Best International Feature: Norway, Taiwan & Mexico's contenders

by Cláudio Alves

In a few days, we'll know the ten finalists for the Best International Feature Oscar. Until then, I shall continue exploring some of the 91 submissions. This batch includes last year's champion, Mexico, a prize-winning literary adaptation from Norway and a queer tragicomedy from Taiwan that's currently on Netflix. They're a varied bunch and represent the offerings of countries that have previously achieved great success with the Academy.

First, let's peruse the wintry wonders of the Scandinavian submission…

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"Dear Ex" adds another queer film to the International Feature Oscar Race

by Nathaniel R

UPDATED 09/17
59 films announced thus far for the Best International Feature race at the 92nd Oscars, there are yet more LGBTQ entries...

One recent gay entry is Taiwan's Dear Ex (2018). You might remember the title because it won three Golden Horse Awards last year including Best Actress for the Hsieh Ying-xuan as the widow who realizes her husband had a male lover (Roy Chiu, nominated for Best Actor). It's currently available to stream on Netflix.

The other newest arrival is Memories of My Body from Indonesia which we haven't heard much about but involves male dancers who dress as women. It's kind of a surprising selection since it's been banned in some parts of the country and is under attack by conservative groups for "LGBT propaganda". SOUNDS GREAT, WHEN CAN WE WATCH IT? 

Memories of My Body

That brings the total of LGBTQ films to eight.

• Bolivia - I Miss You 
• Indonesia - Memories of My Body 
• Panama - Everybody Changes 
• Peru - Retablo 
• Spain - Pain & Glory 
• Sweden - And Then We Danced 
• Taiwan - Dear Ex 
• Venezuela - Being Impossible

UPDATE: France did not select the lesbian romance Portrait of a Lady on Fire which would have made this list more high profile and larger.