As expected, French auteur Jean-Luc Godard skipped out on the second annual Governors Awards, where the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences presented him with an honorary Oscar. Godard’s anti-Hollywood sentiments made him a semi-controversial choice for the award, and then his wife explained that Godard was not going to trek all the way to America to pick it up, anyway: “It’s not the Oscars … At first he thought it was going to be part of the same ceremony, then he realized it was a separate thing. Jean-Luc won’t go to America, he’s getting old for that kind of thing.” At the ceremony last night, Academy president Tom Sherak put it this way: “Godard couldn’t attend. That’s unfortunate, but his absence in no way diminishes our respect and appreciation for his work as a filmmaker. And I want you to know that this award is meaningful to him.” Fair enough. Present or not, the guy’s at least deserving. [HR]
