Foreign Language Submissions

[ITALIANO]

Italy must be the only country in the world where NOT being included in this list is front page news...

Well, in Portugal is front news also. And not beacuse the film submitted was any good but because we broke our own record of most submissions without being nominated: 31

Yes... And 9 of those were movies by the great Manuel De Oliveira, who is probably the director with most foreign film submissions without a nod (and honestly, he DID deserve some!).

I think Egypt is in second place with 30 submissions and no nominations. My friends there were very happy last year when a (very good) Egyptian documentary was the first local production ever to be nominated for an Oscar (though, of course, not the Foreign Film Oscar). They also told me that the filmmakers had been sent to jail, but that's another story...

[mlrg]

Italy must be the only country in the world where NOT being included in this list is front page news...

Well, in Portugal is front news also. And not beacuse the film submitted was any good but because we broke our own record of most submissions without being nominated: 31

[ITALIANO]

Italy must be the only country in the world where NOT being included in this list is front page news...

[HarryGoldfarb]

So, the heavy campaign is paying off... The Liberator among the 9... It is already BIG news here.

[ksrymy]

With the exclusion of "Two Days, One Night" in this category, I'm thinking Marion Cotillard's chances for either of her two films has diminished quite a bit.

[anonymous1980]

The shortlist. Lots of notable titles excluded:

Argentina, “Wild Tales,” Damián Szifrón, director;
Estonia, “Tangerines,” Zaza Urushadze, director;
Georgia, “Corn Island,” George Ovashvili, director;
Mauritania, “Timbuktu,” Abderrahmane Sissako, director;
Netherlands, “Accused,” Paula van der Oest, director;
Poland, “Ida,” Paweł Pawlikowski, director;
Russia, “Leviathan,” Andrey Zvyagintsev, director;
Sweden, “Force Majeure,” Ruben Östlund, director;
Venezuela, “The Liberator,” Alberto Arvelo, director.

[Precious Doll]

Since my last post in relation to what I have seen of the contenders on 1 October I have to my surprise seen another 8 films making my total 16.

These are all films that I wanted to see anyway and I am certainly not intending nor have I have made any effort to see every film submitted by every country over the years.

As I it is highly unlikely that I will see anything further prior to the announcement of the short-listed films I will give a quick summary of any likely contenders from what I have seen.

This is the list of films in the order of my best to worst. Mind you, none of the 16 films is bad and all of them would make more deserving winners that some of the films the Academy has selected for best film in this category:

1. Ida (Poland)
2. Force Majeure (Sweden)
3. White God (Hungary)
4. Timbuktu (Mauritania)
5. Norte, the End of History (The Philippines)
6. Winter Sleep (Turkey)
7. Little England (Greece)
8. Human Capital (Italy)
9. Mommy (Canada)
10. The Light Shines Only There (Japan)
11. What Now, Remind Me? (Portugal)
12. Charlie's County (Australia)
13. Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem (Israel)
14. Two Days, One Night (Belgium)
15. Difret (Ethiopia)
16. Living is Eyes with Eyes Closed (Spain)

Basically Ida is pretty much the only shoe-in for an actual nomination. A critical and commercial hit world-wide assures this.

I feel Human Capital, Timbuktu, Two Nights, One Day, Living is Easy with Eyes Closed, Charlie's Country & Difret could all make the shortlist on there own steam without the help of the committee which would probably only throw there weight behind Two Nights, One Day and maybe Timbuktu if needed.

Force Majeure & Winter Sleep are only going to make the shortlist with the help of the committee.

Though White Dog, Norte, the End of History & Little England are very worthy they are going to need to committees help to make the shortlist but there problem lies in the fact that there are other high quality films with higher profiles that will make it very difficult for these to make the cut.

Mommy is very unlikely but not impossible. That Dogtooth got nominated means this very film that has divided audiences and critics could sneak it. It's very abrasive and the manner in which it has been largely shot will alienate some members.

The remaining films have no hope. Japans The Light Shines Only There is too small, unknown and at times too shocking to have wide appeal; Gett: The Trail of Viviane Amsalem, whilst quiet fascinating and very watchable feels more like a filmed play and pales in comparison to Iran's A Separation. Though vastly different films they do both deal with very unique and alien divorcee proceedings from two very different cultures and A Separation is simply a far more accomplished work and probably the best film made so far this decade.

As I stated earlier though good, though gruelling to sit through the almost 3 hour documentary Remind Me, What Me? has not chance whatsoever.

Just two more things to add. Of the remaining films submitted at this point in time I am only interested in seeing 5 of them. From what I know of them I would expect the following for each:

Beloved Sisters (Germany) From what I have read this is one of the very best German films of the year (and what a strong year it has been for Germany). It has been well received and by the sounds of things has a good chance of making the shortlist without any assistance from the committee;

Saint Laurent (France) Good reviews and interesting subject matter. Widely regarded as better than Yves Saint Laurent which received middling reviews and box office;

Leviathan (Russia) Will need the committee's help;

The Circle (Switzerland) & The Way He Looks (Brazil) Little hope. Gay themed films in this category have always faced an uphill battle.

The other thing is that the quality of this year submissions is far more impressive overall than last.

[Reza]

Has India submitted a film this year?

Liar's Dice

What a stupid move by India. They should have submitted Haider instead, the superb adaptation of Hamlet set amongst the "troubles" in Kashmir.

[Precious Doll]

Has India submitted a film this year?

Liar's Dice

[Reza]

Has India submitted a film this year?

[ITALIANO]

Human Capital is solid while still at the same time possibly being told in English as Crash 2 at the 2017 Academy Awards.

Yes, well, I can see your point... It's actually less sentimental than Crash, more cynical, more Italian (though based on an American novel), but I can't deny that there are similarities - and that's why I think a nomination wouldn't be impossible.

As for Winter Sleep, I've recently talked to people who actually LOVED it - in an almost religious way - so I guess I'll have to see it and judge. The thing is - I've noticed, as I grow older, that the prospect of seeing a three-hours long, stagey, talkative Turkish movie, isn't as attractive as it would have been only a few years ago. But I will see it.

[Bog]

but honestly, from what I have heard from the survivors

Marco, you made me literally laugh out loud, startling my sleeping infant daughter, while attempting to catch up on these posts...hahaha. If I recall, I remember similar suicidal tendencies reported of the 200 minute Ceylan from the viewers at Cannes, despite as you said "raves"?

Human Capital is solid while still at the same time possibly being told in English as Crash 2 at the 2017 Academy Awards.

[anonymous1980]

Norte, The End of History is available for iTunes download.

I highly, HIGHLY recommend it.

[The Original BJ]

BJ, I actually think that the changes made to how this category reaches its nominees actually favours those films we've heard about already. I mean, take a gander at a year like 1999 - I'd argue only All About My Mother had any real profile before the nomination (though Tango was released domestically in 1999). Whereas, a decade later (under the new system) - we have the Palme D'Or, the runner-up and the winner from Berlin. I'd argue that Dogtooth owes it's nomination to it's high festival profile.

Valid points, definitely, in terms of how the category has progressed over recent years.

But I'd still make the point that, in this category more than a lot of others, some of the most obvious candidates will definitely falter, while other movies come seemingly from nowhere to nab nominations. To cite last year as an example, I hadn't heard much at all about The Broken Circle Breakdown or Omar by this point, but Gloria and (especially) The Grandmaster seemed like very strong players, only to miss out on nominations. Similarly, a year before, I assumed based on my viewing of it that The Intouchables could be a threat to WIN, only to see it boxed out by the far more under the radar War Witch.

[HarryGoldfarb]

Harry, Two Days, One Night is the most recent Dardenne Bros film - and I'd argue that they are the most acclaimed filmmakers currently working.

My mistake: I read about the film by the time Cannes was on, and I thought the plot was really interesting and original, but afterwards I just forgot it. If you didn't mention it, I would have not remembered it.

As for the Dardennes, of course I know about them, even if Rosetta is the only film of theirs I have seen so far, and I found it mesmerizing and a little bit disappointing at the same time.