Australia for Academy Award?

Baz Luhrmann’s flick, Australia, may pick up an Academy Award nomination after all with the film on the short list for a technical award.

Baz Luhrmann’s flick, Australia, may pick up an Academy Award nomination after all with the film on the short list for a technical award. The outback epic’s visual effects team has made the short-list for an Oscar nom in the visual effects category.

Seven films have made the short list : Australia, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Dark Knight, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, Iron Man, Journey to the Centre of the Earth and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.

The list will be cut to just three films after members of the Academy watch 15 minute segments from each film and then vote for their faves. The final three films selected will then be eligible for the Academy Award with voting commencing after the nominations are announced on January 22.

A successful nomination would mark Australia’s first award nomination – having been overlooked by all the serious award ceremonies including the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild Awards, New York Film Critics Awards and Critics Choice Awards.