Foreign Language Film Submissions

[ITALIANO]

That is certainly a surprise selection. Good as the film is I can't see it getting in ahead of a lot more 'Academy friendly' fare in in the final five but it should have a reasonable shot at the shortlist.

I still haven't seen it, but I guess that, with no real Oscar-type movie to choose from, the committee has gone in the opposite direction, picking something completely different, which, if only because it "stands out", sometimes can get more than one would expect.

Now, we all know that it's between Amour and The Intouchables, but I hope for the Taviani brothers - very good and very serious directors, whose The Night of the Shooting Stars was unfairly denied a nomination thirty years ago - will at least get to the shortlist. They certainly deserve it, at least for their career.

It's interesting, by the way, that you have seen Reality already: in Italy it will only open tomorrow, which is the last possible weekend for a movie to be selected as a Foreign Film candidate - which shows, of course, how they felt that a nomination was very, very possible.

I wonder if it happens in other countries too - here in Italy the selection of our Foreign Film submission is closely followed by the press, as if it's the election of the next Pope, with suspicions of Mafia-like conspiracies, mutual accusations, loud complains, etc. And when the movie is finally chosen, it's front page news (breaking news actually). But maybe it's just Italy.

[Precious Doll]

That is certainly a surprise selection. Good as the film is I can't see it getting in ahead of a lot more 'Academy friendly' fare in in the final five but it should have a reasonable shot at the shortlist. I saw Reality a couple of nights ago and found it very enjoyable but it's very hard to determine how the Academy would have responded to that one.

[ITALIANO]

Italy has finally chosen its Foreign Film submission, and it's - quite surprisingly - Cesare Must Die, directed by the Taviani brothers. Now - it actually shouldn't be a surprise at all. This movie after all has won everything in sight, starting from the Golden Bear at Berlin to Italy's own Oscar, the David di Donatello, for Best Picture and Best Director (and three more), not to mention lots of other less famous prizes. Still, I mean, this is a movie entirely shot in a real prison in Rome, and acted by its real inmates (playing their own version of Shakespeare's Julius Ceasar). It is supposedly very good, and critics here loved it, plus its directors are extremely respected and of course made other great movies in the past. But it has made next to no money when released in cinemas, and I honestly doubt that it can appeal much to Americans. But then it's true that Dogtooth was also considered to be hopeless...

[Precious Doll]

Some additional confirmations:

Chile - No
Estonia - Mushrooming
Indonesia - Tiny Dance
Slovakia - Made in Ash
Thailand - Headshot

I saw Headshot last week. A worthy enough effort from Pen-Ek Ratanaruang who has made much better films in the past. I can't see the Academy giving this any serious consideration.

[bizarre]

Or you could say, barfy...

[Reza]

The film from India is not Barfil but Barfi. And a crappy choice I might add.

[Precious Doll]

Updated list courtesy of Wikipedia

Australia - Lore
Austria - Amour
Azerbaijan - Buta
Bangladesh - Ghetuputra Kamola
Belgium - Our Children
Bosnia and Herzegovina - Children of Sarajevo
Brazil - The Clown
Bulgaria - Sneakers
Cambodia - Lost Loves
Canada - War Witch
Colombia - El Cartel de los Sapos
Croatia - Cannibal Vegetarian
Czech Republic In the Shadows
Denmark - A Royal Affair
Dominican Republic - Check Mate
Finland - Purge
France - The Intouchables
Germany - Barbara
Greece - Unfair World
Hong Kong - Life Without Principle
Hungary - Just the Wind
India - Barfil
Israel - Fill the Void
Japan - Our Homeland
Kazakhstan - Myn Bala
Macedonia - The Third Half
Mexico - After Lucia
Morocco - Death for Sale
Netherlands - Kauwboy
Norway - Kon-Tiki
Palestinian - When I Saw You
Philippiness - Bwakaw
Poland - 80 Million
Portugal - Blood of My Blood
Romania - Beyond the Hills
Russia - White Tiger
Serbia - When Day Breaks
Slovenia - A Trip
South Korea - Pieta
Sweden - The Hypnotist
Switzerland - Sister
Ukraine - Firecrosser
Venezuela - Rock, Paper, Scissors

Surely Japan could have come up with something more dynamic then Our Homeland. It's a sombre and frankly very boring take on the potentially fascinating subject matter of the family connections of some North Korean citizens have with family members living in Japan and the implications that emerge during a life threatening illness.

From the films selection so far the most likely to make the shortlist based on what I have seen:

Amour, A Royal Affair, Barbara, Beyond the Hill, Sister (I would like to include Lore but it's simply too tough for the Academy). I am inclined to think that Beyond the Hill will make the final nine but miss out on a place in the top 5. Ironically it was the omission of the directors earlier 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days that prompted the change in selection process for this category.

Most likely for consideration based on reputation:

Our Children, Children of Sarajevo, War Witch, Kon-Tiki, The Intouchables, Bwakaw, Pieta, After Lucia, Kauwboy, Just the WInd, Life Without Principle, Unfair World, Fill the Void. (I'm seeing Unfair World, The Intouchables & Life Without Principle soon myself).

Quiet a lot to choose from with just this list and there are not doubt some gems amongst those I've never heard of myself.

[Cinemanolis]

Among the official foreign film submissions for the Oscars, the following were shortlisted for the European Film Awards

Austria's "Amour,"
Belgium's "Our Children,"
Bosnia and Herzegovina's "Children of Sarajevo,"
Bulgaria's "Sneakers,"
France's "The Intouchables,"
Germany's "Barbara,"
Greece's "Unfair World,"
Hungary's "Just the Wind,"
The Netherlands' "Kauwboy,"
Romania's "Beyond the Hills"
Switzerland's "Sister.

[Uri]

Filling the Void (for which Hadas Yaron won best actress at Venice) has just won the Ophir award for best picture, therefore it’s the Israeli entry for the Oscars. It also won best director (making Rama Burstein the first female winner in this category), best actress and supporting actress, script and cinematography. I can’t attest to its quality since it hasn’t open in theaters here, but I guess as a love story set amongst a Hasidic community in Jerusalem, its chances aren’t bad. In one sight, describing this film, under “subject” it’s said: “Death, Family, Romance, Judaism”. A winning combo if ever there was one.

[Precious Doll]

I've just seen the Australian submission Lore, Cate Shortland's follow up to her excellent debut feature several years ago, Somersault, which by the way starred Sam Worthington doing high quality work that he has not approached anywhere near since his move to the U.S. filmmaking.

Lore is an excellent production which follows a 15 year old girls struggle to taken her younger brothers and sister through war torn Germany at the end of WWII. Shortland pulls no punches and this is a tough film to watch. Most films that deal with Germany after WWII tend to be set in Berlin but this one is set in the country side.

As good and deserving of a nomination the film is I doubt it will receive one. It's simply too strong and uncompromising with a young heroine who makes no apologies for her Nazi inheritance.

[ITALIANO]

What's funny is that last year, when France selected for Foreign Film a dignified and much praised movie which still didn't have any hope of even being nominated, I thought - ah, the French, they always show their class - they could have picked The Intouchables but they didnt want to send such an obvious, and commercial, winner. De Coubertin would be proud!

I didn't know, of course, that while released in 2011 this movie wasn't eligible for THOSE Oscars...

[Greg]

IMDB says that The Intouchables has grossed over $350 million worldwide. Wow.

[dws1982]

I am kind of surprised that Weinstein didn't do more to make The Intouchables cross over in the United States. It has grossed almost $9 million right now, which is way more than most subtitled movies but surely he could've turned this into at least an Il Postino sized hit? I honestly didn't have any idea it had even been released in the States until a couple of weeks ago.

[Reza]

I predicted this some time ago, though where I can't exactly remember, but France is submitting The Intouchables. It's their strongest shot at a nomination in years and could very well be the strongest competition for Amour.

It is definitely the strongest competition for Amour. I havent seen it, but in Italy it has been a big, big hit - one of the most successful French movies ever here, and successful in all the other European countries where it has been shown, too.

It's a rousing crowd pleaser on the lines of Rocky and Chariots of Fire and right up the Academy's alley. The film is totally predictable but has great performances by Omar Sy (very funny) and François Cluzet (who is very moving).

[OscarGuy]

When I first saw the trailer, I said to myself: Now this is a film that Harvey Weinstein could easily champion to a Best Foreign Language Film victory and might even emerge as a possible Best Picture nominee. And guess who has control of its U.S. Release...

Anyway, it's got a 8.6/10 rating on IMDB ranking #75 out of 250. That's a rather impressive position. I might even suggest that if Silver Linings Playbook doesn't push through critics groups handily, Weinstein could shift his attention to Intouchables for a Best Picture nomination and then a win, but that's a bit far fetched at present.