The film was in our early Oscar nomation list at the beginning of this year, but after little talk it looks like Alejandro González Iñárritu’s next project is not going to make it for this award season. Biutiful stars Javier Bardem, Blanca Portillo, Ruben Ochandiano and is produced by the trio of Guillermo Del Toro, Alfonso Cuaron, and the filmmaker himself. The film which is about a man involved with shady/illegal dealings and is confronted by a childhood friend who is now a policeman wrapped shooting early this year. The Playlist uncovered Iñárritu talking to the Mexican media about the project:

Over the next three months I will be immersed in that project and this festival actually [delayed] me a bit,” the director said about the editing process. “But the festival gave me a little distance [from the film] that I needed, but [I will] return to post-production and it will be ready [next] year.”

The festival in question was the Tokyo International Film Festival, where he sat as juror on. This is disappointing news, but bound to happen as there as been virtually no talk about it. Iñárritu’s directorial debut Amores Perros is one of my favorite films. While 21 Grams and Babel didn’t quite live up to it, they are still great films and with Javier Bardem in this new one, I’m very intrigued. I hope it can finish in time for Cannes 2010 along with Terrence Malik’s Tree of Life. Check out a production photo of the film via The Playlist below.

Do you like Inarritu’s work? Are you disappointed this got delayed?