Harvey Thrilled About Queen's Chances in Nicaragua

There are any number of moments in David Halberstam's Times profile of Harvey Weinstein, Oscar Campaign Kingpin that suggest the inexorable awards-season blues of a pioneer left behind. But among his laid-back advisement to not count him out, and a pair of supportive winks thrown in Departed producer/Paramount boss Brad Grey and Miramax chief Daniel Battsek's directions, I couldn't help but wince at my man's funk-faking face saving:

Isn’t it bittersweet to see The Queen, released by the post-Weinstein Miramax, being talked about as a front-runner for best picture? “Not at all,” he said. “Remember, I started a Latin American fund, and we bought The Queen for Latin America, so I’m distributing it as well. So The Queen is my movie in Latin America.”

In other words: "Yeah, David. It's fucking brutal. You wanna ask me about Tsotsi next? That was my movie in the Canary Islands. It killed. Killed. David? I'm losing you. You there, David? What the fuck is it with these phones?"

Posted at January 8, 2007 10:50 AM