How to get The Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film: member of the jury recommends

Lawrence David Foldes, a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of the United States and a member of the Executive Committee of the Student Academy Award will deliver an inspiration talk on September 18 at KYIV MEDIA WEEK with the support of Ukrainian State Film Agency.

Geopolitical conjuncture or artistic value? Innovations or traditions? Global or local context? Topical social problems or emphasis on eternal topics? What the Academy members are guided by when choosing nominees and winners in the Best Foreign Language Film category, as well as which films are better to put forward to the Oscar committees of individual countries – these are the questions that invariably intrigue the representatives of the film industry all over the world.

Acting member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Lawrence David Foldes will present his vision on all of this, backed up by many years of practice, at KYIV MEDIA WEEK. His speech will take place in the form of inspiration talk in the course of KMW events line-up, dedicated to film industry and organized with the assistance of Ukrainian State Film Agency.

Mr. Foldes is an American director, screenwriter and producer, was awarded Best Director and Screenwriter at several international film festivals. Among his works are such films as the classic cult films Malibu High (1979) and Don’t Go Near the Park (1980), Lovely but Deadly (1981), the international action hit Young Warriors (1982) starring Academy Award winner Ernest Borgnine, the romantic comedy Prima Donnas (1995), and the award-winning critically acclaimed drama Finding Home (2006) starring Academy Award winner Louise Fletcher and Academy Award nominee Genevieve Bujold, and many others.  Finding Home received 5 Best Picture awards.  

Lawrence Foldes used to be the member of the board and director of education at the Breckenridge Festival of Film and he is the Founder and Executive Director of the International Film Festival in Colorado. Also, he is an active member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and knows everything about it, including behind-the-scenes and the processes of decision making. Mr. Foldes will share his rich experience and practical recommendations based on it with the participants of KMW.

In addition, as a member of the Executive Committee of the Student Academy Award, Mr. Foldes will also talk about the work of this organization. ‘Student Oscar’ is an annual Academy’s competition for students-filmmakers. Prizes are awarded in four categories: alternative (experimental) film, animation, documentary and narrative. For example, Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future, Forrest Gump), Bob Saget (How I Met Your Mother), Spike Lee (Oldboy), Trey Parker (South Park, Despicable Me 3) and many others became the winners of the ‘Student Oscar’.

Lawrence Foldes will make a special emphasis on the significant career opportunities that the ‘Student Oscar’ provides to young filmmakers. Mr. Foldes often talks about this award at numerous festivals and industry events around the world. And every time he emphasizes: ‘My target is supporting young film makers taking part to this festival with the goal to broad the awareness of the Academy Awards, I am working for, across the world, including places which hadn’t had access to Hollywood’s support before.’

Lawrence David Foldes’ inspiration talk will take place on the second day of KYIV MEDIA WEEK (September 18) from 17:20 till 18:00.

Follow the announcements of other events dedicated to movie and film industry, as well as other KMW news on our website and Facebook page.

The 8th edition of KYIV MEDIA WEEK will be held on September 17-21, 2018 at Hyatt Regency Kyiv (5 Alla Tarasova St., Kyiv, Ukraine). Registration at early bird prices is available until July 31.