What will the Golden Globes choose for international cinema?
Wednesday, December 9, 2020 at 2:00PM by Nathaniel R
one of many titles that's eligible for the Globes but not the OscarsWhile we've never extensively covered the Golden Globes selection process it's worth noting that one of the categories where they historically definitely go their own way is in Best International Feature.
DIFFERENCES: Their aesthetic taste is different than Oscar voters but, more than that, they also have different rules. First, their own eligibility list is quite different and historically larger. Oscar only allows each country to submit one film (a system surely set in place to prevent France and Italy from hogging 100% of the nominations in the early years) but the Globes don't have that restriction so we've had years where they've honored more than one film from a single country. France, for instance, sent all of their Oscar submission finalists this year to the Globes. The Globes also don't get hung up on eligibility when it comes to international productions where many countries are involved as Oscar sometimes has. They also allow films from the United States to compete if they're not in the English language (so Minari and I Carry You With Me both have a shot at a nomination this year). There's one final difference: the Globes do not allow documentaries and animated films to compete in this category.
SIMILARITIES: Otherwise the rules are the same (eligibility window and no more than 50% in English) and a good chunk of the titles on Oscar's eligibility list are usually also sent to the Globes.
Here are the titles that differ from Oscar's list...
High profile titles -- whether by star / director / media coverage or what have you -- are in bold
Argentina - About a Woman
Argentina - Crimes That Bind (Cecilia Roth stars - streaming on Netflix)
Argentina - Notes for My Son (streaming on Netflix)
Aruba - Perfect Judgment
Aruba did not announce a title for Oscar so perhaps this was also sent to Oscar?
Australia / France - Alice
Australia did not announce an Oscar title so perhaps this was also sent to Oscar?
Austria - Once Were Rebel
Austria / Germany - Trouble With Being Born
Bangladesh/France/Denmark/Portugal - Made in Bangladesh
Brazil - Pacarette
Brazil - Valentina
Chile - Nobody Knows I'm Here (streaming on Neetflix)
China - Concubine of Shanghai
China - The Eight Hundred
China - Snake White: Love Endures
Czech Republic - Havel
Finland - Forest Giant
Finland - Games People Play
France - Cuties REVIEWED
France - Gagarine
France/Algeria - DNA
France / Japan - The Truth REVIEWED
Germany/US - Effigy: Poison and the City
Hong Kong - Twilight's Kiss / Suk Suk - A GOLDEN HORSE NOMINEE LAST YEAR
Hungary - Pilate
India - Asuran
India - The Disciple REVIEWED
India - Eeb Allay Ooo!
India / US - Harami
India - Just Like That
India - Ludo
India - Soorarai Pottru
India - Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior
India - Trees Under the Sun
Iraq - Mosul
Iran - The Wasteland
Italy - Alone With Her Dreams
Italy - The Best Years
Italy - EST (Dittatura Last Minute)
three gay dramas: Mexico's I Carry You With Me, Italy's Goddess of Fortunee, and Hong Kong's Twilight's Kiss
Italy - Goddess of Fortune
Italy - Hidden Away
Italy - The Life Ahead REVIEWED
Italy - Pinnochio
Japan - The Real Exorcist
Japan - Under the Open Sky
Kazakhstan - A Dark Dark Man
Kyrgyzstan - The Lake
Lebanon - C-Section
Malaysia - Paramapatham
Mexico / US - I Carry You With Me
Mexico / France - New Order REVIEWED
Mongolia/Germany - Black Milk
Mongolia did not announce an Oscar submission so perhaps they also sent this there.
Morocco - Oliver Black (this one doesn't even have an IMDb page for the director of film!)
Palestine - Between Heaven and Earth
Philippines - The Fight Continues
Philippines - Write About Love
Poland - The Hater
Russia/Estonia/UK/Italy - Conference
Russia - Sputnik
Russia - Text
Spain - The Europeans
Spain - The Girls
Spain - Instant Love
Spain - Mother
Spain - The Platform (streaming on Netflix)
Spain - Rosa's Wedding
Spain - The Sea Beyond
Spain - Sky High
Spain / France / Brazil / Belgium - The Wasp Network
South Africa - Moffie
Switzerland - Paradise War: The Story of Bruno Manser
Turkey - Hive
Tunisia / France / Lebanon / Qatar - A Son
Qatar did not announce an Oscar title so perhaps this was also sent to them?
Ukraine/Georgia/Lithuania - Anton
US - Family Romance
US - Lucky Grandma REVIEWED
US - Minari REVIEWED
US / Iran - The Night
US - Show Me What You Got
US - Tigertail
US - The Vigil REVIEWED
US / Mexico - Your Iron Lady
Reader Comments (11)
Wait, are animated movies not being eligible a new thing? Cause The Wind Rises was a nominee.
Travis -- then i guess that's new then. I'd forgotten that happened!
I saw The Best Years, Made in Bangladesh, and The Wasteland as part of HFPA's Foreign Language Film Series. I thought the first two were very good and would love to see them included, but I'm not sure that's likely, especially with so many other titles from Italy.
Minari competing here is interesting - I'm not sure how that will affect its overall performance.
FYC: Catherine Deneuve in The Truth!
Wouldn’t that be such a fabulous nomination?
Fascinating article, Nathaniel. The Globes have had many fine nominees and winners in this category over the years.
One other difference worth mentioning, I think: the Globes don't allow films in this category to compete in the Best Picture - Drama or Musical/Comedy categories. If they did, it would have been interesting to see if Parasite would have beaten 1917 last time.
Will we get a Yes No on French Exit's first trailer which I can tell aready i'm going to love it and Michelle is especially delicious in the trailer.
I hope "The Truth" gets nominated, such an unappreciated film and a great performance by Deneuve. I also expect nominations for both Sophia Loren and "The Life Ahead".
How about the Golden Globes can go fuck itself?
@Travis and Nathaniel...animated films can compete here, but then they'd forfeit eligibility in other Best Film categories. The Wind Rises was not nominated in Animated that year.
Squasher -- hmmm. the language on the Globes website definitely doesn't make that clear.
I would love a huge Globes shocker with The Platform nominated for Foreign Film, Drama Actor (Ivan Massagué), Supporting Actress (Antonia San Juan) and Screenplay...regrefully, Netflix has more mainstream - Awards wise - players and will probably dump one of its earlier - surprise - hits of the year.