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International flavor seen in nominations The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — An international flavor ran through many of the Academy Award nominations Tuesday, led by the Taiwanese "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," which collected 10. The Mandarin-language martial-arts romance was only the third movie ever to be up for both best picture and best foreign film, following the 1998 Italian drama "Life is Beautiful" and the 1969 French-Algerian "Z." Last weekend, "Crouching Tiger" hit $60 million at the box-office, breaking "Life is Beautiful's" record for a foreign-language film. "Whenever there's a picture that's this successful, Hollywood does pay attention," said Michael Barker, co-president of Sony Pictures Classics, which released "Crouching Tiger." He said the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences also has a history of honoring foreign-language performers. Roberto Benigni won best actor for his role in "Life is Beautiful," the same year Fernanda Montenegro received a best actress nod for the Brazilian film "Central Station." Benicio Del Toro's supporting-actor nomination for the American film "Traffic" came for a role spoken largely in Spanish. If he wins, he would join Robert De Niro ("Godfather Part II") as the only actors to claim Oscars for foreign-language performances in American films. Stephen Gaghan, nominated for writing the screenplay to "Traffic," said international sensibilities are a healthy influence on U.S. movies. "Films should be a melting pot in the same way America's a melting pot. When you throw all the genes in the same pool, it seems to strengthen everything," he said. Edward Zwick, a producer on "Traffic," said he has noticed an increased international influence on U.S.-made films, partly because of the growing importance of overseas revenues. Foreign income is typically higher than Hollywood's domestic box-office take for most films. Among this year's nominees were Javier Bardem, who played Cuban poet Reinaldo Arenas in "Before Night Falls." Bardem said he was thrilled to be the first Spaniard ever nominated for best actor. "I feel like Christopher Columbus — I discovered America," he said. "The miracle here is that somebody from outside — even in an American movie — is able to be right there." Juliette Binoche, star of the English-language French romance "Chocolat," is the second French actress, after Isabelle Adjani, to receive two Oscar nominations. She won the supporting actress prize four years ago for "The English Patient." "I think Americans are open-minded and they're probably used to seeing people from different countries," she said. "I feel blessed, I feel desired in America: Americans are happy to have successful people." More headlines
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