Best International Feature: Argentina, Canada, Russia

by Cláudio Alves

Last time, our voyage through the Best International Feature Oscar submissions took us to the entries from some of the biggest film industries in the world. Today's countries may not be as prolific in terms of cinematic production, but they are gigantic when it comes to population and landmass. Furthermore, their submissions are united by a common theme – the relationship between mothers and daughters, familial bonds in distress. Without further ado, let's explore the maternal meditations of Argentina, Canada, and Russia…

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Best International Feature: China, India, Japan

by Cláudio Alves

The cultural hegemony of Hollywood can make it seem as if the American film industry were the biggest in the world. However, some nations produce even more cinema than the US, and, annually, there's a much greater number of non-English-speaking features than Anglophonic ones. Since the Oscars tend to relegate such films to the Best International Feature category, it's possible to get a skewed view of the global realities of movie-making from them. In truth, the Academy's very local in its choices. With that in mind, let's explore the submissions of three countries whose industries are as robust as America's…

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Best International Feature: France, Portugal, Spain

by Cláudio Alves

Europe is the most represented continent in the history of the Best International Feature Oscar. However, while some of its countries are regularly honored, others have been submitting for decades without luck. France, for instance, is the reigning champion of the category, having been nominated forty times. In contrast, Portugal - my country – holds the record for the most submissions without a single nod. For this chapter in our trip through world cinema, we arrive at these two nations' 2020 submissions as well as Spain's Netflix contender…

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Best International Feature: Lesotho, Morocco, Sudan

by Cláudio Alves

Our first voyage through the Best International Feature contenders took us to the films of the latest Oscar champions: South Korea, Mexico, and Chile. Now, we shall turn our attention to nations that haven't been nearly as lucky with AMPAS. The entire African continent, in fact, has been chronically ignored by the Academy ever since the genesis of this award. Shining a light on the African cinema in contention this year, we find the first-ever submissions from Lesotho and Sudan, as well as a deadpan comedy from Morocco…

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Revisiting 1989's International Oscars: Cinema Paradiso vs Camille Claudel vs Jesus of Montreal

by Nathaniel R

You've gotten to know Juan Carlos a little bit as a new contributor here at TFE. He hosts a podcast "The One Inch Barrier" which is how I sought him out to join us here. Each episode looks at one year of the Best International Feature Film race at the Oscars, moving backward chronologically. Each season covers one decade. I've finally made the time to guest-star, for the season four premiere to discuss a year that's deeply embedded in my history: 1989... aka the year my beloved Pfeiffer lost Best Actress. We discuss Italy's winner Cinema Paradiso which is all about moviegoing and nostalgia (so appropriate for the now), France's presumed runner up Camille Claudel (which was also nominated for Best Actress for Isabelle Adjani), and Canada's provocative Jesus of Montreal. A few other films make cameos, too, including Hong Kong's Painted Faces which is randomly streaming on Netflix; it was not nominated but makes an interesting companion piece to Cinema Paradiso.  

Please do share your feelings on these four films, none of which we've discussed on the site!