Academy Awards

Angelina Jolie on filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy: "Pakistan's first Oscar belongs to a monumental campaign that is changing the legal, social and political fate of survivors of acid-related violence. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy's documentary Saving Face brought Pakistan's acid-violence problem to the world stage."

Based on the New York Times bestseller by Yann Martel (winner of the Man Booker Prize), "Life of Pi" chronicles the epic struggle for survival by a castaway stranded in the middle of the ocean, who shares his lifeboat with a Bengal tiger.
On a broad scale, the visually-audacious film -- incorporating lush visual effects and 3-D cinematography -- is a celebration of the power of storytelling and the search for meaning in the universe. But it is also a tale of how one young man's life was changed owing to his insatiable curiosity, intelligence and compassion.
The 20th Century Fox release was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture

A young man is released from a mental institution after being treated following a violent episode. Convinced his road to better mental health will lead him back to his estranged wife, he enlists the help of a young woman to bypass a restraining order, but at an unusual price.
This affecting comedy-drama, adapted from the novel by Matthew Quick, is a compassionate look at the challenges faced by families touched by bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses -- and a mature take on movie romance.
The Weinstein Company release was nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

debuted in 1994 with the comedy "Spanking the Monkey," followed by "Flirting With Disaster," "Three Kings," and "I Heart Huckabees."
"The Fighter" (2010) earned Russell his first Academy Award nomination for Best Director, and Oscars for two of his actors, Christian Bale and Melissa Leo.