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.