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A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Saturday 25 February 2017

Oscars still lagging in female and minority representation

LINDSEY BAHR marginalized in Hollywood
AP Film Writer including Asians, Latinos,
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The and women.
2017 Oscar nominations “We still have work to do,”
were a banner year for said Gil Robertson, presi-
black nominees both in dent of the African Ameri-
front of and behind the can Film Critics Association.
camera, but other non- This year, the sole non-
white groups and women black acting nominee of
were largely left out of the color was British-Indian ac-
running. As #OscarsSoW- tor Dev Patel for his sup-
hite creator April Reign porting performance in
said, her hashtag was “Lion.” It’s been over 13
never about just black ac- years since another Indi-
tors, but all communities an — Ben Kingsley — was

In this Nov. 11, 2016 file photo, Dev Patel arrives at the premiere of “Lion” during the AFI Fest at the
TCL Chinese 6 Theatres in Los Angeles.
Associated Press

nominated. Kinglsey is also come part of the fabric of ed for original score.
the only person of Asian/ entertainment in a “real However, it’s been seven
Indian descent to be nomi- and organic way.” years since there was a
nated for best actor (two Behind the camera, af- female best director nomi-
nominations, one win). ter a three year stretch of nee when Kathryn Bigelow
The lead actress category Mexican filmmakers win- won for “The Hurt Locker.”
is even bleaker for Asian ning best director, this year Before Bigelow, there had
women. You have to go none were nominated. The been only three female di-
back to 1935 to find the only Latino nominee in any recting nominees in the his-
only nominee. category this year is Rodri- tory of the awards.
Latinos, too, have been go Prieto, who was nomi- Only one woman was nom-
missing from the acting nated for best cinematog- inated in any screenwriting
nominations for years. raphy for “Silence.” If he category, Allison Schro-
Demian Bichir was the last wins, it will be the fifth year eder for “Hidden Figures,”
Latino best actor nominee in a row that a Latino has down from three last year,
in 2012. In the supporting won that prize. and, once again, no wom-
category, you have to look Asians behind the camera en were nominated for cin-
to 2004 and Benicio del were a little more repre- ematography.
Toro’s nomination for “21 sented. “La La Land’s” Ai- Overall representation of
Grams.” Del Toro also won ling Lee became the first women in Oscar-nominat-
in the category in 2001 for Asian sound editing nomi- ed behind-the-scenes cat-
“Traffic” — the only actor nee. And “La La Land’s” egories fell two percent,
to ever win for a Spanish- Tom Cross, who is half-Viet- according to a recent re-
speaking role. namese, is up for the edit- port from the Women’s Me-
The last time a lead ac- ing award. Toshio Suzuki dia Center.
tress of Latino descent was is nominated for best ani- But this isn’t surprising to
nominated was Colombian mated feature for “The Red those who follow the indus-
actress Catalina Sandino Turtle,” as is Joanna Natas- try year round.
Moreno in 2005 for “Maria egara for best documenta- “This year is similar to previ-
Full of Grace.” ry short for “The White Hel- ous years where we don’t
“We just have to keep on mets.” This past year, the have enough women in
doing good films and if in academy also gave Jackie many of the positions be-
the United States these get Chan an honorary Oscar. hind the scenes,” said Me-
picked up and they get a “It’s not about the awards, lissa Silverstein, the founder
little bit of attention, well, it’s about the creators, the and publisher of the Wom-
it’s great,” said Mexican actual birth of those sto- en and Hollywood blog.
actor and director Gael ries,” said Patel. “It’s wonderful to see a lot
Garcia Bernal. “But at the Women, too, are a minority of female producers whose
same time, it’s something in Hollywood. For women films are nominated for
that is not in our hands. We behind the camera, things best picture, but again this
need to just make good have gotten worse overall, illuminates how difficult it is
films.” despite some strides, in- for women to rise to the top
Supporting actor nominee cluding “Jackie” composer of the business and to be
Mahershala Ali hopes that Mica Levi becoming the taken seriously at this level.”
people of color can be- first women to be nominat- q