Spain announces its three Oscar finalists. Plus: Spain's Oscar history

by Nathaniel R

Earlier today in Spain, the actress Maria Pedraza Morillo (Money Heist, Elite) had the privilege of announcing the three films that will compete to become Spain's Oscar submission for 2022. These three films were selected from a pool of 43 films (we have not been able to find the longlist) and now they will be narrowed down to one by September 13th as the members of Spain's Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences vote. Which of the following three do you think it will be? 

Details on their choices after the jump...

ALCARRÀS - (Carla Simón) 120 minutes
A drama about a large family of peach farmers in the Catalonia region who face eviction when the landowner considers selling. they may lose in the Catalonia region. Carla Simón's previous feature, Summer 1993, was an Oscar submission in 2017. After winning the top prize at the Berlin International Film Festival in February Alcarràs opened in Spain in April. It will play the New York Film Festival this October. MUBI will distribute the film in the US, date unknown. 

THE BEASTS (Rodrigo Sorogoyen) 137 minutes
A thriller about a French couple (Denis Menochet and Marina Foïs) living a peaceful life in Spain until they come into conflict with a neighboring family. This is the fifth feature from 40 year-old director Rodrigo Sorogoyen who is already an Oscar nominee via his short film Madre in 2018. The Beasts premiered at Cannes and is due to open in Spain on November 11th. No US distribution as of yet.

LULLABY (Alauda Ruiz de Azúa) 104 minutes
A new mother returns to her parents home along the Basque coast for help. Laia Costa (star of that amazing continuous shot movie Victoria back in 2015) has the leading role. The film also stars Almodóvar regular Susi Sánchez and Ramón Barea as her parents. The film premiered at Berlinale and later won seven (!) prizes at the Malaga Film Festival and opened in Spanish theaters in May.  No US distribution as of yet.

Submissions to Oscar's International Feature Film category are due by October 3rd this year. They usually received 90+ contenders.  Oscar's shortlists in selected categories (including this one) will be announced on December 21st followed by the actual nominations on Tuesday January 24th, 2023.

SPAIN'S OSCAR STATS
Submitting since 1956 (the very first year of the competition)
64 Total Submissions 
20 Nominations (and 3 Additional Finalists)
4 Wins

Volver a Empezar (also known as "Begin the Beguine") was the first Spanish film to win the Oscar

KEY SUBMISSIONS

• La Venganza (1958) Nominee
• Plácido (1961) Nominee
• Los Tarantos (1963) Nominee
• El Amor Brujo (1967) Nominee
• Tristana (1970) Nominee
• My Dearest Senorita (1972) Nominee
• Cria Cuervos / Raise Ravens (1976)
  This film was a Golden Globe nominee that year and from a director Oscar had already taken a liking to. Yet it was passed over come Oscar time. 
• That Obscure Object of Desire (1977) Nominee
• Mama Turns a Hundred (1979) Nominee
• The Nest (1980) Nominee
• Volver a Empezar (1982) WINNER
• Carmen (1983) Nominee
• Double Feature (1984) Nominee
• Course Completed (1987) Nominee
• Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988) Nominee
• High Heels (1991)
  Almodóvar's first unsuccessful submission. Critics weren't kind but it was a huge hit in Spain and France and snagged a Golden Globe nomination for Best Foreign Film.
• Belle Epoque (1993) WINNER
• Secrets of the Heart (1997) Nominee
• The Grandfather (1998) Nominee
• All About My Mother (1999) WINNER
• Mondays in the Sun (2002)
  Despite being critically well regarded, it holds the distinction of being Spain's most controversial submission since they chose it over the globally loved Talk to Her which won an Oscar for its screenplay. But Monday in the Sun was well loved in Spain and swept the Goya Awards. 
• The Sea Inside (2004) WINNER
• Volver (2006) Finalist.
  Simply one of the biggest snubs in the history of the Oscars as it's one of Pedro Almodóvar's very best films. The film was rightfully nominated in Best Actress at least. 
• Even the Rain (2010) Finalist
• Blancanieves (2012)
  The only silent film ever submitted by Spain. A delightful retelling of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs but perhaps the misfortune was arriving on the heels of The Artist (2011) which had won the top Oscars and which may have made this one feel like "another novelty silent?" to them.
• Pain and Glory (2019) Nominee
  Almodóvar's auto-fiction ended Spain's longest nomination drought ever in the International category -- it had been 14 years since The Sea Inside was nominated and won. 
• The Good Boss (2021) Finalist
  This satire starring Javier Bardem opens in limited release in the US tomorrow!
  
  

Most Oscar-Honored Spanish Artists

Luis Buñuel, the surrealist master, directed Mexican, Spanish, and French films

1. Pedro Almodóvar (3 noms and 1 win for Best International Film* ...plus 2 nomination directing/writing with a win for Screenplay) 
2. Luis Buñuel (3 noms and 1 win for Best International Film* **... plus 2 nominations for writing)
3. Nestor Almendros, José Luis Garci, Javier Bardem, and Penelope Cruz (4 noms and 1 win each, for Cinematography, Best International Film*, and acting respectively)
4. Gil Parronda (3 noms and 2 wins for Production Design)
5. Alberto Iglesias (3 nominations for Original Score)
6. Paco Delgado and both Carlos Saura and Francisco Rovira Beleta (2 noms for Costume Design and Best International Film times two*, respectively)

* Yes, we realize these nominations "officially" go to the country not the director, but the directors had more to do with the films in question than the country so we count them as "Oscar honors" for our listing purposes

** Luis Buñuel's Oscar winning film in the International category was technically for France so his stats come from multiple countries

Most Frequently Submitted Directors in Foreign Film  

1. Pedro Almodóvar (7 submissions, 3 of them nominated with 1 winner among them, plus 1 finalist)
2. José Luis Garci (6 submissions, 4 of them nominated with 1 winner among them)
3. Carlos Saura* (5 submissions, 2 of them nominated)
4. Juan Antonio Bardem (3 submissions, 1 of them nominated)
5. Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón (3 submissions, none of them nominated)
6. Luis Buñuel* and Francisco Rovira Beleta (2 submissions each, both of them nominated)
7. Fernando Trueba (2 submissions, 1 of them nominated and winning)
8. Jamie de Armiñan and Montxo Armendáriz (2 submissions each, 1 of them nominated)
9. David Trueba and Fernando León de Aranoa (2 submissions each, neither of them nominated)

* Buñuel and Saura were also Oscar submitted for other countries but these are just Spain stats. 

Comments

[Jésus Alonso]

for the record, Javier Bardem is 4 - 1... nominations for Before Night Falls, Biutiful and Being the Ricardos and a win for No Country for Old Men...

also, I think that the Berlin Bear will be a factor and "Alcarrás" will be the nominee... who knows if even the ultimate winner... if it is well marketing, it may be unbeatable, seems to be an artistic triumph that no one can really dislike.

[Peggy Sue]

I'm Team Alcarràs but it's hard not to cry your eyes out watching Cinco Lobitos. Susi Sánchez is out of this world.

[Finbar McBride]

for the record, Bardem’s record is tied with cinematographer Néstor Almendros who has one win for Days of Heaven in 1978 and three subsequent nominations for Kramer vs. Kramer in 1979, The Blue Lagoon in 1980 and Sophie’s Choice in 1982.

[Cláudio Alves]

I've only seen ALCARRÀS from this trio, but it's one of my favorite films of the year, so I hope it gets submitted and nominated. This film made me cry over peaches, FFS - I was a mess coming out of the theater.

[Anthony Tranchina]

I’m rooting for Rodrigo Sorogoyen because “Mother” was so brilliant, but I’m fearful he’ll come in third place. Carla Simon’s “Summer 1993” (97 minutes of children playing in their backyard) was the weakest Spanish submission I’ve seen, so not sure they’ll choose her again. The Spanish vote with their hearts so I think “Lullaby” will get this…But it will be a close race.

PS- Carlos Saura was nominated three times, including once representing Argentina.

[NATHANIEL R]

Anthony & Finbar & Jesus -- thanks. Fixed. I made this list a few years ago and Bardem's RICARDOS nomination was so uneventful I forgot all about it when reposting.