“Ajami”, not “Lebanon” is the Israeli entry for this year’s Foreign Language Oscar. “Ajami”, a gritty crime drama about Israeli and Arabs in the Ajami neighborhood in Jaffa, won an hour ago five awards at the Ophirs, the Israeli academy awards. “Ajami” walked away with the awards for Best Picture, direction, screenplay, editing and music. Three of the statues went to the co-directors-editors-writers of “Ajami”, the Israeli-Arab duo, Yaron Shani and Scander Kobti. “Ajami” won a special mention in the Camera D’or prize in this year’s Cannes.
“Lebanon”, fresh off it’s win in Venice and after being picked up for a US release by Sony Pictures Classics, was the second biggest winner of the evening with prizes for supporting actor, cinematography, production design and sound design.
Local hit, “A Matter of Size” (which played Tribeca, where it was picked-up for an American remake by Dimension), won three awards: Best actress, best supporting actress and costume design.
Renen Schorr’s film, “The Loners”, walked away with a lone prize, for Best Actor.

Could “Ajami” become the third Israeli film in three years to get a nomination for best foreign language Oscar (after “Beaufort” and “Waltz With Bashir”)? Regretfully, I have to say I doubt it. “Ajami” is an outstanding film, and in many ways a breakthrough in Israeli cinema, but it might be too realistic, gritty, true-to-life, and perhaps too confusing for the average Oscar voter. And it lacks the pre-awards buzz that “Waltz With Bashir” had last year, and “Lebanon” is getting right now. But, who knows. France’s “The Class” got nominated. “Ajami” is “The Class” with drugs and guns. Italy’s “Gomorrah” got short-listed last year, and “Ajami” - seven years in the making, with an ultra-low budget, and a bunch of first timers behind and in front of the camera - is similar in style and tone, but way better then “Gomorrah”, as far as dramatic and emotional impact goes.