As a cinephile with a penchant for world cinema and a heart full of nostalgia for the bygone era of international film festivals, I find myself captivated by this year’s shortlist for the Best International Film at the 97th Oscars. The diverse range of stories and cultures represented is truly a testament to the power of cinema to bridge borders and unite us all under the shared experience of storytelling.
On Tuesday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed a list of 15 movies under consideration for the “Best International Feature Film” nomination at the 97th Academy Awards.
Among the impressive 85 film submissions this award season, several standouts swiftly emerged, securing their spots on the longlist. One such contender is Jacques Audiard’s “Emilia Pérez,” representing France, which has caught my eye. Another captivating entry hails from Denmark, directed by Magnus von Horn and titled “The Girl With the Needle.” Lastly, I can’t help but be intrigued by Mohammad Rasoulof’s “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” an Iranian-inspired feature jointly submitted by Germany.
A number of crowd favorites from various film festivals have been selected for the upcoming event. The movie “I’m Still Here,” Brazil’s entry to the Oscars, earned its spot following its win for best screenplay at Cannes. Director Walter Salles was previously nominated for an Oscar in the international category (formerly known as best foreign-language film) for “Central Station,” with Fernanda Montenegro, who has a role in “I’m Still Here,” having been nominated for best actress for her lead performance. The humorous Irish rap film “Kneecap” took home the audience award at Sundance’s NEXT section and swept the British Independent Film Awards, securing its place among the final 15. Additionally, the historical Czech thriller “Waves,” which won over audiences at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival, also gained the Academy’s favor.
But there were a few surprises, and a handful of snubs, on this year’s longlist.
The Thai film titled “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies” was not screened at prominent international film festivals but gained widespread popularity through word-of-mouth in Asia, ultimately grossing over $50 million globally. It seems that Academy voters found charm in the heartwarming comedy about a lazy young man who agrees to care for his grandmother suffering from a terminal illness, with the expectation of inheriting money upon her passing.
Another contender for the title list, “Touch,” hailing from Iceland, was similarly absent from the film festival circuit. However, this multi-decade melodrama, carrying some romantic resemblance to Baltasar Kormákur’s 2000 breakout, “101 Reykjavik,” made a significant impact in limited screenings across the U.S. this summer, distributed by Focus Features. It’s worth noting that director Baltasar Kormákur, known for films like “2 Guns,” “Everest,” and “Contraband,” is well-recognized in America, which undoubtedly aided its reception.
As a gamer, I was quite disappointed that some of my favorite films from recent festivals didn’t make it to the Oscars this year. For instance, “Sujo” by Astrid Rondero and Fernanda Valadez, which won the Grand Jury Prize for World Cinema at Sundance, didn’t get a nod. The same goes for “The Devil’s Bath,” Austria’s entry, directed by Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala, who are also known for “Goodnight Mommy.” This historic horror film won prizes at the Berlin Film Festival and the European Film Awards, but unfortunately, it was overlooked too. Lastly, “Grand Tour” by Miguel Gomes, Portugal’s hopeful and another experimental offering from the director who won best director in Cannes for a black-and-white period/documentary mash-up, also didn’t make the cut. I can’t help but wonder why these exceptional films were left out of the Academy’s consideration.
In this category, nonfiction and animation films frequently struggle against traditional dramas in terms of recognition. Unfortunately, documentaries like “And So It Begins” (Sweden), “Behind the Mist” (Ecuador), and “The Last Ones” (Paraguay) didn’t make it to the final list, as well as Pakistan’s first animated feature, “The Glassworker“. However, a couple of non-dramas managed to secure their place on the shortlist. These include “Dahomey”, a documentary from director Mati Diop that won at the Berlin Film Festival and is from Senegal; and “Flow”, an animated feature by Gints Zilbalodis, which was also nominated for international features representing Latvia, and is considered a strong contender for a nomination in the best-animated feature category.
Chilean filmmaker Maite Alberdi, who had received Oscar nominations for her previous two documentaries, “The Mole Agent” in 2020 and “The Eternal Memory” in 2023, did not receive a nod this time from the Academy. Her period drama, “In Her Place”, did not make it into the final 15 nominees.
This year’s Academy shortlist showed less variation in geographical diversity, as traditional European countries maintained their strong presence. Out of 15 films, 11 were from Europe, with only two films from Asia – “From Ground Zero” from Palestine and “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies” from Thailand. The African film “Dahomey” by Diop was the sole representation from that continent, while “Universal Language” by Matthew Rankin, Canada’s entry, was the lone film representing the Americas.
Non-European films, such as those set outside Europe, were included among the chosen entries. For instance, “Emilia Pérez,” although filmed in France, tells its story in Mexico in Spanish. Conversely, “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” is spoken entirely in Farsi and never strays from Tehran, representing Germany. Interestingly, “Santosh,” directed by a British-Indian filmmaker and shot in India, was one of only a few U.K. entries to make it to the final 15.
Starting from the morning of January 8th (Pacific Time), I’ll have the opportunity to cast my vote for the 97th Oscars, with voting closing by the evening of January 12th. The nominees for each category will be revealed on January 17th. Then, from the morning of February 11th until the afternoon of February 18th, I’ll participate in the final round of voting to help decide the ultimate winners!
As a movie buff and avid gamer, I’ve got my eyes peeled on the upcoming 2025 Oscars! Here’s a sneak peek at the 15 international films competing for the Best International Film category, listed in no particular order by their home countries:
Brazil: “Still Standing
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2024-12-18 00:55