Silent movie gets 'Made in Hollywood' tribute

Cinemimi [Thursday, February 02, 2012]
LOS ANGELES — Silent movie "The Artist" was given yet another Hollywood award -- though this one not from the Oscars or Golden Globes organizers, but from city fathers in Tinseltown itself.

The cast and crew of the French-directed movie received the "Made in Hollywood" honor from the Los Angeles City Council, in the form of local councilman Tom LaBonge.

"Thank you for 'The Artist,' you made the picture in our town. Your director is a very special director .. we salute him today," said LaBonge, handing over the first "Made in Hollywood Award."

The black-and-white film, a tribute to the silent movie era, has won a string of awards and nominations over the last month or two, and is nominated in 10 categories for the Oscars on February 26.

Director Michel Hazanavicius said he was "touched" by the municipal Hollywood award.

"It's truly from the city of Los Angeles. It's strange but I am really touched. I'm not from here, but I realize after doing it how important it is for people to work here, in their town," he said.

Noting how many films are made elsewhere for less money these days, he added: "It's true that production here is mostly television, there's almost no cinema any more. But we made it entirely here."

The film's star Jean Dujardin, who plays a silent actor whose career is torpedoed by the arrival of the "talkies," added: "There are few films made in Hollywood, and that's a shame because the town is totally made for that."