'Embrace of the Serpent'

“I have to remain neutral now. I’m a voting member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences,” said CEO of MPAA Chris Dodd at a screening of the Colombian film Embrace of the Serpent, nominated for an OSCAR in the Foreign Film category. “But I can be available Mr. Ambassador. It’s an incredibly high honor to be nominated and this is a very special occasion, not just because Colombia has a great film that has been nominated, but this is the very first time Colombia has ever had a film nominated for an Academy Oscar: So congratulations to Colombia.”

“We also had a great evening not long ago at the Embassy with President Santos who was here in Washington for a State visit. The Ambassador and his wife Pilar hosted a wonderful gathering at the residence and a wonderful evening to celebrate the fifteen years ago plight of Colombia. In those days, I was a member of the United States Senate,” Dodd added, “and I was either the chairing or the ranking member of the subcommittee dealing with the Americas and was honored to be working with our friends in Colombia to start to bring about a process which has resulted we hope in the coming days of a permanent peace agreement. What a great day it will be and how richly deserving Colombia [will be] to have peace after this many years. We respect the political leadership and the civil leadership of the country about to bring about that final accord.”