The European Film Awards Long List

by Nathaniel R

Maria Bäumer plays the famous 1970s actress Romy Schneider in German biopic 3 DAYS IN QUIBERON

Though we only know ten "official" titles for Oscar's foreign film race so far the European Film Awards often hold clues as to other films that might be submitted. Their 49 "suggestions" for nominations (aka finalists) have been announced. Nominations will follow on November 10th with the ceremony to be held December 15th in Seville, Spain. Those 49 films and our thoughts on their Oscar prospects are after the jump... 

• 3 Days In Quiberon (Germany) Emily Atef
  Germany always has plentiful submission options so who knows.
• Ága (Bulgaria) Milko Lazarov
  Possible Bulgarian submission about elderly eskimos who go in search of their estranged daughter.
• Anna’s War (Russia) Aleksey Fedorchenko
  There are four Russian films on the EFA long list so it's difficult to know which might have the heat back home for an Oscar submission, especially since none of them are from previously submitted directors. This film is about a six year old girl hiding from the Nazis during World War II after her family is executed.
• Arrhythmia (Russia) Boris Khlebnikov
  A drama about a parademic and his wife's strained marriage. It's won prizes for both lead performances.

• Ayka (Kazakhstan) Sergey Dvortsevoy
  I'm definitely expecting this film, which took Best Actress at Cannes, to be Kazakhstan's entry. Disappointing it's not playing the fall festivals. How will I see it?
• Beast (UK) Michael Pearce
  In English. Was released in US theaters earlier this summer.
• Border (Sweden) Janus Metz
  Reportedly very strange so we dont know if Sweden will submit it but the critics loved it at Cannes. It also won Un Certain Regard. We're planning to see this at TIFF next month.
• Carmen & Lola (Spain) Arantxa Echevarría
  This love story between two gypsy girls is not a finalist for Spain. 
• Cobain (Netherlands) Nanouk Leopold
  Could this mother/son drama be their Oscar submission? Why not!
• Cold War (Poland) Paweł Pawlikowski
  Widely expected to be Poland's submission. Pawlikowski won Poland their first Oscar with Ida (2013), and he shot this in the same black and white, square frame style. We're planning to see this at TIFF next month.
• Custody (France) Xavier Legrand
  A lot of people are hoping this is France's submission but France has a prolific film industry and they always have a lot of high profile films / directors to choose from. France's last three submissions were all great great great (Mustang, Elle, and BPM) but only one of them was nominated. I'm hoping if they select something spectacular again that Oscar actually rewards them for doing so. It's so strange. France used to get nominated at the drop of a hat, even if the films weren't great. Now they submit great films, and Oscar is ignoring them!
• Diamantino (Portugal) Gabriel Abrantes & Daniel Schmidt
  Portugal does not fear submitting totally bizarre films and this one reportedly qualifies as that -- though we're cautioned not to read about the film before seeing it. We're planning to see this at TIFF next month.
• Dogman (Italy) Matteo Garrone
  Seems likely as the Italian submission, given that it took both Best Actor and the Palm Dog at Cannes this year. The only reason it's not a slam dunk is that it has that Happy as Lazarro competition.
• Donbass (Ukraine) Sergei Loznitsa
  He's quite a director but Ukraine has yet to submit one of his films. This particular film won him Best Director from Cannes Un Certain Regard section. 
• Dovlatov (Russia) Alexey German Jr.
  Biopic about the 1970s Russian writer Sergei Dovlatov.
• Foxtrot (Israel) Samuel Maoz
  Israel's Oscar submission last year. It made the finalist list but was not nominated in the end.
• Fugue (Poland) Agnieszka Smoczyńska
  From the director of popular mermaid horror film The Lure but unlikely as Poland's submission.

• Girl (Belgium) Lukas Dhont
  BELGIUM'S OFFICIAL ENTRY which is likely to be met with some resistance since a cis actor is playing a trans woman (the director needed a young trained ballet dancer for the role, hence the casting). Hoping to see this at TIFF next month, but having trouble finding a place for it in the schedule. 
• Happy As Lazzaro (Italy) Alice Rohrwacher
  If Italy doesn't go with Dogman they might go with this. Well-liked at Cannes.
• Longing (Israel) Savi Gabizon
  Not one of Israel's finalists this year as it competed at home last year.
• Mademoiselle Paradis (Austria) Barbara Albert
  Loved this movie about a blind pianist at TIFF last year. Would be thrilled to see it submitted and it's eligible as it didn't open in Austria until after the cut-off date last year.
• Men Don’t Cry (Bosnia And Herzegovina, Germany, Slovenia, Croatia) Alen Drljević
  Bosnia's Oscar submission last year. It was not nominated.
• Michael Inside (Ireland) Frank Berry
  An 18 year old is caught in possession of drugs in this English language drama. 
• Milada (Czech Republic) David Mrnka
  Ayelet Zurer stars in this WW II era drama about a Czech politican. But it's in English so it won't be submitted.
• Mug (Poland) Małgorzata Szumowska
  This dramedy about a man who gets a face transplant won the Silver Bear at Berlinale but it's unlikely as a submission since Poland has Cold War.
• One Day (Hungary) Zsofia Szilagyi
  Szilagyi was assistant to the director on On Body and Soul, Hungary's terrific Oscar nominee last year. This is her feature directorial debut. But, that said, I don't suspect Hungary will submit her film since there's a new film out by Laszlo Nemes, called Sunset. Nemes won Hungary the Oscar for his debut (Son of Saul). 
• Paddington 2 (UK) Paul King
• Petra (Spain) Jaime Rosales
  Not a finalist for the Spanish submission but it's not technically scheduled to open in Spain til after the cutoff date so perhaps it'll be a submission next year?
• Pity (Greece) Babis Makridis
  A drama that sounds like a comedy about a man addicted to pity and sadness. Could be Greece's choice but I'll admit that I'm not remotely up on what's happening in Greek cinema. Anyone?
• Pomegranate Orchard (Azerbaijan) Ilgar Najaf
  Azerbaijan's Oscar submission last year. It was not nominated. 
• Pororoca (Romania) Constantin Popescu
  A drama about a father whose daughter goes missing. Not Romania's selection this year
• Scary Mother (Georgia) Ana Urushadze
  Georgia's Oscar submission last year. It was not nominated.
• Shock Waves: Diary Of My Mind (Switzerland) Ursula Meier
  Switzerland went with a different film for Oscar
• Styx (Germany, Austria) Wolfgang Fischer
  Not sure which country can claim this one.
• The Captain (Germany) Robert Schwentke
  Schwentke has spent the last decade of his career making American action movies (RED, Flight Plan, etcetera) but returned home to make this WW II movie.
• The Giant (Spain) Aitor Arregi
  This is one of Spain's three finalists for submission. 
• The Guilty (Denmark) Gustav Möller
  A thriller about an emergency call to a police officer from a kidnapped woman. It won Sundance's Audience favorite award in world cinema and is heavily suspected to be Denmark's submission. Denmark is on their hottest Oscar streak ever after a long dry spell (they sat out almost all of the 1990s and 2000s after three consecutive nominations with two wins in the 1980s).  In the last eight years they've been nominated five times and won the prize on one of those outings. How long can they keep this up?
• The House By The Sea (France) Robert Guédiguian
• The House That Jack Built (Denmark) Lars Von Trier
  In English, not that it would have been submitted anyway.
• The Summer (Russia) Kirill Serebrennikov
  This is from the director of The Student. He had a rock and roll drama making waves at festivals earlier this year called Leto? Is this the same picture retitled because I see no film called The Summer on his filmography?

• The Wild Pear Tree (Turkey) Nuri Bilge Ceylan
  TURKEY'S OFFICIAL SUBMISSION
• Those Who Are Fine (Switzerland) Cyril Schäublin
  A drama about a woman who starts swindling old ladies at her telemarketing job. Not Switzerland's selection.
• Touch Me Not (Romania) Adina Pintilie
  This Berlinale winner is in English so Romania looked elsewhere.
• Transit (Germany) Christian Petzold
  Petzold was submitted for his film Barbara a handful of years ago. Could be one to watch for Germany this year. The film stars Paula Beer (of Frantz fame). Hoping to see this at TIFF but having trouble finding a spot for it on the schedule. 
• U - July 22 (Norway) Erik Poppe
  Poppe films have been submitted twice before and the second film, The King's Choice, made the finalist list (but was not nominated). I expect this film, which details a real life terrorist attack from 2011 at a summer camp, will be Norway's submission.
• Under The Tree (Iceland) Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigurðsson
  Iceland's black comedy Oscar submission last year. It was not nominated and very recently opened in US theaters.
• What Will People Say (Norway) Iram Haq
  This was one of three finalists for Norway's submission last year but they went with a different film (Thelma). This one very recently opened in US theaters to good reviews.
• Woman At War (Iceland) Benedikt Erlingsson
  Erlingsson's debut, Of Horses and Men, was mesmerizing and Oscar submitted. Maybe this one will be too? Planning to see it at TIFF. So curious about this director since he's definitely an original voice.

Comments

[Edward L.]

Thanks for this. I'm surprised Loro, director Paolo Sorrentino's take on Berlusconi, isn't listed. Sorrentino's last two films both won the European Film Award for Best Film. I wonder if Lor's missing because it was released in Italy in two parts.

[Roger]

Is this for all categories?

It’s seems like only Annette Bening, her Venice jury, and I are the only ones who will ever recognize Charlotte Rampling’s incredible performance in HANNAH. Major sigh. Still the performance of the year. Hoped Europe might be smart enough to nominate her. Lol

[cal roth]

Leto means Summer in Russian. That must be the same thing.

[cal roth]

Please try to see Transit. After a masterpiece like Phoenix, Petzold deserves your effort to fit him in your schedule!

[Evan]

Nathaniel - is Ayka playing at TIFF? I don't see it on the schedule, but maybe it's going by another name that I'm missing? I would love to see if it's there.

Also - somehow, I had missed the face that there are two films about the Norwegian terrorist attack. In my head, Greengrass's was the single-take reenactment. Now, suddenly, it's the less interesting film on the subject.

[goran]

"Girl" is an incredible film and beyond respectful/empathetic of a trans woman's perspective and experience. People need to stop being so black and white about everything.

[Rod]

Thanks for all the commentary. It's so greatly appreciated. :)

[NATHANIEL R]

Evan -- somehow i had tricked myself into thinking so and, sadly, it's not. It's also not at NYFF. i'm upset because after winning Best Actress at Cannes how is this not a film people get to see quickly (sigh).

Goran -- agreed. I want to see GIRL... and if people really think the director could find a trained trans ballet dancer the right age... maybe they haven't tried casting? That's incredibly niche/specific.

Cal - thank you on Leto. And agreed on Petzold. I'm moving things around.

[Ivonne]

Thanks for this extensive list

[Jesus Alonso]

In shock to not see "Campeones" by Javier Fesser in that shortlist. It's been a smash hits both with critics and box office, the kind of irresistible crowdpleaser in the line of "The Full Monty".