'Shwaas' Oscar run in breathless phase

PUNE: The Oscar campaign of Marathi film Shwaas (Breath) is in top gear now, with the expat Maharashtrian community in the US rising to the occasion in a big way. Shwaas is the first Marathi film to win the national award in 50 years, and the first Marathi film to be nominated for the Oscars.
The California arts association (Calaa), a non-profit organisation founded by expat Punekars and others to promote quality theatre, music, film and TV in the San Jose area, US, is leading the charge.
Calaa is choreographing several innovative ways of creating awareness about Shwaas among Americans.
This is crucial because the 1,500 Academy members spread across the US, who are the jury for the Oscars, cannot be directly approached.
Community members have not only come forward to sponsor 25 shows since December 12, but they are also raising funds for the campaign.
"There are conscious efforts to involve non-Maharashtrian and non-Indian people with schemes such as ''Buy two tickets and get a free one for an American friend''. Audiences are being urged to send letters to newspaper editors," says Abhay Patil, Calaa cofounder, now based in Pune.
"Anand Paranjpe, who organised the show in Seattle, roped in two local cancer associations. They have now asked for more shows for their support group. The film will get noticed this way. People are really moved by it (The film is about a little boy about to lose his eyes to cancer)," explains Mukund Marathe, president, Calaa.
The following two weekends are crucial because the juries despatch their votes by January 15 and the nominees are announced on January 25. Shwaas is pitted against stiff competition from House of Flying Daggers (China), Yesterday (South Africa) and Earth and Ashes (Afghanistan).
Helping Shwaas campaign reach out to the Hollywood is professional agency Wheaton Events, headed by Wendy Wheaton, who is also a producer with much influence in the Afro-American community in entertainment.
Funds have flowed in from various sources for the Oscar campaign. But no amount is too much in Hollywood it seems. Unconfirmed figures for Lagaan, which was nominated two years ago, are $3.2 million.
The Shwaas campaign is pegged at a modest $3,50,000.