Eskil Vogt’s Oscar night was full of good and bad surprises.
Eskil Vogt has traveled for almost a year to represent his films. aop
Norwegian film director-screenwriter Eskil Vogt will visit Finland for the premiere of his new film.
A thriller directed and written by Vogt The Innocents arrives at Finnish cinemas on Friday. In a thriller with supernatural features, children’s innocent games take a dark turn. The film was shot on the outskirts of Oslo, Vogt’s hometown.
Vogt currently has a benign problem: he would like to work on his next film already, but The Innocents and a drama comedy he wrote The Worst Person in the World (2021) have garnered so much interest that the entire previous year has passed, representing various film industry events around the world.
The Innocents is partly Finnish production and the working group includes composer Pessi Levanto, make-up designer Salla Yli-Luopa and a foley artist Heikki Kossi.
Eskil Vogt and the stars of The Innocents at the Cannes Film Festival in July 2021. aop
The film had its world premiere last summer in Cannes. Vogt was taken from experience, as it was uncertain whether a film festival would be held at all because of the corona pandemic. Eventually The Innocents was shown in a full hall, and viewers said they wiped their tears under their face masks or covered their eyes with their masks during exciting scenes.
Vogt is also a friend of Finnish cinema. Last year in Cannes, the award was directed by Juho Kuosmanen Cabin No. 6, which Vogt says he liked. He says that he has also seen almost all of Aki Kaurismäki’s films and regrets Kaurismäki’s retirement, as he would like to see even more of his work.
The thriller The Innocents, directed and written by Eskli Vogt, caused tears and horror in Cannes. B-Plan Distribution
Shock at the Oscars
Norwegian Joachim Trierin directed and scripted by Vogt The Worst Person in the World was just an Oscar nominee for Best International Film and Best Original Screenplay. For the first time in his life, Vogt made it to the Oscars in Los Angeles.
He and Trier were relaxed about their gala because they didn’t think they would win prizes. There was no victory, but the evening was memorable anyway. Vogt was surprised at how casual the Oscars were.
– At the Nordic awards gala, people sit in wooden chairs for four hours in a tube, but Oscare has advertising breaks during which you can get up from the bench, chat with others and visit the bar counter. They really felt like a party, he says.
Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier (right) took it easy at the Oscars. aop
The evening was also unforgettable for a sad reason: in the middle of the gala, actor Will Smith beat the comedian Chris Rockia on stage and shouted at him when he told Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett had hurt a joke. Vogt testified to the incident in disbelief.
– We sat about ten meters from the stage, so we saw it completely. Like the others, we first thought it was staged. We only realized later that the situation was real, he recalls.
– It was a big disappointment. The winner of the best documentary was just about to be released, and it was one of the strongest categories this year. Suddenly that moment overshadowed everything and it was really annoying. The films deserved attention, but the focus was on a silly, vulgar moment.
Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier’s film The Worst Person in the World was nominated for an Oscar. aop
There has been a lively debate in the media about whether Smith’s act was justified. Vogt has not sided with Smith or Rock, but finds the situation unfortunate in every way. However, the scandal did not ruin the whole evening. Vogt and Trier and their female friends attended several follow-up parties and enjoyed the festivities with their colleagues.
– The best thing about being an Oscar nominee is that you get to meet other nominees many times and get to know them properly, Vogt sums up.