Director Sergei Bodrov of the Kazakh movie "Mongol" arrives at the 80th annual Academy Awards in Hollywood, February 24, 2008. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson (UNITED STATES-OSCARS) 

Director Sergei Bodrov (C) and actors Tadanobu Asano (L) and Khulan Chuluun of "Mongol" arrive at the 80th annual Academy Awards in Hollywood, February 24, 2008. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson (UNITED STATES-OSCARS) 

Director Sergei Bodrov (C) and actors Tadanobu Asano (L) and Khulan Chuluun of the Khazak film "Mongol" arrive at the 80th annual Academy Awards in Hollywood February 24, 2008. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson (UNITED STATES-OSCARS) 

Director Sergei Bodrov (C) and actors Tadanobu Asano (L) and Khulan Chuluun of "Mongol" arrive at the 80th annual Academy Awards in Hollywood, February 24, 2008. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson (UNITED STATES-OSCARS) 

Director Sergei Bodrov of the Kazakh film "Mongol" attends a reception hosted by the Austrian consul before the 80th annual Academy Awards in Hollywood February 23, 2008. The Oscars will be presented February 24, 2008. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson (UNITED STATES-OSCARS) 

Sergei Bodrov, director, writer and producer of the film "Mongol" from Kazakhstan, accepts the certificate of nomination at the 80th Annual Academy Awards reception for foreign film nominees in Beverly Hills, California February 22, 2008. REUTERS/Phil McCarten (UNITED STATES) 

Director of the Kazakhstan film "Mongol" Sergei Bodrov attends the 80th Annual Academy Awards reception for foreign film nominees in Beverly Hills, California February 22, 2008. REUTERS/Phil McCarten (UNITED STATES) 

Sergei Bodrov, director of the Kazakhstan film "Mongol" (R) bows in respect to Andrzej Wajda, director of the Polish film "Katyn" (L) as Agnieszka Odorowicz (C), general director of the Polish Film Institute looks on at the 80th Annual Academy Awards reception for foreign film nominees in Beverly Hills, California February 22, 2008. REUTERS/Phil McCarten (UNITED STATES) 

Director Sergei Bodrov of "Mongol" talks to reporters at the Foreign Language Film Nominees photo opportunity before the 80th annual Academy Awards in Hollywood February 22, 2008. The Oscars will be presented February 24, 2008. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson (UNITED STATES) 

Khazak director Sergei Bodrov of "Mongol" talks to reporters at the Foreign Language Film Nominees photo opportunity before the 80th annual Academy Awards in Hollywood February 22, 2008. The Oscars will be presented February 24, 2008. REUTERS/Carlos Barria (UNITED STATES) 

Khazak director Sergei Bodrov of "Mongol" talks to reporters at the Foreign Language Film Nominees photo opportunity before the 80th annual Academy Awards in Hollywood February 22, 2008. The Oscars will be presented February 24, 2008. REUTERS/Carlos Barria (UNITED STATES) 

Khazak director Sergei Bodrov of "Mongol" poses next to a movie poster at the Foreign Language Film Nominees photo opportunity before the 80th annual Academy Awards in Hollywood February 22, 2008. The Oscars will be presented February 24, 2008. REUTERS/Carlos Barria (UNITED STATES) 

Russian director Sergei Bodrov, whose movie "Mongol" is nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language film, poses at the "Meet the Oscars" display in Hollywood, California February 13, 2008. The Oscars will be given out February 24. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni (UNITED STATES) 

Russian director Sergei Bodrov, who's movie "Mongol" is nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language film, poses at the "Meet the Oscars" display in Hollywood, California February 13, 2008. The Oscars will be given out February 24. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni (UNITED STATES) 

A man walks past a shelf display of the Kazkh movie "Mongol" on DVDs in a shop in Almaty January 25, 2008. Financed by Kazakh investors and shot by Russian director Sergei Bodrov, "Mongol" was nominated for best foreign film at this year's Oscars - the first-ever Oscar nod for Kazakhstan. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov (KAZAKHSTAN) 

Russia's Sergei Oborodnikov (L), Denis Bodrov (2nd-L), Nikita Nikitin and Nikolai Kulemin (14) wait at their bench after losing the gold medal game to Canada at the International Ice Hockey Federation's World Junior Hockey Championships in Vancouver, British Columbia, January 5, 2006. Canada defeated Russia 5-0. REUTERS/Andy Clark 

The five directors vying for the top foreign language film award at the 69th annual Academy Awards pose before the foreign language film award dirctor's symposium at the Academy headquarters in Beverly Hills, March 22. Pictured are (L-R) Nana Djordjadze of Georgia, director of "A Chef In Love"; Jan Sverak of the Czech Republic, director of "Kolya"; Berit Nesheim of Norway, director of "The Other Side of Sunday"; Sergei Bodrov of Russia, director of "Prisoner of the Mountains"; Patrice Leconte of France, director of "Ridicule". The Academy Awards are in Los Angeles, March 24.

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