SF State News {University Communications}

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And the Oscar goes to...

February 6, 2009 -- For the 10th consecutive year, the outstanding film achievements of SF State alumni have garnered nominations for Hollywood's top honor, an Academy Award. Christopher Boyes (B.A., '85) has been nominated for his sound work on the blockbuster movie "Iron Man" and Steven Okazaki (B.A., '76) earned an Oscar nomination for his short documentary, "The Conscience of Nhem En."

Photo of Christopher Boyes

Christopher Boyes; up for an Academy Award for his work on Iron Man

Boyes shares his nomination for Achievement in Sound Editing with Frank Eulner. Should he and his colleague be called to the podium on Oscar night, television viewers will be reminded, "This is the 11th Academy Award nomination for Christopher Boyes." His Oscar collection includes Best Sound Effects Editing for both "Titanic" (1998) and "Pearl Harbor" (2002). His third win came in 2003 for Best Sound for "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King." Boyes shared his fourth Oscar, for Best Sound Editing on "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" (2002), with Ethan Van Der Ryn (B.A., ’90), winner, Best Achievement in Sound Editing, "King Kong" (2005).

"The Conscience of Nhem En," Okazaki's fourth documentary to be nominated for an Oscar, focuses on Cambodia's takeover by the Khmer Rouge in 1975. Like so many of his films, it sheds light on a dark chapter in history. Okazaki's "Days of Waiting," the story of a Caucasian woman interned in 1942, won an Oscar for Short Subject in 1990. Other Academy Award nominations went to 1985's "Unfinished Business," about three men who refused internment, and 2005's "The Mushroom Club," about Hiroshima survivors.

Photo of Steven Okazaki

Steven Okazaki; up for an Academy Award for his film "The Conscience of Nhem En"

SF State's past Academy Award nominees include triple nominee Annette Bening (B.A., '85), who appeared most recently in "The Women," and David Gropman (B.A., ’74), production designer for the recently released "Doubt." Alumni Oscar winners include Steven Zaillian (B.A. ’75), who won Best Adapted Screenplay for "Schindler's List" (1993); and Gloria Borders (B.A. '78), winner, Best Sound Effects Editing, "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" (1991). Shawn Murphy (B.A., '68), who recently served as scoring mixer for both "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and "Australia," won the Oscar for Best Sound for "Jurassic Park" in 1993.

Okazaki will be present for a screening of "The Conscience of Nhem En" at 8 p.m. Feb. 17 at San Francisco's Sundance Kabuki Cinemas. The event is part of the SF State Documentary Film Institute’s fourth annual screening of Oscar-nominated documentaries.

The 81st annual Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2008 will be presented Sunday, Feb. 22, at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre and televised on ABC.

-- Adrianne Bee

 

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