Geoffrey Macnab: Idiotic judges get response they deserve

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Ampas) may have chosen to recognise Jean-Luc Godard with an honorary Oscar, but it's no surprise that Godard hasn't chosen to recognise it. In fact, giving him the award is an idiotic decision. He may once have made films with Brigitte Bardot (Le Mépris) and Jane Fonda (Tout Va Bien) but that never meant he was part of any mainstream.

Godard long ago pronounced the "death of cinema". He is a provocateur and a polemicist who still inspires other film-makers with his ideas about sound and image. The 79-year-old is not the type who seems likely to walk politely up on stage at the Governors Awards dinner to accept the plaudits of the academy members. If Ampas is having trouble tracking him down, they should probably be relieved. If he does turn up in person, it's a fair bet that he would give a speech that would provoke far more outrage than anything Vanessa Redgrave or Marlon Brando ever said or did on Oscar night.

When it comes to going Awol, Godard has previous form. His ex-wife, Anna Karina, testified that during their short-lived marriage, he would tell her that he was popping out for some cigarettes – and then come back three weeks later. When he did return, he would always be apologetic and would have gifts for her from wherever he had visited.

When he has a film he wants to promote, Godard is capable of being humourous and polite. Journalists and distributors can attest to that. But it may not be the same with the academy. They do not face the same technical barriers as Anna Karina did, and they will presumably get hold of him sooner or later; but when they do, they probably won't be getting any presents.