Intl' Oscar Updates: Austria, Ireland, Thailand, Etc...

by Nathaniel R

It's your weekly Monday dose of Oscar news, subtitled division. Our official submission list is now 9 pictures long, 6 of which we've already discussed in previous posts. In regards to the "already featured" we now know that Germany decided among their finalists and went with Cannes hit Sound of Falling (reviewed by Elisa). We've also taken this opportunity to update the submission charts so they're now in full swing:

• Chart 1 Afghanistan to Guatemala -4 submissions and 2 in-process decisions
• Chart 2 Haiti to Nortway  -1 submission and 3 in-process decisions
• Chart 3 Palestine to Yemen -4 submissions and 4 in-process decisions
• Predictions - top 20 possibilities (official & otherwise)

 After the jump the latest official submissions and more conjecture...

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Intl' Oscar Updates: Bulgaria, Chile, Palestine, Philippines, Spain

by Nathaniel R

Multiple but brief International Oscar updates for you this fine Monday morning. We'd previously discussed the possibilities from Switzerland and three finalists from Czech Republic. Both countries have now made their decisions. Switzerland is going with The Late Shift, a hospital drama starring Leonie Benesch (September 5, Babylon Berlin). Czech Republic refused the recommendation from their Academy (which was trying to steer their votes to a different film) and went with the experimental documentary I'm Not Everything I Want To Be by Klára Tasovská which focuses on a photographer that's considered the 'Czech Nan Goldin.'

But that's not all...

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Dutch, Swiss, and Israeli Shortlists for Oscar submission

Three more countries are nearing their decisions: Netherlands, Switzerland, and Israel. The first two have won the category before but Israel remains the most-nominated country that's never taken this Oscar. Let's look at the posisble contenders from each after the jump...

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New Oscar Charts: Can Norway finally win "Best International Feature Film"?

by Nathaniel R

possible submissions from Japan & Norway

Counterintuitively, we begin this year's April Foolish Predictions (two months late --- woot!) with a category for which we currently have no proof of eligibility for. No country that competes in Oscar's annual Best International Feature Film category has (yet) announced their submission. But we do know, from past experiences, that many of the submissions each year will have premiered at film festivals ranging from last fall in 2024 through the fall of 2025. So we looked at recent editions of Sundance, Berlinale, and Cannes for clues. This is great fun to do as anything is possible this early; you don't even need a US distributor to compete (though of course it doesn't hurt)...

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New Oscar Trivia / Stats for 2025

by Nathaniel R

FLOW is first in two different ways!

UPDATED WITH MORE STATS (03/06/25 1:30 PM EST)

With another year ending we can now look at new stats and trivia from the year that was and acknowledge records that weren't broken, too, but are of note. If you have anything to add to the list share it in the comments, please. Herewith some things to ponder in regards to Oscar trivia...

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