Mehta's Water is Canada's official Oscar entry

JAMES ADAMS
The Globe and Mail

Toronto -- Deepa Mehta's Water, a worldwide critical and commercial smash, is Canada's great hope for the gold statuette for best foreign-language film at next year's Oscars.

Telefilm Canada this week forwarded Water, shot by Toronto-based Mehta in Sri Lanka and India, for consideration by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as Canada's official entry at the Oscars. There is, of course, no guarantee that the movie will make the shortlist of five, which is to be announced in January. A country may submit one film for foreign-film consideration.

Canada last took an Oscar for best foreign-language film in 2004, with Denys Arcand's The Barbarian Invasions.