As Brokeback Mountain returns to theaters for its twentieth anniversary, a author behind the 2005 homosexual neo-Western romance lately recalled its Oscars snub.
Co-writer Diana Ossana lately recalled Crash director Paul Haggis introducing her to Clint Eastwood at a celebration for the Academy Award nominees after voting had ended, a number of weeks earlier than the awards present.
“Paul began strolling me over and he goes, ‘Diana, I’ve to inform you, he hasn’t seen your film,’” recalled Ossana to The New York Instances. “And it was like anyone kicked me within the abdomen. That’s after I knew we’d not win Finest Image.”
Regardless of profitable a document variety of Finest Image prizes in the course of the awards season, together with the Golden Globe, BAFTA, Critics’ Selection Award and Unbiased Spirit Award, Brokeback Mountain infamously misplaced the Oscar to Crash.
Ossana remains to be satisfied homophobia in Hollywood performed a component within the defeat. “Folks wish to deny that, however what else may it have been? We’d gained every part up till then,” she stated.
(L-R) Director Ang Lee, Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal on the set of ‘Brokeback Mountain’
Focus Movies/Everett Assortment
After legendary Academy voters like Ernest Borgnine and Tony Curtis publicly said they might not watch the Ang Lee-helmed movie, Ossana instructed The Instances, “I completely assume that block of voters stored this film from profitable Finest Image.”
Lee beforehand mirrored on the snub to Deadline. “Your guess is nearly as good as mine,” he stated final month. “There are occasions after I really feel like there’s a vast willingness to observe the film. There’s a lot love for it. Usually, you’re feeling prefer it’s a breakthrough, that it broke all boundaries. Folks appear to soften down. And you can’t even outline it as homosexual cinema. It’s not homosexual cinema, proper? It’s a love story.”
“I’m nothing however grateful. I’ve no bitterness. It by no means occurred to me,” added Lee, who gained Finest Director for the movie.
Brokeback Mountain additionally gained Finest Tailored Screenplay for Ossana and Larry McMurtry. The movie earned nominations for Finest Actor for Heath Ledger, Finest Supporting Actor for Jake Gyllenhaal, Finest Supporting Actress for Michelle Williams, Finest Cinematography for Rodrigo Prieto and Finest Unique Rating for Gustavo Santaolalla.
