Telefilm Canada, Chair of the Canadian selection committee for the 80^th Annual Academy Awards, is proud to announce that Denys Arcand’s latest film L’Âge des ténèbres has been submitted to represent Canada in the bid for a nomination in the category of Best Foreign-Language Film.

L’Âge des ténèbres, the triumphant conclusion of the trilogy that began with Le Déclin de l’empire américain, is director Arcand’s latest exploration of the malaise of contemporary life. Set in Montreal, the film tells the story of Jean-Marc, an ordinary man with an ordinary existence who creates an extraordinary fantasy life in order to cope. When his worlds collide, the results are both comical and tragic.

Eligible films for Best Foreign-Language Film
Ninety-five countries have been invited by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to submit their top films for consideration. According to Academy rules, an eligible film must be first released in the country submitting the film no earlier than October 1, 2006 and no later than September 30, 2007, and be first publicly exhibited by means of 35mm or 70mm film or a qalifying digital cinema format, for a run of at least seven consecutive days in a commercial motion picture theatre. In addition, the recording of the original dialogue track, as well as the completed film, must be predominantly in a language or languages other than English.

The 80^th Academy Award nominations will be announced on January 22, 2008.

The Canadian Committee

Chaired by Telefilm Canada, the pan-Canadian selection committee is comprised of 25 voting Canadian film delegates representing major industry associations and government agencies. In doing so, Telefilm works with the industry to help increase the visibility and prestige of domestic works amongst Canadian and international audiences.

This year, L’Âge des ténèbres was selected, from a total of 10 eligible films submitted by producers. Only one picture is accepted from each country. The Academy then votes for the five films that will eventually receive official nominations. Films submitted for Best Foreign-Language Film Award consideration may also qualify for other categories, provided they meet the requirements of the special rules governing those categories.

Last year, Deepa Mehta’s critically acclaimed film Water was short listed in this prestigious category for the 2007 Academy Awards furthering the longstanding tradition of Canada’s presence on the international stage.

Over the course of the history of the Academy Awards, Canada has also made the shortlist for Best Foreign-Language Film three other times: Denys Arcand's Le Déclin de l'empire américain (The Decline of the American Empire) in 1986, Jésus de Montréal (Jesus of Montreal) in 1989, and Les Invasions barbares (The Barbarian Invasions) in 2004, which went on to win the Oscar.