The Oscar for International Feature has temporary rule changes!
Friday, January 15, 2021 at 8:40PM 
This just in, courtesy of Scott Feinberg at The Hollywood Reporter, the rules are changing for this specific Oscar year in terms of the Best International Feature Race. While members are still required to watch a certain number of the nominees in order to vote in the first round as in past years, this year that number is 12, anyone in the Academy can do it which is a change from past years where you had to be part of specific volunteer committees. The concerning part is that the Executive Committee aren't doing their three film "save" this year. Usually they choose 3 of the 10 finalists. We know that process has drastically improved the quality of the nominees; the proof is in the pudding and the nominated shortlists have been delicious ever since. This year instead of the Executive Committee save, they're merely expanding the finalist list so the top 15 vote getting films will advance to the finals (yes, we'll update the prediction chart tomorrow to reflect this) from which the 5 nominees will be chosen.
The Executive Committee is expected to return to their "save" duties next year. Though judging on THR's intel it sounds like the change from 10 to 15 finalists will be permanent so how many of those the EC will be able to pick for 2021/2022 ... who knows?
Interesting or scary? A little of both. We love the idea of 15 finalists (that's how many documentary gets and we like symmetry) but no executive committee worries us. What do you make of this decision? Sound off in the comments. And make sure to check out our plentiful coverage on this race including the Oscar submission charts, the list of where to see the films, looks at the directors who made them, and note the familiar actors who are starring in them. More reviews and a few interviews are coming soon.
Reader Comments (10)
I always thought that the shortlist was too short. If the comittee is so important then I want to see their names and to know who "saves" what. Otherwise we're just speculating.
Sounds like a warning sign to me.
The idea of all academy voting for animated feature changes a lot the only category that proved itself to be outstanding: when were only the animators voting, great-international-artistic films were chosen. When all the academy voted... Well... Hollywood reigns.
I think that some safe choices will be made this year at the International Feature Film shortlist. Safe = not the best, but the most common way to tell a story / a movie look like.
Maybe they did this because with COVID lockdowns, more members are actually plowing through the films. Has the Academy explained the reasons behind this change. I think it will probably help "Charlatan" but hurt "La Llorona", which might have been a "saved" film.
I love that they have 15 in half finals! The films in this category need broader boost, like documentaries, and a longer list will do good in that respect. Even when having seen almost half of the 90+ films, it's really hard to pick just 10 best, as there are more really good ones. Now Charlatan, Collective and Mole agent will have better chances and maybe even second one from the nordics - Tove from Finland or Hope from Norway... and Turkey's Miracle in Cell no.7 for all of us crybabies and more people's film, than for the juries... I wasn't so sold on Bosnia's Que vadis, Aida? and Israel's Asia, but now I can see even these two to sneak in...or then again losing out as there will be no "saves". Very interesting dynamics. Losing the "save" is a little scary, as one of the "saves" should and would for sure be Denmark's "Another round", but that one will be voted in anyway, I'm sure... Russia's "Dear comrades!" can be in danger though as well as Lesotho's excellent "This is not a burial..." It may also hurt Mexico's "I'm no longer here", which feels more of a "jury darling", than of general voter. I guess the world war 2 and biopic films will do better now again.
Sounds like alot of the Executive Comitee saves were hovering around the top ten anyway. Mads is beloved so I see Another Round becoming a real chance, if not the new frontrunner.
I like the expanded 15 finalists and I hope this expansion can be a boost to other films that may not have the machinery to power through the more heralded films. Hoping films with titles like Dear Comrades, Gaza Mon Amour, Apples and my favorite (so far) Nova Lituania can sneak in. Eager to watch the films from Lesotho, Tunisia, and Saudi Arabia.
I'm thrilled to have more films in the shortlist, but I am terrified that without the Executive Committee "saves" they're all going to be geriatric delights.
There had to be a better solution to managing the Executive Committee during COVID than cutting it altogether.
For any Academy members out there-- three films that are tough / not from the usual nations that should absolutely be considered: Bosnia & Herzegovina, Georgia, Lesotho.
Having more films making the shortlist is fantastic news - I wish there was a requirement to watch more films though. There are so many good ones.
I’ve so far watched 20 and watching 21 tonight. I wish I could watch them all.
I have the sudden feeling, that is going to harm the longest ones, the most. I was expecting The Endless Trench to be a player, but now...
... that goes really well for Collective, though. It's warrant a lot of viewers from the Documentary branch.
Fifteen is a better number than 10, but keep the 3 saves. The Academy needs to be prevented from embarrassing itself yet again.