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.