BEVERLY HILLS, California – It was not the first time that The Miracle of the Andes came to Hollywood, but it was the first time that a representation of the survivors of the crash of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 shared with the nominees for the Academy Awards.
Businessman Gustavo Zerbino70, and the doctor Roberto Canessa71, were part of the group that represented the film “The Snow Society” at the nominees’ luncheon, an event held every year one month before the Oscars gala and in which the traditional family photo is taken of all those who aspire to win the statuette.
Among them was the director of the film nominated for Best International Film, the Spanish Juan Antonio Bayona, arriving the day before in Los Angeles less than 24 hours after having triumphed at the Goya Awards for Spanish cinema, in which “The Snow Society” accumulated 12 awards. Bayona traveled from Spain with several members of the team that worked on the film, such as the Uruguayan actor Enzo Vogrincic Roldan -who played Numa Turcatti- and the nominees in the Makeup and Hairstyling category Ana López-Puigcerver, David Martí and Montse Ribé.
During the cocktail before lunch, Canessa commented that the new film about the tragedy they suffered in 1972 is helping a new generation to know the story.. A generation that also shares their impressions on social networks, which is giving “The Snow Society” an international reach that they did not expect.
Zerbino will continue “on tour” with the film’s team, which will make several presentations in New York starting Wednesday of this week.
The traditional photo of the Oscar nominees
The nominees’ luncheon is a relaxed event where “everyone is a winner,” as Janet Yang, the president of the Film Academy, said.
The celebration started early, at 11:30 am at the Beverly Hilton hotel, with a standing cocktail in a small space where everyone talked to everyone. At 1 pm, the guests sat at about fifty round tables and listened to Yang’s advice, who reminded them of the importance of preparing a speech of a maximum of 45 seconds in case they win the precious Oscar on March 10. This year he also warned that the gala will begin an hour earlier than in previous years, and that the previous morning will also be the time change to daylight saving time.
After a vegan lunch with mushroom risotto as the main course, after dessert was served, the preparation of the traditional photo of the nominees began. One by one they were called – almost two hundred people – to occupy a previously assigned place on a staggered stage.
The class of 2024 brings together film legends who did not miss the event, such as directors Steven Spielberg, Wim Wenders and Christopher Nolan. Actresses such as Annette Bening, Emma Stone, Emily Blunt, Carey Mulligan and Lily Gladstone. Also popular actors such as Bradley Cooper, Cillian Murphy, Paul Giamatti, Ryan Gosling and Robert Downey Jr., who was the last on the list to be called on stage for the photo. (Last year it was Guillermo del Toro).
Robert de Niro, nominated for Best Supporting Actor for “Killers of the Flower Moon,” and Jodie Foster, nominated for “Nyad,” were the most notable absences.
In addition to those mentioned by “The Snow Society”, Latinos were represented by nominees such as América Ferrera, who is up for Best Supporting Actress for “Barbie,” and Mexican Rodrigo Prieto, nominated for Best Cinematography for “Killers of the Flower Moon.”.
For their part, the Spaniards Pablo Berger, Ibon Cormenzana, Ignasi Estapé and Sandra Tapia Díaz aspire to the Oscar for Best Animated Film with the film “Robot Dreams”.
After the family photo, each of the nominees collects a diploma that certifies their selection among the finalists in each Oscar category.
Keep reading:
· List of Nominees for the 2024 Oscar Awards
· Oscar awards
· Screens: What to see in theaters and streaming every week