Italy pins its Oscar hopes on the Sorrentino movie which references Diego Maradona. ‘The Hand of God’ is on the Academy Awards shortlist.
Following a Golden Globe nomination, the Sorrentino film enters Oscars shortlist. ‘The Hand of God’ by award-winning Italian film director Paolo Sorrentino has been shortlisted for an Oscar nomination. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences made the announcement on Tuesday night.
The news comes a week after the film’s nomination for the Golden Globes’ ‘Best Film – Foreign Language’. The Globes ceremony will take place in Los Angeles on 9th January.
International Feature Film
The coming-of-age film, whose original Italian title is È stata la mano di Dio, is among 15 hopefuls vying for a nomination in the academy’s best international feature film category.
The 51-year-old Neapolitan director could take home his second Oscar in March. Eight years ago, he received an award for The Great Beauty. The final nominees will be announced on 8th February.
Coming of Age film
Netflix began streaming The Hand of God on 15th December, following its release in Italian cinemas on 24th November. The film won the Grand Jury Prize at the 78th Venice International Film Festival.
The film charts the story of a teenage boy in Naples during the 1980s. Sorrentino’s largely autobiographical film stars Filippo Scotti, Toni Servillo and Teresa Saponangelo.
The tale spans several years from the arrival of Diego Maradona to play for Napoli to the team’s first Italian title success. During this time the young boy comes of age and witnesses the death of his parents.
