Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Once Again

Even though I'm sure everyone that cares about this matter has already found out the happy news and moved on, I figure I might as well follow up, however belatedly, on the positive turn that a negative took. Yesterday I posted on AMPAS's possible turnaround of the film Once's nomination for Best Song for "Falling Slowly" due to the song's having been played and recorded a couple of times before the film came out. The Carpetbagger posted an update last night:

"At the 11th hour, members of the executive committee of the music branch of the Academy met and decided that in spite of some questions about the validity of “Falling Slowly,” a nominee for best song from the movie “Once”, the song was eligible and would be on ballots that shipped tomorrow morning. Charles Bernstein, chairman of the music branch executive committee, speaking to the Bagger by phone, read part of the committee’s statement on the matter:

The Academy’s music branch executive committee has met and endorsed the validity of “Falling Slowly” as a nominated achievement. The committee relied on written assurances and detailed chronologies provided by songwriter of “Falling Slowly,” the writer-director of “Once” and Fox Searchlight.

The genesis of the picture was unusually protracted, but director John Carney and songwriter Glen Hansard were working closely together in 2002 when the project that became ‘Once’ was discussed. ‘Falling Slowly’ began to be composed, but the actual script and financing for the picture was delayed for several years, during which time Mr. Hansard and his collaborator Marketa Irglova played the song in some venues that were deemed inconsequential enough to not change the song’s eligibility.

Mr. Bernstein said he had called Mr. Hansard in Dublin with the news and described him as “delighted.” Mr. Bernstein said that various parties had raised questions about whether the song had been performed and/or recorded before it became part of the movie, but said that the committee was satisfied that it was written for the film and as such represented a song writing achievement worthy of inclusion in the nominees.

“We needed to address whether the song was written specifically for the the film and the second issue was whether it had been played prior to the inclusion in the film — did this constitute a reason to ineligible-ize it,” said Mr. Bernstein. “The first issue was satisfied by a sworn statements attesting to the fact that it was written for the film along with a chronology, and the second issue was settled by the fact that it had only been performed in Europe and the Czech Republic and not in a way that would have given it advantage or influence here.”"

Definite good news. So what are its chances of winning? I'm still a Negative Nancy in that regard. But a wise man played by Morgan Freeman (aren't they all) once taught me to keep hope alive, so I'm gonna do just that. Thanks, Morgan!
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3 comments:

RJ said...

I'm doubtful . . . I'm really afraid that song from August Rush will win

J.D. said...

August Rush? Uh, no. It's this or "That's How You Know", I'd reckon.

Joe Reid said...

I wouldn't be surprised if any of these songs won. Strange fucking category. But I'm not getting my hopes up for Once.