MEXICO CITY -- Encouraged by the film's two Oscar nominations and five BAFTA noms, United Intl. Pictures will bring back local helmer Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's "21 Grams" to 60 Mexican theaters today. Although the film was financed and shot in the U.S., it garnered tremendous interest among Mexican auds, as a great portion of the crew was Mexican, including the screenwriter, cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto and sound editor Martin Hernandez.
Helmer's previous pic "Amores Perros," shot in Mexico City, was nominated for a 2001 Academy Award and won a 2002 BAFTA for foreign-lingo film.
Pic first bowed in Mexico Nov. 18, the day before it did in the U.S., as requested by helmer Gonzalez Inarritu. According to UIP, it brought in 53.7 million pesos ($4.9 million) before closing in January.
Oscar will be considering pic's Naomi Watts for actress and Benicio del Toro for supporting actor, while British Academy of Film and Television Arts categories are screenplay (Guillermo Arriaga), editing (Stephen Mirrione) and actress (Watts) as well as actor nods for del Toro and Sean Penn.
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