThis year, the brouhaha is about \”Private,\” a film centering on a Palestinian West Bank family whose home is temporarily taken over by a squad of Israeli soldiers.\n\”Private,\” the work of Italian director Saverio Costanzo, was shot by an Italian crew and was selected as Italy\’s official entry in the foreign language film Oscar category.\nIt was promptly rejected by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which accepted entries from 57 other countries, including Israel and the not-yet nation of Palestine.