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No luck for 'Corpus Christi' at Oscars

10.02.2020 08:00
Polish director Jan Komasa’s drama "Corpus Christi" has failed to win an Oscar despite being nominated in the best international film category.
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  • Polish Oscar-nominated drama "Corpus Christi" loses to South Korean "Parasite" in best international film category: Listen to a report by Tomasz Ferenc
Polish actors Bartosz Bielenia and Tomasz Ziętek, director Jan Komasa, and actress Eliza Rycembel arrive during the 92nd annual Academy Awards ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California, USA, Feb. 9, 2020.
Polish actors Bartosz Bielenia and Tomasz Ziętek, director Jan Komasa, and actress Eliza Rycembel arrive during the 92nd annual Academy Awards ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California, USA, Feb. 9, 2020. Photo: EPA/DAVID SWANSON

The Polish film was among five productions in the running for an award for Best International Feature Film at the 92nd Academy Awards.

South Korean black comedy Parasite by director Bong Joon-ho claimed the award in the category while also becoming the first non-English language film to take home the top prize for Best Picture.

Parasite also garnered the best director and best original screenplay awards as the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences handed out the Oscars in the early morning hours of Monday Polish time.

Bong Joon-ho poses in the press room with the Oscar for Best Directing and Best International Feature Film for 'Parasite' during the 92nd annual Academy Awards ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California, USA, Feb. 9, 2020. Photo: EPA/DAVID SWANSON Bong Joon-ho poses with the Oscar for Best Directing and Best International Feature Film for 'Parasite' during the 92nd annual Academy Awards ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California, USA, Feb. 9, 2020. Photo: EPA/DAVID SWANSON

Corpus Christi, which tells the story of a young man pretending to be a priest, was last year picked as Poland’s official entry for the foreign-language Oscar at the 2020 Academy Awards.

The movie, which features Polish actor Bartosz Bielenia in the main role, in September won the people’s choice award at the 44th Polish Film Festival in the Baltic city of Gdynia.

Earlier that month, Corpus Christi won Komasa the Europa Cinemas Label Award at the Venice International Film Festival.

Corpus Christi had its world premiere screening as part of the festival's Giornate degli Autori, or Venice Days, section in early September.

Inspired by real-life events, the movie tells the story of a young man who pretends to be a priest after experiencing a spiritual transformation in a juvenile detention centre.

Corpus Christi competed for an Oscar against movies including Pain and Glory by Spanish director Pedro Almodovar.

Director Komasa told Polish Radio ahead of the high-profile ceremony in Hollywood that his dream was to see the Oscar nomination helping him make his next films.

"Being nominated for an Oscar helps because it's something that stays with you for the rest of your life," he said.

Polish actor Bartosz Bielenia and director Jan Komasa pose during Oscar Week at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills, California, USA, on Thursday. Photo: EPA/ETIENNE LAURENT Polish actor Bartosz Bielenia and director Jan Komasa pose during Oscar Week at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills, California, USA, on Thursday. Photo: EPA/ETIENNE LAURENT

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Source: IAR

Click on the audio icon above to listen to a report by Radio Poland's Tomasz Ferenc.