Critics Thrust 'Borat' Into Oscar Race

Zap2It.com | December 11, 2006

Sacha Baron Cohen, 'Borat: Cultural Learnings of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan'

AFI and Los Angeles Film Critics Association announce winners

Sacha Baron Cohen's "Borat" film received surprise recognition from several awards organizations over the weekend, thrusting the comedy into the center of the Oscar race.

On Sunday, the American Film Institute put "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" on its list of the year's top films, while Cohen scored an individual honor from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.

Joining "Borat" in the AFI's Top 10 list were "Babel," "The Devil Wears Prada," "Dreamgirls," "Half Nelson," "Happy Feet," "Inside Man," "Letters From Iwo Jima," "Little Miss Sunshine" and "United 93."

Several of the AFI's favorite films were also toasted by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, including "Letters From Iwo Jima," which was named the year's best picture. The Clint Eastwood war film, also celebrated by the National Board of Review last week, beat out "The Queen" for top honors. In the best director race, though, Eastwood finished second behind Paul Greengrass of "United 93."

"The Queen" still was a big winner with the LAFCA. Helen Mirren -- well on her way to sweeping all of the year's pre-Oscar showdowns -- was named best actress for the film, with Michael Sheen as best supporting actor. Peter Morgan's screenplay and Alexandre Desplat's score also won big.

"Borat" star Cohen and Forest Whitaker of "The Last King of Scotland" tied in the best actor category, with Luminita Gheorghiu pulling off a best supporting actress upset for "The Death of Mr. Lazarescu." Runner-ups in the supporting categories were Jennifer Hudson of "Dreamgirls" and Sergi Lopez for "Pan's Labyrinth."

The LAFCA also saluted cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki ("Children of Men"), production designer Eugenio Caballero ("Pan's Labyrinth"), "The Lives of Others" (best foreign film), "An Inconvenient Truth" (best documentary) and "Happy Feet" (animation).