Toronto filmmaker Deepa Mehta thrilled by Oscar nomination for 'Water'

TORONTO (CP) - Canadian filmmaker Deepa Mehta says she's in a state of shock over winning an Oscar nomination for her picture, "Water." The Hindi-language movie is up for best foreign film and comes after a slew of accolades for the Toronto-based director and screenwriter.

Mehta says she, her daughter and others who worked on the film jumped up when they heard the movie mentioned in a live announcement from Beverly Hills this morning.

They cracked open a bottle of champagne and cheered.

"Water" is set in 1938 India, against Mahatma Gandhi's rise to power, and tells the story of the appalling treatment of Hindu widows, including an eight-year-old girl.

The Oscars are handed out Feb. 25.

© The Canadian Press, 2007