Palestinian tale of love, politics gets Oscar nomination
Acclaimed film director Hany Abu-Assad's latest film, "Omar," is nominated for an Academy Award.
JERUSALEM — A dozen people sat in a film theater in Jerusalem, silent, gripped by “Omar,” a Palestinian film that has received an Academy Awards Oscar nomination for best foreign-language film.
The film tells the story of Omar, a young Palestinian baker from the West Bank, who is involved in the killing of an Israeli soldier. He is then forced to collaborate with Israeli agents to try to save himself and his friends — while trying to work his way through a web of lies and betrayal.
“It’s easy to see why the film got an Oscar nomination,” Rami Shaker, who came to watch the film with two of his friends, told Al-Monitor. “It’s incredibly powerful and honest.”
On Jan. 16, “Omar,” along with four other foreign films, was announced as a nominee for the 2014 Academy Awards, selected out of a record 76 titles.
