James Baldwin once said, "I love America more than any other country in this world, and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually." I believe in this statement so absolutely that I apply it to other institutions as well.

Therefore: I love the Academy Awards more than any other awards ceremony in this world and, for exactly this reason, I insist on the right to criticize them perpetually.

Last year, the Academy was praised for bucking the nefarious tradition of ignoring lead performances by black actors by rewarding two deserving ones in the same year. It would serve the Academy well to put an end to another institutionalized cruelty: the patronizing, egotistical attitude the Academy has towards films from other countries.

Foreign films are technically eligible for every category for which American films are eligible. They are rarely nominated, however, and almost never win any of the big prizes.

So, basically, the message that the Academy is sending other nations is, "Sure, your films are allowed to compete with ours. But as the past 75 years clearly indicate, our films are always better than all of yours combined!"

In case you are wondering, this could not be further from the truth. Some of the greatest directors in film history -- Fellini, Bergman, Truffaut, Kurosawa -- come from other countries, and yet none of them have ever won the Best Director Oscar. Instead, when the Academy occasionally deigns to bestow a universally acclaimed foreign director with a nomination, they do not nominate the director's film for Best Picture. In the case of the four directors mentioned above, this has happened eight times out of nine combined Best Director nominations. Anyone who knows the Oscars knows that a nominated director whose film is not nominated need not come to the ceremony. He will not win.

So, who is the Academy's latest foreign lame duck? Pedro Almodóvar. The inspired Spanish auteur is indisputably one of the greatest working directors in the world and his amazing film Talk to Her is evidence of that greatness. With his passionate interest in human relationships and his sincere artistic vision unequaled by American filmmakers, Almodóvar is the year's best director. The Academy could not ignore the unanimous international accolades Almodóvar received for his film, so instead of rewarding him for his fine work, they did what they always do: they gave him a meaningless token nomination but did not nominate the movie for Best Picture.

The voting is already done, of course, and all I can do is hope that the Academy voted fairly, but I realize this is a futile hope. The Academy ought to do one of two things to correct their xenophobic behavior: 1) Either drop the facade of eligibility for foreign films and make the Oscars strictly an American film affair, or 2) Start giving gifted foreign filmmakers like Almodóvar the honors they deserve.

All this being said, I know I'll watch and enjoy every minute of the show on March 23. And I'll probably start criticizing the winners on March 24.