The European Film Awards will be held in Malta this year on December 1st, and as per usual they are honoring plenty of possible nominees in Oscar's Foreign Language Film category as well as films that are a little too outre for Oscar (last year Melancholia, completely ignored by Oscar, did well and this year that honor goes to Steve McQueen's Shame)
BEST EUROPEAN FILM
- Amour (Austria's Oscar Submission)
- Barbara (Germany's Oscar Submission)
- Caesar Must Die (Italy's Oscar Submission)
- The Hunt (Denmark)
- The Intouchables (France's Oscar Submission)
- Shame (UK)
Amour appears to be the likely frontrunner here as it leads in nominations but the EFAs are far less predictable than Oscar so anything might happen. Acting nominations, a very handsome director, and more after the jump.
Thomas VinterbergBEST EUROPEAN DIRECTOR
- Nuri Bilge Ceylan (Once Upon a Time in Anatolia, Turkey)
- Michael Haneke (Amour, Austria)
- Steve McQueen (Shame, UK)
- Vittorio & Paolo Taviani (Caesar Must Die, Italy)
- Thomas Vinterberg (The Hunt, Denmark)
I can't imagine Haneke losing this one, can you?
It's interesting to see The Hunt faring so well. Denmark sent the well reviewed A Royal Affair for Oscar, but from my understanding The Hunt (which also stars the ubiquitous Mads Mikkelsen, this time as a lonely father with child custody problems) wasn't yet eligible given that it hasn't seen release in Denmark. Still, it's nice to see Thomas Vinterberg who had such a sensational breakthrough in 1998 (Festen / The Celebration, annoyingly snubbed by Oscar but honored at the Golden Globes) back in the awards mix.
BEST EUROPEAN ACTRESS
- Emilie Dequenne (Our Children, Belgium's Oscar Submission)
- Nina Hoss (Barbara)
- Emmanuelle Riva (Amour)
- Margarethe Tiesel (Paradise: Love)
- Kate Winslet (Carnage)
I have to say that I'm a little thrown by the Kate Winslet nomination. I understand she's magnetized for awards but still... for Carnage? Marion Cotillard wasn't good enough for them in Rust & Bone? Or Carey Mulligan in Shame? I thought once the tiny cloud of buzz kicked up by Carnage's sort-of release had settled consensus had determined that no one in the cast was truly award worthy. If Amour is not the frontrunner everyone expects than it might be toughto beat Emilie Dequenne who won at Cannes and who is riveting in Our Children's central meaty role as a perpetually pregnant housewife with an extreme case of post-partum depression.
BEST EUROPEAN ACTOR
- François Cluzet & Omar Sy (The Intouchables)
- Michael Fassbender (Shame)
- Mads Mikkelsen (The Hunt)
- Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy)
- Jean-Louis Trintignant (Amour)
Given that The Intouchables are sharing a nomination, they might be a formidable threat if the EFA wants to honor the global blockbuster. Otherwise we could be looking at his & hers wins for Amour.
What'cha think?
You can see the full nomination lists at the European Film Awards Official Site.