12-31-2023, 08:06 PM
Film Title: Beyond The Waves
Nominating Nation: Aredoa
Nomination Category/Categories: Best Film, Best Lead Actor (Andrés Molina), Best Supporting Actor (Gabriela Rivera)
Language: Spanish
Run Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Director: Juan Antunez
Producing Studio/Company: ProtoPulse Productions
Cast:
Andrés Molina as Emile Raya (Best Lead Actor Nominee)
Gabriela Rivera as Lucia Vargas, later Lucia Raya (Best Supporting Actor Nominee)
Ricardo Mendez as Pedro Calero
Miguel Cruz as Felipe Raya
Brief Summary:
Emile Raya (Andrés Molina) is a quiet teenager growing up in impoverished and rural Manzanita against the backdrop of the Great War, which he is relatively sheltered from. Destined for a life of orchard farming, which had been the occupation of his family for generations but is not something that Emile intends to pursue, he enlists in the military upon his 18th birthday in 1963 with the encouragement of his grandfather Felipe (Miguel Cruz), who serves as Emile's mentor. Emile is transported to the capital city of Vahania where he undergoes basic training and forms bonds with his fellow soldiers.
Passed over for overseas deployment, Emile is initiated into the Home Guard, remaining stationed in Vahania and seeing no combat. Here he experiences life in the big city for the first time, immersing himself in the city's culture as he sings, dances, cooks and performs alongside his best friend, Pedro Calero (Ricardo Mendez). Emile meets and wins over the love of his life, Lucia Vargas (Gabriela Rivera), marrying her after a year together. The lovebirds find out they are expecting a child and buy a small suburban property on Emile's soldier salary in preparation for the baby. Emile's personal journey seems to be the inverse of the journey of Aredoa: while the future looks bleak for Aredoa as the war drags on with no end in sight, Emile experiences city living for the first time, marries the love of his life, and is expecting a son.
Two weeks before Lucia is due to give birth, Emile is called to take part in the invasion of the Slokais Islands as the Aredoan military command scrambles to bring in any additional forces it can, hoping to turn the tide of the war in Eastern Hesperida. The latter half of the film documents the highs and lows of Emile's war journey, first the brutal and bloody initial landing on the beaches of South Kaijan in a breathtaking 18 minute scene leaving the audience on the edges of their seats throughout. Emile loses countless friends while overseas - including Pedro, who dies in his arms after a particularly tough engagement. The fateful day before victory against Juan Costa's regime, Emile is shot in the neck as his unit falls victim to a false surrender. Despite every effort being made to save his life, Emile dies just hours before the Coalition's victory on the Islands. His wife Lucia, baby son Antonio, and wider family are blissfully unaware and only find out about Emile's death when he is absent from the troopship carrying his unit home, a moment of gut-wrenching grief surrounded by ecstatic families celebrating the homecoming.
What makes this film special? Why was it nominated for these categories?
Beyond the Waves is nominated for Best Film for its heart-warming yet tragic coming-of-age story showing the human cost of war. It features striking visuals, from Aredoa's serene rural and bustling urban landscapes and the tropical beauty of the Slokais Islands to the brutal depictions of amphibious warfare.
Andrés Molina is nominated for Best Lead Actor for his portrayal of Emile Raya as a quiet, young-eyed youth who comes out of his shell and falls head over heels in love before facing the horrors of war.
Gabriela Rivera is nominated for Best Supporting Actor for her emotional and compelling portrayal of Lucia Vargas/Raya as a young woman navigating the complexities of love, loss, and single motherhood, adding a layer of depth and authenticity to the film.
_____________________________________________________________
Film Title: The Sunny Side of Life
Nominating Nation: Aredoa
Nomination Category/Categories: Best Documentary Film, Best Musical Score
Language: Spanish
Run Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Director: Jorge Sada
Cast:
Marta Santino as Narrator/Presenter
Mamá Cassita as herself
Lucífera as herself
Albaluzo as himself
Maravío as himself
Brief Summary:
The Sunny Side of Life takes the audience deep into the heart of Aredoa's culture by delving into the historical and modern-day customs of the small Oakaya Tribe, practitioners of the sun-worshipping Oalasamo religion that was once widespread in Aredoa before the import of Christianity. It examines how the tribe's religion permeates far beyond the culture of the Oakaya tribe and impacts on the Aredoan national identity as a whole, from art to literature, music to architecture, and even how it forms the basis for the name of Aredoa itself.
The documentary explores the unique ways of life within the Oakaya Tribe- such the morning prayers led by tribal matriarch Mamá Cassita at the first break of dawn, the quaint village where every building is adorned with motifs of the sun, and the tending to of the communal gardens that thrive under the sun's benevolence. Over the course of two months, Oakaya old and young alike are interviewed and shadowed by cameras as they go about their day, including the elderly matriarch Mamá Cassita, young siblings Lucífera and Albaluzo, and the tribe's Regional Delegate to the National Assembly, Maravío.
The documentary leads up to the Festilavo d'Oah, the Festival of Sun held at the summer solstice and the most important day of the Oakaya year. Aredoans from all walks of life eagerly wait for the festival that has woven its way into mainstream culture. But nobody quite celebrates like the Oakaya. The Oakaya's celebrations transcend mere festivities, being a spiritual journey of thanksgiving to the life-giving sun. As the film draws to a close, we see and hear the rhythmic beats of traditional instruments, the sundancing, and the feasting by villagers, with the credits rolling as the sun sets on the day.
What makes this film special? Why was it nominated for these categories?
The Sunny Side of Life is nominated for Best Documentary Film for its well-researched and captivating insight into the Oakaya Tribe, showing how the tribe's way of life not only encapsulates Areodan culture but also the universal values of communality and spirituality.
The Sunny Side of Life is further nominated for Best Musical Score for its enchanting musical score, entirely produced by members of the Oakaya tribe with traditional tribal instruments. It is masterfully blended into the narration of key moments of the documentary.
Nominating Nation: Aredoa
Nomination Category/Categories: Best Film, Best Lead Actor (Andrés Molina), Best Supporting Actor (Gabriela Rivera)
Language: Spanish
Run Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Director: Juan Antunez
Producing Studio/Company: ProtoPulse Productions
Cast:
Andrés Molina as Emile Raya (Best Lead Actor Nominee)
Gabriela Rivera as Lucia Vargas, later Lucia Raya (Best Supporting Actor Nominee)
Ricardo Mendez as Pedro Calero
Miguel Cruz as Felipe Raya
Brief Summary:
Emile Raya (Andrés Molina) is a quiet teenager growing up in impoverished and rural Manzanita against the backdrop of the Great War, which he is relatively sheltered from. Destined for a life of orchard farming, which had been the occupation of his family for generations but is not something that Emile intends to pursue, he enlists in the military upon his 18th birthday in 1963 with the encouragement of his grandfather Felipe (Miguel Cruz), who serves as Emile's mentor. Emile is transported to the capital city of Vahania where he undergoes basic training and forms bonds with his fellow soldiers.
Passed over for overseas deployment, Emile is initiated into the Home Guard, remaining stationed in Vahania and seeing no combat. Here he experiences life in the big city for the first time, immersing himself in the city's culture as he sings, dances, cooks and performs alongside his best friend, Pedro Calero (Ricardo Mendez). Emile meets and wins over the love of his life, Lucia Vargas (Gabriela Rivera), marrying her after a year together. The lovebirds find out they are expecting a child and buy a small suburban property on Emile's soldier salary in preparation for the baby. Emile's personal journey seems to be the inverse of the journey of Aredoa: while the future looks bleak for Aredoa as the war drags on with no end in sight, Emile experiences city living for the first time, marries the love of his life, and is expecting a son.
Two weeks before Lucia is due to give birth, Emile is called to take part in the invasion of the Slokais Islands as the Aredoan military command scrambles to bring in any additional forces it can, hoping to turn the tide of the war in Eastern Hesperida. The latter half of the film documents the highs and lows of Emile's war journey, first the brutal and bloody initial landing on the beaches of South Kaijan in a breathtaking 18 minute scene leaving the audience on the edges of their seats throughout. Emile loses countless friends while overseas - including Pedro, who dies in his arms after a particularly tough engagement. The fateful day before victory against Juan Costa's regime, Emile is shot in the neck as his unit falls victim to a false surrender. Despite every effort being made to save his life, Emile dies just hours before the Coalition's victory on the Islands. His wife Lucia, baby son Antonio, and wider family are blissfully unaware and only find out about Emile's death when he is absent from the troopship carrying his unit home, a moment of gut-wrenching grief surrounded by ecstatic families celebrating the homecoming.
What makes this film special? Why was it nominated for these categories?
Beyond the Waves is nominated for Best Film for its heart-warming yet tragic coming-of-age story showing the human cost of war. It features striking visuals, from Aredoa's serene rural and bustling urban landscapes and the tropical beauty of the Slokais Islands to the brutal depictions of amphibious warfare.
Andrés Molina is nominated for Best Lead Actor for his portrayal of Emile Raya as a quiet, young-eyed youth who comes out of his shell and falls head over heels in love before facing the horrors of war.
Gabriela Rivera is nominated for Best Supporting Actor for her emotional and compelling portrayal of Lucia Vargas/Raya as a young woman navigating the complexities of love, loss, and single motherhood, adding a layer of depth and authenticity to the film.
_____________________________________________________________
Film Title: The Sunny Side of Life
Nominating Nation: Aredoa
Nomination Category/Categories: Best Documentary Film, Best Musical Score
Language: Spanish
Run Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Director: Jorge Sada
Cast:
Marta Santino as Narrator/Presenter
Mamá Cassita as herself
Lucífera as herself
Albaluzo as himself
Maravío as himself
Brief Summary:
The Sunny Side of Life takes the audience deep into the heart of Aredoa's culture by delving into the historical and modern-day customs of the small Oakaya Tribe, practitioners of the sun-worshipping Oalasamo religion that was once widespread in Aredoa before the import of Christianity. It examines how the tribe's religion permeates far beyond the culture of the Oakaya tribe and impacts on the Aredoan national identity as a whole, from art to literature, music to architecture, and even how it forms the basis for the name of Aredoa itself.
The documentary explores the unique ways of life within the Oakaya Tribe- such the morning prayers led by tribal matriarch Mamá Cassita at the first break of dawn, the quaint village where every building is adorned with motifs of the sun, and the tending to of the communal gardens that thrive under the sun's benevolence. Over the course of two months, Oakaya old and young alike are interviewed and shadowed by cameras as they go about their day, including the elderly matriarch Mamá Cassita, young siblings Lucífera and Albaluzo, and the tribe's Regional Delegate to the National Assembly, Maravío.
The documentary leads up to the Festilavo d'Oah, the Festival of Sun held at the summer solstice and the most important day of the Oakaya year. Aredoans from all walks of life eagerly wait for the festival that has woven its way into mainstream culture. But nobody quite celebrates like the Oakaya. The Oakaya's celebrations transcend mere festivities, being a spiritual journey of thanksgiving to the life-giving sun. As the film draws to a close, we see and hear the rhythmic beats of traditional instruments, the sundancing, and the feasting by villagers, with the credits rolling as the sun sets on the day.
What makes this film special? Why was it nominated for these categories?
The Sunny Side of Life is nominated for Best Documentary Film for its well-researched and captivating insight into the Oakaya Tribe, showing how the tribe's way of life not only encapsulates Areodan culture but also the universal values of communality and spirituality.
The Sunny Side of Life is further nominated for Best Musical Score for its enchanting musical score, entirely produced by members of the Oakaya tribe with traditional tribal instruments. It is masterfully blended into the narration of key moments of the documentary.