Iraq war movie tipped for Oscar success

By Helen Abramson  on Monday 24 August 2009

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A film about the Iraq war is tipped for Oscar glory, despite its sensitive subject matter and lack of famous cast.

The Hurt Locket, which follows a US bomb-disposal unit working to dispose roadside bombs in Iraq, has won rave reviews from critics. It is already a contender for a prize at the 2010 Academy Awards.

Mark Boarl, who wrote the script for the film after spending time with troops in Baghdad, told Sky News: ‘It's more or less ordinary people in a very challenging situation.

'They're doing extraordinary things and I think that's part of what makes the movie universal. In the sense that it really is in some ways a story of heroism and the cost of heroism, and survival and the ways people try to survive difficult situations.’

The film, directed by Kathryn Bigelow, features very small cameos from Ralph Fiennes and Guy Pearce, but otherwise has a relatively unknown cast. It was shot in Jordan from a shaky handheld camera.

Films about the Iraq war have previously proved unpopular amongst cinema goers, who feel they are already bombarded with images of the war in the media. But The Hurt Locker has performed extremely well in the US, where it's set to make $15m (£9m) at the box office.

Monday 24 August 2009

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