By Monika Scislowska
WARSAW, Poland (AP) --Poland's politicians and filmmakers rejoiced Monday over the nation's first ever foreign language movie Oscar for "Ida," seeing it as a sign of the country's cinematography coming of age.
President Bronislaw Komorowski said the award was a "source of satisfaction for all Poles" and proof that democratic Poland is becoming an increasingly attractive country, with "valuable things to offer to the world."
It was the first foreign language Oscar for Poland despite nine previous nominations and a rich history of filmmaking, including by renowned directors like Andrzej Wajda who received an honorary Oscar in 2000, and Roman Polanski, who won an Oscar in 2003 for directing "The Pianist."
"This is a beautiful day for me. It shows that after many difficult years Poland's cinematography is back on its feet. I wanted to live to see this day," the 88-year-old Wajda said.
Polish-British director Pawel Pawlikowski made "Ida" in black and white, using imagery of the 1960s. It plunges into World War II and the early years of communism, two dark chapters of Poland's history, via a young Catholic nun who discovers she is Jewish. It was one of the critical hits of 2014 in Europe and the U.S. Being so well known helped the movie win the Oscar, Polish critics said.
Polish 1993 Oscar-winning production designer Allan Starski said the country's filmmakers always aspired to the top ranks of world cinema.
"We were often very close, but we never won an Oscar (for a foreign movie.) This time we have an Oscar. This is a huge success," Starski said.
After years of a downturn following political and economic change, Polish cinema is getting momentum, also thanks to funding from the state Polish Film Institute, which helped finance "Ida."
The head of the Polish Filmmakers Association, Jacek Bromski, said the movie is "outstanding" and objective, which gave it universal appeal.
Speaking backstage, Pawlikowski said he believes the award will encourage other Polish directors to be original and bold.
Supreme Court declines to hear appeal from singer R. Kelly, convicted of child sex crimes
The Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal Monday from the singer R. Kelly, who is now serving 20 years in prison after being convicted of child sex convictions in Chicago.
The Grammy Award-winning R&B singer, born Robert Sylvester Kelly, was found guilty in 2022 of three charges of producing child sexual abuse images and three charges of enticement of minors for sex.
His lawyers argued that a shorter statute of limitations on child sex crime prosecutions should have applied to offenses dating back to the 1990s. Current law permits charges while an accuser is still alive.
The justices did not detail their reasoning in declining to hear the case, as is typical. And none publicly dissented. Lower courts previously rejected his arguments.
Federal prosecutors have said the video showed Kelly abusing a girl. The accuser identified only as Jane testified that she was 14 when the video was taken.
Kelly has also appealed a separate 30-year sentence for federal racketeering and sex trafficking convictions in New York.
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