AFI goes eclectic in its picks for 2003 awards

An animated tale about fish, a heartwarming drama about an Irish immigrant family in America, the final installment in the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy and an offbeat comedy about two lost souls who find each other in Tokyo are among the official selections for the AFI Awards 2003.

The American Film Institute’s selections are an almanac of the year’s most outstanding achievements in films and television, as well as significant moments in the two mediums.

“American Splendor,” “Finding Nemo,” “The Human Stain,” “In America,” “The Last Samurai,” “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” “Lost in Translation,” “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World,” “Monster” and “Mystic River” were singled out by the AFI on Sunday as the most outstanding film features of 2003.

Selections for the fourth-annual awards were made by a 13-member jury, that featured scholars, artists, critics and AFI trustees who discussed, debated and determined the most outstanding features and TV movies and series while providing a rationale for the selections. The jury rationales, the AFI Moments of Significance and list of jurors will be announced today.

“Mystic River,” Clint Eastwood’s drama of revenge and redemption, has already been named best of the year by the National Board of Review. Notably missing from the AFI list was Anthony Minghella’s much-anticipated Civil War drama, “Cold Mountain,” which opens on Christmas; the drama “21 Grams”; and the historical drama “Seabiscuit.”

On the television side, the official selections were “Alias,” “Angels in America,” “Arrested Development,” “Everybody Loves Raymond,” “Joan of Arcadia,” “Nip/Tuck,” “Playmakers,” “A Soldier’s Girl,” “24” and “The Wire.”

The AFI will honor the collaborative teams behind these films and series at a luncheon on Jan. 22.