The Palestinian film Divine Intervention, a comedy about love and the Israeli occupation, picked up a special jury award at Cannes and won Best Foreign Film at the European Film Awards. When the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences announces its nominees for the coming Oscars, though, Divine Intervention won’t be there. The Academy says Palestine isn’t a country recognized in their rulebook.

Under Academy rules, the government of each nation can submit one entry. While the Palestinian Authority is valid enough to be communicated with by most world governments, and the UN and 115 nations recognize Palestine itself, the Academy - representative of an industry renowned for its vapidity - thinks it knows better.

Though in the past entries from such disputed regions as Hong Kong and Taiwan have been accepted, it seems the only way for a Palestinian film to make Academy A-list is if it’s submitted by Israel. In plainspeak, that’s not at all. :

» Scott Saxon