Oscar's foreign film contenders 2004
Nathaniel R
Afghanistan to Estonia / Finland to Norway / Palestine to Venezuela /
US Box Office for Foreign / Tally of past Oscar successes
_Palestinia_ _to_ _Venezuela
never nominated
The Olive Harvest
Hanna Elias
never nominated
Orient Express
Sergiu Nicolaescu
89 min (Arabic)
starring
Raeda Adon & Taher Najeeb
synopsis
Two brothers, one just out of prison, are in love with the same beautiful woman.
misc info
The title is related to the political overtones of the story about the Jewish settlements destroying olive groves.
previous awards
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snubbed film
Atash/Thirst
academy reaction:
mixed to negative.
111 min (Filipino)
starring
Sharon Cuneta, Hilda Koronel, and Angel Aquino
synopsis
a comedy about three women hired to be professional mourners for a traditional family.
misc info
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previous awards
Best Film (Manila)
snubbed films Magnifico, a prize winner at the Berlin Film Festival and The Homecoming from oft-submitted director Gil Portes.
academy reaction:
mixed to positive.
91 min (Polish)
starring
synopsis
a highly emotional drama about a father haunted by childhood violence and scared to make similar mistakes with his own children.
misc info
Has won several awards already.
previous awards
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snubbed films
Wesele/The Wedding a festival hit. Zmruz Oczy /Squint Your Eyes released in October last year (making it eligible this year) and the winner of Poland's own Oscars. Moj Nikifor a biopic on a famous painter from director Krzysztof Krauze and Ono /Strangers directed by Malgorzata Szumowska.
academy reaction:
divisive.
97 min (Portugese)
starring
Ana Bandeira & Nicolau Breyner
synopsis
O Milagre Segundo Salomé is a period piece about a prostitute who can't escape her past
misc info
great production values (they like that)
previous awards
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snubbed films
Critical darling Manoel de Oliveira's latest film The Fifth Empire is about a King in the 16th Century and it screened at Venice to coincide with his career ahievement award. La Fora, In the Darkness of Night and The Immortals a thriller starring Emmanuelle Seigner were other buzz titles.
academy reaction:
mixed to positive.
116 min (Romanian)
starring
Sergiu Nicolaescu
synopsis
a prince reminisces about his adventurous youth.
misc info
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previous awards
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snubbed films
Faraonul /Pharoahs or Report on the State of the Nation or The Rage.
academy reaction:
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6 noms (as Yugoslavia)
Goose Feather
Ljubis Samardz
never nominated
Yesterday
Darrell Roodt
115 min (Russian)
starring
Konstantin Khabensky & Vladimir Menshov
synopsis
a vampire thriller --the first in a trilogy.
misc info
This nomination is a shock since Russia usually chooses far more serious fare...but Night Watch has proven extremely popular at home. The film is based on a book by fantasy author Sergei Lukyanenko.
snubbed films
Svoi /Us, Best Pic at Moscow Festival, a WW II drama about soldiers in Nazi territory. Harvest Time about a woman who works to support her invalid husband. Poor Poor Pavel about a Russian Emperor, Horseman of Death, pre-Revolution drama, and The Last Train which is, another WWII drama!
academy reaction:
mixed. Not really their cup of tea.
94 min (Serbo-Croatian)
starring
Branislav Trifunovic & Igor Djordjevic
synopsis
Jesen stize Dunjo moja (the original title) translates, I'm told, to something like Fall is Coming, My Dunja and its a love story set in a northern Serbian province.
misc info
This is helmed by Ljubisa Samardzic, a popular actor, and it won the Golden Mimosa at the Herceg Novi Festival.
snubbed films
I thought it was going to be between Emir Kusturica's Life is a Miracle and Loving Glances.
academy reaction
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91 min (Slovenian)
starring
Polona Juh
synopsis
the comedic story of a dance teacher's flailing love life and pregnancy.
misc info
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previous awards
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snubbed films
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academy reaction:
mixed to positive.
96 min (Zulu)
starring
Leleti Khumalo & Kenneth Khambula
synopsis
a young wife and mother realizes that she is HIV positive.
misc info
the first feature film in South Africa's indigenous Zulu language
previous awards
Eiuc award (Venice)
academy reaction:
very positive.
125 min (Spanish / Catalan)
starring
Javier Bardem (a probable Best Actor nominee)
synopsis
A paraplegic writer fights for his right to die. Legal battles with the courts and emotional battles with loved ones follow.
misc info
(Comments here )
previous awards
Spanish Oscar, BFCA, Golden Globe
snubbed finalists Two films from previous Spanish Oscar winners: Tiovivo c. 1950 from José Luis Garci and Bad Education from critical darling Almodovar.
complete snub Their Spanish Oscar's sweeper Te Doy Mis Ojos which was technically eligible release date wise but just barely (a year old now)
academy reaction:
very positive
13 noms / 3 wins
As in Heaven
Kay Pollak
5 noms / 2 wins
Mein Name Ist Bach
Dominique de Rivaz
3 noms / 1 win
20:30:40
Sylvia Chang
never nominated
The Overture
Itthisoontorn Vichailakdetails
132 min (Sweden)
starring
Så som i himmelen stars Michael Nyqvist, Frida Hallgren and Helen Sjöholm.
synopsis
a man recovering from a heart attack seeks healing in the town of his youth.
misc info
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previous awards
8 Swedish Oscar nominations
snubbed films
Popular Musik from Vitta about the 60s and the young rock and roll movement was a well loved movie in Sweden, Daybreak which lost the best pic prize in the Guldbagge ceremony but was still eligible release date wise. And Lukas Moodyson's searing and shocking Hole in My Heart --which would have given the AMPAS voters heart attacks.
academy reaction:
very positive.
97 min (German)
starring
Detley Buch, Vadim Glowna, & Karoline Herfurth & Gilles Tschudi
synopsis
Historical drama aout Johann Sebastian Bach visiting the court of Frederick II of Prussia.
misc info
The actor playing Frederick is said to be very good.
previous awards
Best Film & Supporting Actor in Switzerland.
academy reaction:
mixed to positive.
113 min (Mandarin)
starring
Tony Leung KaFai, Sylvia Chang, Rene Liu, Richie Ren, Kate Yeung, Hung-Liang Chang
synopsis
The title refers to the best year's of a woman's life and features three characters of different ages.
snubbed film Formula 17, a big hit in Taiwan about a young gay boy trying to find love in Taipei.
academy reaction:
mixed.details
103 min (Thai)
starring
Adul Dulyarat & Sumeth Ong-ard
synopsis
Homrong / the Overture is a biopic about a famous Thai musician.
misc info
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previous awards
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snubbed film Cannes prize winner Tropical Malady from acclaimed auteur Apichatpong Weerasethakul was Thailand's most high profile entry. Both of these films played at TIFF this year. And both have homosexual content, despite Thailand's recent government decree banning the same in Thai films.
academy reaction:
mixed to positive.
95 min (Spanish)
starring
Jorge Bolani, Daniel Hendler, and Ana Katz
synopsis
a very subtle and smart comedy about a sock factory manager and his estranged brother on a trip with his employee.
previous awards
prizes at three festivals
academy reaction:
mixed to positive. Though it might be way too subtle in its humor for the foreign committee.
More Information:
Afghanistan to Estonia / Finland to Norway /
US Box Office for Foreign / Tally of past Oscar successes
My thanks to readers who contributed information:
Aldo, Anthony, Ariel, Arkaan, Carlos, Carsten, Christian, Diego, Enrique, Felippe, Fernando, Geert, Irvin, Karol, Krister, Javi, Javier, Manolis, Marcelo, Marjobo, Michael, Mykkel, Patrick, Pepe, Ralph, Ryan, Sanan, Senad, Shay, Sina, Subhadeep, Tharadon, Thomas, Tony, Tuuli, Uri, and VitorHigh Profile films that were not submitted / not eligible:
Bad Education (Spain) Maria Full of Grace (Colombia) The Motorcycle Diaries (Brazil/Chile/Argentina) A Very Long Engagement (France)
Countries that did not submit (and films they might have chosen):
Albania (Dear Enemy, The Moonless Night), Algeria (Bab el Web, Pere, Viva Algeria), Bangladesh (Lalon), Belarus (Mysterium Occupation), Bhutan, Bolivia (El Atraco), Chad, Georgia, Guatemala (What Sebastian Dreamt), Hong Kong (Running on Karma, One Nite in Mongkog, Infernal Affairs), Indonesia (Kejar Amerika, Arisan!), Kazakhstan (Fifty-Fifty, The Hunter), Kyrgyztan, Lebanon (In the Battlefields), Lithuania, Luxembourg, Morocco (In Casablanca, Angels Don't Fly, Fille de Prison, L'enfant Endormi), Nepal (Dui Kinara), Peru (Con Game, Dias de Santiago), Sri Lanka (Scent of a Lotus Pond), Tunisia, Turkey (Boats out of Watermelon Rinds, The Waiting Room), Ukraine (A Driver for Vera), United Kingdom, Vietnam
never nominated
Punto Y Raya
Ella Schneider
? min (Spanish)
starring
Laureano Olivares & Roque Valero
synopsis
A Colombian recruit's friendship with a Venezuelan enemy
misc info
previous award
Best Film Los Angeles Latino Festival
snubbed films
The Don.
academy reaction
mixed.
