"Land of Mine" to compete for Foreign Oscar. (Plus Chart Updates)
Monday, September 19, 2016 at 3:25PM Though I just gushed love all over Thomas Vinterberg's Oscar submission finalist The Commune yesterday, today brings news that Denmark went with another title for their submission. The committee unanimously chose Land of Mine, a World War II drama. The film looks at a little told story about German POWs in Denmark forced to dig up land mines. The film will be released in the US by Sony Pictures Classics, dates TBA. It's worth noting that the film is also up for the Nordic Film Prize on November 1st, a prize which has other Oscar submission finalists in the running:
Nordic Council Film Prize Nominees
The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki (Finland's Oscar submission)
The Here After (Sweden - Reviewed last year at TIFF)
Land of Mine (Denmark's Oscar submission)
Louder Than Bombs (Norway's English Language Joachim von Trier film)
Sparrows (Iceland's Oscar submission finalist - they have not announced yet)
If you haven't checked out the Foreign Film Submission Charts they've had multiple updates recently with 55 films announced thus far (the number of contenders generally falls somewhere between 75-80 when all is said and done). New announcements include Apprentice from Singapore (reviewed), Jonas Cuarón's Desierto from Mexico (opening next month in the US starring Gael García Bernal, a mainstay of this category), Asgar Farhadi's Arthur Miller inspired Salesman from Iran, Karma from Thailand, and more. You can read about the films on the charts
Submission Charts
Afghanistan to Finland - 20 submissions thus far
George to Morocco - 13 submissions thus far
Nepal to Venezuela - 23 submissions thus far
Current Predictions
Here are 15 hunches, alphabetically, of films that have a good shot at the 9-wide finals. In red is the only film you could argue is locked up for the finalist list.
Barakah Meets Barakah (Saudi Arabia)
Desierto (Mexico)
Happiest Day in the Life... (Finland)
Julieta (Spain)
The King's Choice (Norway)
Land of Mine (Denmark)
Letters From War (Portugal)
A Man Called Ove (Sweden)
Neruda (Chile)
Salesman (Iran)
Sieranevada (Romania)
Tanna (Australia)
Toni Erdmann (Germany)
Train Drivers Diary (Serbia)
"Whatever France Submits" (TBA)
Reader Comments (8)
I've seen 12 of the official submissions so far. Most looking forward to seeing Tonio and Toni Erdmann
A very expected choice from Denmark. Land of Mine is a great film but it has been the subject of some controversy in Denmark and has been criticized because it tells the story that it was the Danes themselves who forced the young German soldiers to clear the mines, when in reality it was the British who oversaw the clearings.
But a great choice and I have high hopes for it to be nominated.
I really LOVE and appreciate your careful and thorough coverage of the Foreign Film submissions. It is a truly informative, fascinating and meaningful effort. THANKS
Ralph -- good number already. How would you rank them?
1. Clash
2. Land of Mine
3. On the Other Side
4. Death in Sarajevo
5. Tanna
6. D’Ardennen
7. Apprentice
8. The Happiest Day in the Life of Ollie Maki
9. A Man Called Ove
10. Julieta
11. Neruda
12. The Black Hen
Ralph - interesting. i haven't heard anything about Clash yet. I really liked Death in Sarajevo myself.
Billybil - thank you. it is so much work and it's always nice to hear when someone cares
I'm so jealous of folks who have seen lots of these submissions! I live in New York and think I've only had access to two or three (?) of them so far. In fact, I haven't heard much about them on the net either. This is one of the first years where I have few leads on who may be nominated. (Toni Erdmann and Neruda and.... ???).
As for my viewing, I've seen Chevalier and From Afar and am not too high on either. That said, and I know it's sacrilege to say, I'd totally be down for an American remake of Chevalier with a starry Hollywood cast trying to outdo one another. The original operates under an amazing premise, but I thought the execution was a little lackluster. It just wasn't that funny in the end. But get Clooney, Pitt, Affleck, Damon, and another buddy or two in a movie operating under the same premise, I think you'd have a mega-hit.
Evan -- interesting. that makes me want to see Chevalier. I just got back from Neruda which I loved.