Best Foreign Language Films – The Anticipated Oscar Short List.

Found in Translation.

Translation
A few days before the Oscar Nominations are announced on January 15th, a list of nine films will be on a short list for nomination to Best Foreign Language Film. Winners of this “Academy Award of Merit”–bestowed upon the country and received by the film’s director–have included extraordinary films such as A Beautiful Life, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Rashomon, Z, Day for Night, The Official Story, Amarcord, Dersu Uzala, The Secret in Their Eyes, Amores Perros … too many for this brief post. I invite you to indulge in the historic list, which includes notable nominees (The Last Metro, Kagemusha anyone?) that did not win.

This year, in contention for the nomination, 83 countries officially submitted films to the Academy.  That is a lot of films. But it is not all the foreign language films out there. Notably, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night , a film making noise, is absent. In its place Iran submitted Today. Not as if  a vampire drama with powerful women would be an official Mullah favorite.

Elegibility can be a b., though. Look what happened to Uruguay in 1992: After A Place in the World was officially submitted and made it to the nominated list of five, it was disqualified because the country’s filmmakers “had exercised insufficient artistic control over the film.”

Click here for the final OSCAR SHORT LIST

See also Independent Film (1) and Indie Films (2) as well as Studios (1) and Studios (2)

The likely officially submitted films to make the short list of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film include:

Wild TalesArgentina Winner, Best Foreign Language Film National Board of Review; Critics’ Choice Awards nominee, OSCAR SHORT LIST
Two Days, One Night – BelgiumRelatos Salvajes – Top Five Foreign Films, National Board of Review; Marion Cotillard – Best Actress NYFCC for this one. Critics’ Choice Awards and Academy Awards nominee.
Two DaysMommy – Canada (it’s in French – trailer) – Independent Spirit nominee
MommySaint Laurent – France (facebook)
Saint_Laurent_posterLittle England – Greece (trailer)
Little England

 

 

 

 

 

The Gift – Ireland (in Irish Gaelic) movie website
The Gift - IrelandLeviathan – Russia – Top Five National Board of Review, Independent Spirit nominee, Golden Globe nominee, Critics’ Choice nominee, OSCAR SHORT LIST, Golden Globe Winner.
LeviathanLiving is Easy with Eyes Closed – Spain
Living is EasyForce Majeure – Sweden – Top Five National Board of Review, Independent Spirit nominee, Golden Globe nominee, Critics’ Choice nominee, OSCAR SHORT LIST
Force MajeureThe Liberator – Venezuela – OSCAR SHORT LIST
The Liberator

 

 

 

 

 

There are others that may make that first cut but, at first buzz, most of these are in the short list.

Ida - Movie posterUPDATE DEC 03, 2014: With its nomination for an Independent Spirit Award and its win from the NYFCC, the Polish submittal Ida, a road trip movie about an orphaned novice trying to come to terms with her Jewish roots and looking for God in a godless world has a shot for more Award tinsel.
UPDATE DEC 07:
LAFCA Best Foreign Language Picture and Best Supporting Actress winner.
UPDATE DEC 15:
Golden Globe nominee, Critics’ Choice nominee.
DEC. 20: OSCAR SHORT LIST
FEB 21: Winner Independent Spirit Award.
FEB 22: Oscar Winner.

The other foreign language film making noise: Gett: The Trial of Vivian Amsalem (Israel) – Top Five Foreign Language Films from NBR and Golden Globe nominee.

The full list of submittals by country.

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CJ Rangel – November 30, 2014

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2 Comments

  1. A Film Look » The Award Season Goes Full Throttle. November 30, 2014 9:18 am  Reply

    […] category generally speaking this year. For international and foreign language film contenders, read A Film Look commentary on possibles posting. Make sure you subscribe to our site to get the info in your inbox (white box to the […]