Oscars gift bags worth Dh460,000 include Bateel dates

A date box from the Saudi brand is among the 60 items being given to Academy Awards nominees, including Cate Blanchett, Colin Farrell, Steven Spielberg and Michelle Yeoh

Oscar nominees will each receive a Dh460,000 goody bag filled with Bateel dates, plus a lavish holiday in Italy and Miage skincare items worth $515. Photos: Bateel; Wikipedia, Miage
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What do Middle Eastern dates and a plot of land in Australia have in common? They're both in the “Everyone Wins” bag that will be handed out to a select group of celebrities at this year’s Academy Awards.

Valued at $126,000 (Dh460,000), the gift bags will be given to 26 nominees in the acting and directing categories. Included this year is a box of dates from luxury Saudi brand Bateel, which is highlighted in the official video for the goody bags.

Here are 12 of the items in this year’s bag.

A box of dates from Bateel

Celebrities will be introduced to an array of Middle Eastern dates from Bateel, with a double layer assortment from the brand included in the gift bags.

“Bateel has taken an ancient fruit, the date, and transformed it into a modern delicacy,” says Lash Fary, founder of Distinctive Assets, the company that put the bags together. “These are nutritious, they’re delicious and the packaging is so exquisite.”

A three-night stay in Italy

Celebrities can take seven of their friends to the Italian island of Ischia for a stay worth $40,000, at the picturesque Faro Punta Imperatore Lighthouse.

A plot of land in Australia

Also to be had is one square metre of land in Queensland from the Pieces of Australia “Aussie Mate Conservation Pack”. The company plants two trees for each purchase of the “symbolic” ownership.

Havaianas flip-flops and luggage

Nominees will receive a pair of the popular Brazilian footwear as well as luggage from the brand in two tones.

Beli multivitamins

Any nominee thinking of starting a family will be pleased to receive these prenatal vitamins for women and men.

Opopop popcorn

Popcorn and films are the perfect pairing, and the stars will be able to feast on various flavours from this gourmet brand, from vanilla cake pop to Maui heat.

A three-night stay in Canada

Celebrities can jet off on a holiday worth $40,000, at The Lifestyle in Ottawa, a “10-acre ultra-modern estate”, where they’ll also have use of a 965 Shelby AC Cobra 427 Roadster and a 2023 McLaren Artura.

Miage skincare

Among the array of skincare items in the bag is a five-piece collection from Miage valued at $515, which uses human stem cell science to moisturise skin.

ReFa Fine Bubble S showerhead

This $300 showerhead will bring the Japanese spa art of “fine bubble” technology into the stars' homes. The attachment creates micro bubbles to cleanse the skin more thoroughly.

Tranquini Wellness Drink

Nominees will receive a pack of this adaptogen-infused drink, which is carbohydrate and sugar-free.

Artisanal Japanese milk bread

Gift bag recipients will find a loaf of Japanese milk bread from Ginza Nishikawa among the swag. The inclusion of the $18 loaf is to highlight female and minority-owned businesses.

$25,000 worth of home renovations

Celebrities will be given $25,000 worth of project management or construction time from Los Angeles company Maison Construction for house remodelling.

Updated: March 09, 2023, 1:24 PM