In a recent features piece for Variety's Eye on the Oscars preview, I cobbled together a quick assessment of the boutique/specialty divisions and their Oscar hopefuls this season.  However, I neglected to mention Picturehouse Entertainment in the spread, a Time Warner company that deserves its due.  I'd like to give some space to make up for that oversight here:

Picturehouse Entertainment manged to wrangle six nominations last year for Guillermo del Toro's beloved "Pan's Labyrinth," ultimately nabbing three wins. This year the studio has a few more possibilities in the fold.

Outside of the bigger races, Picturehouse is in business with Del Toro once again (this time as producer) with Juan Antonio Bayona's "The Orphanage," but the film was not entered as Mexico's foreign film contender.  It will seek out technical category support.  Meanwhile, Seth Gordon's Donkey Kong documentary "The King of Kong" failed to make the doc shortlist despite intense critical adoration.

The major contenders for the studio look to be films aiming for the acting races.  Jennifer Lopez and hubby Marc Anthony hit the screen together in the Hector Lavoe bipic "El Cantante," while the gem in the studio's crown looks to be the Edith Piaf biopic "La Vie en Rose" and a strongly supported lead portrayal from Marion Cotillard.