French & Italian Finalists for Oscar Submissions

by Nathaniel R

The selection of France and Italy's contenders in Oscar's Best International Feature Film race are always a big deal; the two countries thoroughly dominated the category in the 20th century and they're still the all-time stat leaders 24 years into the new century. France announced an official finalist list of four films. We also know which films Italy is choosing between though there are no "finalists" per se since they skip that step and go straight to voting. Let's look at the possibilities after the jump...

FRANCE

• All We Imagine is Light - Payal Kapadia
  Kapadia's drama about nurses travelling to a beach town was a critical hit at Cannes (winning the Grand Prix) but the selection committee (or Oscar voters) might not find it French enough. Yes, it's a French co-production but multiple countries are involved and the director and cast are Indian. In Hindi, Malayalam, and Marathi languages
• The Counte of Monte Cristo - Matthiew Delaporte 
  Pierre Ninney headlines this costume drama, an adaptation of Dumas oft-filmed famous novel. 
• Emilia Perez - Jacques Audiard
  Even if France doesn't select this Cannes prize winner-- the main drawback being that the cast isn't French and its about Mexico and drug cartels-- it could well become an overall Oscar contender if Netflix puts their marketing muscle behind it. 
• Misericordia - Alain Guiraudie
  Guiraudie's latest, a Cannes premiere which competed for the Queer Palm, is about a man attending his boss's funeral, and getting mixed up in shady violent business. Guiraudie has been around a long time as a director but his career really kicked up a notch with the attention-grabbing explicit gay thriller Stranger by the Lake. 

France, the all time Oscar nomination leader, will choose between those titles by September 18th. We suspect it'll be Emilia Perez given Audiard's celebrated career. He represented France back in 2009 with the Oscar-nominated modern classic, A Prophet. 

ITALY
They're looking at 19 films which are... 

• 100 Sundays, Antonio Albanese
  A drama about a shipyard worker planning for his daughter's wedding reception
• Accatorna, Daniele Costantini
• Battlefield, Gianni Amelio
  Amelio was previously submitted for The Keys to the House (2004). His latest, a WW I drama starring Alessandro Borghi as a doctor, premiered in Venice. 
• Confidenza (Trust), Daniele Luchetti
  A drama about a teacher and a former student's affair.
• Food for Profit, Giulia Innocenzi and Pablo D'Amrbosi
  A documentary about problematic factory farming.
• Gloria!, Margherita Vicario
  This historical drama about orphans in a music school premiered in Berlinale.
• How Kids Roll, Loris Lai
  A surfing drama about two kids, one Palestinian and one Israeli, set in 2023.
• La Casa di Ninetta, Lina Sastri
  A drama about mothers and daughters.
• The Life Apart, Marco Tullio Giordana
  Giordana was previously submitted for The Hundred Steps (2000)
• Lubo, Giorgio Diritti
  Franz Rogowski stars in this WW II era drama about a street artist whose children are taken from him in a "re-education" program.
• My Place is Here, Cristiano Bortone and Daniela Porto
  A drama about an unhappily married woman and her gay friend, a wedding planner
• The Other Way, Alessandro Garilli
• Palazzina Laf, Michele Riondino
  A drama about a mole in a factory spying on his colleagues.
• Parthenope, Paolo Sorrentino
  A fantasy starring Stefania Sandrelli and Gary Oldman. Sorrentino won in this category with The Great Beauty (2013) and was nominated again for The Hand of God (2021) so Parthenope is definitely a possibility despite not making significant waves at Cannes.
• Taxi Monamour, Ciro De Caro
• The Time it Takes, Francesca Comencini
  Comencini's sister Cristina was nominated for Don't Tell (2005) but Francesca has yet to be selected.
• Vermiglio, Maura Delpero
  Delpero's drama which takes place in a mountain village in 1944, was a critical sensation and won the Grand Jury Prize at Venice.
• Volare, Margherita Buy
  The actress Margherita Buy makes her directorial debut. She also stars as a woman who is afraid of flying.
• Zamora, Neri Marcore 

Italy, the all time leader in Oscar wins, will announce their official submission on September 24. We suspect Vermiglio is the film to beat but they've surprised us before. 

CURRENT SUBMISSIONS
CURRENT PREDICTIONS

Comments

[Alex Hartsell]

@Nathaniel: Interesting and that reminds me. When the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival is done, will you be updating your predications for the 97th Academy Award nominations?

[Mike in Canada]

Is it possible for All We Imagine... to also be India's submission? It seems like it would have a shot - and France will likely go with Audiard, as you say

[Iñaki Gold]

Isn't La Chimera elegible? I was thinking it could become Italy's submission. It's my fave of the year

[Mike in Canada]

Inaki: It was shortlisted last year, but they chose Io Capitano.

I love La Chimera too though - everyone should see it - espeicially if they fell in love with Josh O'Connor this summer through Challengers.

[ScottC]

Oh, I didn't know there was a new Count of Monte Cristo adaptation (such a fun story) starring Ninney (I'm a big fan) - something to look forward to.

[NATHANIEL R]

Inaki -- like Mike said but also isn't there too much English in it?

Mike - we've seen films appear on two finalists lists before for separate countries but this is a great question. I've never heard of a film being "official" for two countries so there must be rules against it. But maybe if France doesn't submit, India will? Or vice versa.

Alex - yes.

[Peggy Sue]

La chimera would totally get nominated this year in the main categories if we were in the 70s.