The 86th Annual Academy Awards air March 2 this
year with host Ellen DeGeneres. The
timeframe between the announcement of the nominees and the big show is a harried,
frenzy time for film publicists looking to get their nominated film in the best
position to grab Oscar gold. Major
studios pump millions of dollars into the system in order to garner a
nomination and, hopefully, a win. Big
prestige pictures such as Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave, Martin Scorsese’s
The Wolf of Wall Street, Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity, and numerous others are
released and promoted for months on end, both externally to the public and
internally at big insider galas and events publicizing the film for awards
consideration amongst the numerous awards-giving groups that help build buzz
and eventual Oscar glory. These are
films that have been talked up around inner Hollywood circles for months now in
the lead up to the big ceremony creating intricate narratives: Matthew McConaughey finding career redemption, Bruce Dern achieving respect and acclaim in the twilight of his career, 12 Years a Slave capping a vital year in black cinema.
However, there is one little film that definitely won’t be mentioned
that night but has crafted its own very unique Oscar season narrative.
The film, Alone Yet Not Alone, was announced as a Best Song
nominee with the rest of the above films.
The Christian-themed film about two young sisters kidnapped by Native
Americans during the French and Indian War had its nomination revoked by the
Academy’s Board of Governors. So, what happened here? And what lead to the Academy taking such a
major step against one of its most minor of nominees? The story behind this reveals how what could have been
considered bad news might end up doing wonders for the small Christian-themed
film at the box office.
