LOS ANGELES - No matter what happens at the Oscars on Sunday, no matter who actually wins, a clutch of Canadians involved with District 9 already feel like they are on top of the world.
Well, happy except for one major irritant -- but we'll get to that in a moment. The good feelings revolve around the four nominations District 9 generated, including one for best picture.
"I think we're just going to have a really good time," co-writer Terri Tatchell said Thursday in an interview at a swank Oscars luncheon hosted by David Fransen, the Consul General of Canada in Los Angeles, at his official residence in Hancock Park. "For me, that's enough!"
She does not expect any wins for their sci-fi action picture.
Toronto-born Tatchell is nominated, along with Neill Blomkamp, for best adapted screenplay. The two writers, who are also a couple and based in Vancouver, met at the Vancouver Film School. This was after he emigrated from South Africa to Canada at age 18. Out of their work together, they created the short that ultimately led to the District 9 feature film project, which was produced by The Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson.
"I think," said Blomkamp about the Oscar opportunities for District 9, "if it has any chance of winning anything, it's editing (for Canadian Julian Clarke)."
The humble Blomkamp said he now finds that hilarious, because when they were cutting the film "it didn't feel like we were making Schindler's List."
Tatchell said no one involved expected Oscar nominations when shooting District 9, the story of aliens who find themselves shunned in South Africa by an apartheid-like racist system. "I would say negative, even less than zero," Tatchell says with a laugh about their prospects. "It ended up well," Blomkamp said. "So I would say now that I am very grateful."
Except for that irritant -- the shunning of lead actor Sharlto Copley, a South African who is astonishing as the bureaucrat who finds himself intimately involved in the aliens' dilemma after initially trying to control them.
"Even when you say it," Tatchell explained after I raised the oversight, "I feel like someone's punched me in the stomach. I hate it!"
"It's not even just the Oscars," Blomkamp said, adding he is mystified that Copley has received no recognition on the awards-show circuit. "It's weird."
But there is a saving grace, Tatchell said. "That's why I'm happy we had the best-picture nomination. That is everybody's to share, and take pride in!"
Tatchell and Blomkamp are among 13 Canadians to share 17 total Oscar nominations, thought to be a record for Canada in the 82 years of the Academy Awards. "Canadians are cool," California actress Suzanne Somers said at the luncheon. "But Canadians just don't know it!"
Also on hand Thursday, and looking cool, was the father-and-son team of Ivan and Jason Reitman. Ivan Reitman (of Ghostbusters fame) produced Up in the Air for his writer-director son, Jason. Ivan is nominated for his first Oscar while Jason has three personal noms, tying a Canadian record.
Daddy Reitman is giddy about his son.
"What a sweetheart!" Reitman the elder said in an interview. "I mean, the most wonderful thing that has happened in this for me was just allowing us to focus on each other, you know, and sharing the love of something artistic."
Reitman said he is proud of all his three children with his wife of 34 years, actress Genevieve Robert.
"We count on legacy as our most important life accomplishment. I'm fortunate. Jason is the famous one right now. But the other two kids (daughters Caroline and Catherine) are brilliant as well. So Genevieve and I couldn't be happier."
