2012 OSCAR NOMINATIONS

The 84th Academy Awards take place February 26 and the nominations are in. Congratulations to all the nominees! We'd like to draw particular attention to those with links to the Sonoma International Film Festival:

Festival favorite CHICO & RITA has been nominated for the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film, having already won the same award at the Goyas, the Gaudís, the Annies and the European Film Awards. Set in pre-revolutionary Cuba, this animated musical romance will be screened at the upcoming 15th annual Sonoma International Film Festival as part of La Quinceañera Film Fiesta.

Demián BichirMexican actor Demián Bichir has been nominated for Best Actor for his role as an undocumented worker in A BETTER LIFE, alongside such Hollywood heavyweights as George Clooney and Brad Pitt. Best known from the TV series Weeds — in which he plays sexy Tijuana politician Esteban Reyes — Bichir plays Mexican revolutionary Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla in HIDALGO: THE UNTOLD STORY, which will also be presented in Sonoma as part of La Quinceañera Film Fiesta.

Robert ForsterAlexander Payne is the writer, director and producer of THE DESCENDANTS and has been nominated in three categories: as producer for Best Picture, as Best Director and as writer for Best Adapted Screenplay. Best known as the director of SIDEWAYS, ELECTION, CITIZEN RUTH and ABOUT SCHMIDT, Payne — along with Agnieszka Holland & Mark Romanek — received the 2003 Sonoma Film Festival Imagery Honors.

Prolific character actor Robert Forster, who plays George Clooney's father-in-law in THE DESCENDANTS, has also been a guest of ours here in Sonoma, as has the versatile Matthew Lillard, who plays the smarmy realtor.

George Clooney / Poster for THE DESCENDANTS / Alexander Payne