We have almost the full list of Foreign Oscar Contenders now
Sunday, September 30, 2018 at 10:12AM by Nathaniel R
We're now up to 79 entries for Best Foreign Language Film, so this will be our last chart update before the official announcement by AMPAS in a week or so. There's probably only 10-12 that weren't officially announced that will show up on the list as that list generally tops out at around 90 titles.
A few of the most recent entries are from Argentina (the beautiful-boy-on-crime-spree drama El Angel), Bangladesh (No Bed of Roses headlined by international star Irffan Khan), Kyrgyzstan (road trip drama Night Accident), and Costa Rica (university student pregnancy drama Medea). I'm kicking myself that I didn't see El Angel at TIFF because it was on the schedule but I dropped it on an exhausting day.
RafikiFinally, perhaps you've been following the drama around Kenya's submission. The director of the initially-banned lesbian romance Rafiki (which Chris reviewed here from TIFF) fought valiantly to get the film screened at home to make it eligible for submission. The government caved to allow it but, as we predicted, Kenya still wouldn't actually submit it. The less political (and thus a very political choice!) inspirational drama Supa Modo about a terminally ill little girl was submitted instead.
FOREIGN PREDICTIONS
Submissions pt 1 - Algeria through Estonia
Submissions pt 2 - Finland through Morocco
Submissions pt 3 - Nepal through Vietnam
Reader Comments (19)
Hey Nat! When's the deadline to submit films? I always get furious with our Academy. They systematically submit on the very last day!
I believe it's October 1st. The full list is usually announced toward the end of the first week of October.
Thanks for these updates! Nathaniel, have you heard any news of France or Italy's contenders yet? The two most successful countries in this category historically, and I can't find any news of what they are thinking for this year - with only three weeks to go to the deadline. It's odd.
AMACC already announced that Mexico is submitting Roma (which, of course they are, they'd be foolish not to). I saw it yesterday and very nearly loved it (it's a slow burn, but very rewarding) and I was watching it with a cousin of mine who grew up in Mexico City in the 1970's, so that was quite an experience. I think Museo would have been a great choice as well (I loved that movie, it did remind me of everything director Alonso Ruizpalacios does right), but given the kind of profile Roma has, it may even be the film that finally gives Mexico an Oscar in this category.
The category should be fun to follow for the nominations, but you can take it to the bank now. This one (along with Original Song) is wrapped up for Roma, finally giving Mexico its first win in the category.
I think that the film that Argentina is going to submit will be "The angel" (El ángel) by Ortega. It's a huge hit in local markets, it has been screened at Un certain Regard at Cannes with very positive reviews and it has a more positive impact -in terms of cultural and historical background- thant The Quietude.
I know everybody loves Roma, but I hate when a race feels locked so soon specially in this category. These are movies that need all the attention they can get.
So far, I think that the only thing that can take down "Roma" is "Campeones", because it's so different, the backstory and the movement in favor of giving disabled character roles to actually disabled performers (which this film actually champions - pun intended). It is the only film I can see stealing the limelight and surprise... same as in 2001 with "No Man's Land" to "Amelie".
Campeones shouldn't even be in competition and Spain should be banned for jailing artists and politicians.
This is one of my favorite features of FE's Oscar coverage. Thank you!
I am sad that Indonesia didn't choose the Seen and the Unseen, but MARLINA, also a masterpiece, is considerably more well known and has A-list star in Marsha Timothy.
The Cakemaker is SOO good.
I really hope it isn't disqualified. And I really don't think it should. They do speak a lot of English, but it's not like the actors are Americans. They are German and Israeli speaking English.
The Great Buddha is so bad, which makes it so good.
The Heiresses was pretty good. It takes awhile to get going but it's worth it in the end.
Edward - There's a wikipedia page called "List of submission to the 91st Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film." It's updated by some wonderful soul as soon as the submissions are announced. For those countries who've yet to announce but have announced a shortlist of films they are considering, those selections are listed in footnotes. I check this page (or its equivalent each year) religiously throughout September.
If you go there, it will tell you the 5 films France has narrowed it down to (they announce this Friday) and the 21 films Italy has narrowed ("narrowed") it down to.
@StorytellerT on Twitter also has real-time updates.
The biggest omissions right now: Argentina (always one of the last), Canada (also always one of the last), China, Denmark, France, Italy, Poland. I'm also very curious what's taking Iceland so long!
Evan: Many thanks - I knew about that page and have been checking it every day for about a month! :-) When I posted my comment above there was still nothing on France or Italy, but they have now both announced their shortlists this week - hooray! Thanks.
My tentative guess is France will go with Custody or The Four Sisters and Italy will go with Dogman or Happy as Lazzaro, but both have plenty to choose from.
Bulgarian entry ("Omnipresent") is available on ROW8 in USA (new VOD service).
I don't know if Tunisian "Beauty and the Dogs" really has a chance, but it's one of the strongest films I've seen this year! Holding my fingers crossed for Tunisia. BTW, another female director.
Without seeing more than few frames from each of them I think that Japanese "Shoplifters" can be a competition to "Roma" (Koreeda & Palm D'or winner). Regarding "Campeones" watched it on Sunday and found it totally terrible. Do they really think that if they bomb almost each and every scene with music it'll be more touching and I don't even watch to mention the credibility of the whole story.
Dogman (Italy) and Woman At War (Iceland) are both fantastic and worthy of top 9.
Operation Red Sea (Hong Kong) is dreadful on the other hand.
Lol, Dayan...
1) "Campeones" isn't a masterpiece by any means, but it's a huge challenge filmmaking wise by probably the best spanish director at work, and there are strong reasons to submit it (specially since it has everything to be a possible, even likely winner).
2) Completely on your side about Spain, my country is a dictatorship without actual freedom of speech.
I'm very surprised about Kenya. Some would say I shouldn't be, but the group that selects the Kenyan entry (the Kenyan Film Commission) is not the same as the one that banned it (the Kenyan Film Classification Board) and they had been very supportive of the film and had called its banning "ridiculous." They gave all indication that they'd choose it if allowed. I wonder if they were strongarmed by the government into selecting what they did...
Shoplifters (Japan) is brilliant.
The Wild Pear Tree (Turkey) is ok. I'm not a fan of it but I can see why people like it.