Dreams of glory

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No Flash in the ''Pan''

How the bizarre Spanish-language film ''Pan's Labyrinth'' walked away with six Oscar nods

Can a monster with eyeballs in its hands hold on to a statuette? We may soon get the answer, since the creature-filled Pan's Labyrinth is one of this year's biggest Oscar contenders. Mexican director Guillermo del Toro's film garnered six nods, including Best Foreign Language Film and Best Original Screenplay, tying it with The Queen for the third most nominations. In the 50 years since the Foreign Language Film category became official, only four other subtitled movies have received as many noms (the champ remains 2000's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, which earned 10).

It's a surprise, since few expected that a $19 million fantastical film set just after the Spanish civil war would find an audience. But Labyrinth boasts critical acclaim and relatively strong U.S. box office (nearly $10 million since its initial limited release on Dec. 29). ''It's beautiful,'' says del Toro of the noms, ''especially in light of how risky it was to release the movie that late in the year.'' Bob Berney, president of distributor Picturehouse, credits the film's imagery. ''The fantasy elements have attracted a younger audience and the reviews are bringing in the older cinephiles,'' says Berney, who first saw Labyrinth in an editing room as del Toro translated each line. He adds that Labyrinth could challenge Like Water for Chocolate as the top-grossing Spanish-language film in the U.S. Pretty impressive for a fairy tale with a vomiting toad. — Gilbert Cruz

Originally posted Jan 26, 2007 Published in issue #918-919 Feb 02, 2007 Order article reprints

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