Palestinian filmmaker answers critics

LOS ANGELES, March 6 (UPI) -- Palestinian filmmaker Hany Abu-Assad says those angered by his Oscar-nominated film "Paradise Now" should respond with their own films.

The film about a suicide bomber won an Independent Spirit Film Award Saturday and was among the favorites to win an Oscar in Los Angeles Sunday night, but was beat in the best foreign language film category by South Africa's "Tsotsi."

Israeli relatives of suicide bomber victims submitted petitions to the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences seeking to have the banned from receiving an Academy Award.

"The only answer I can give them is please go and make your own movie," the BBC quoted him as saying. "I understand the pain that some people have and I think it's not a problem to protest against a film. It's better than to use violence."

The film follows two Palestinians in their final 24 hours before a suicide bombing mission.