Oscar Volley: How do you choose only 15 finalists for "Best International Feature"?

Team Experience will be discussing each Oscar category as we head into the precursors. Here’s Elisa Giudici and Abe Friedtanzer…

Argentina, 1985

ELISA: Abe, have been handed one of the toughest Oscar volleys of the year. The Best International Film category is maddening: more than 90 possible contenders, the majority of whom are still unavailable. My first impression this year is that no movie has already locked up a nomination. There is no Parasite, no Another Round, no crystal-clear, 100% sure contender who can sleep tight until the nomination morning. Do you have the same impression? 

There are of course some strong contenders in the category, such as Argentina, 1985. I saw this movie in Venice and underestimated its crowdpleasing power...

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Semi-Contrarian Takes on 'Alcarras', 'Bones and All', and 'Triangle of Sadness'

by Nathaniel R

BONES AND ALL © United Artists Releasing

Hello strangers. Yours truly has been moving apartments for the past few days hence the radio silence. But HQ (aka the desktop computer) is now plugged in, wifi connected, and ready to be of use again if the rest of me can similarly recharge. When was the last time you moved? It's a bitch, right? Bone tired and the whole body aches from packing and box lifting and such. Can't wait to talk about The Fabelmans and TÁR but first some quick takes on recent NYFF screenings the last of which (Triangle of Sadness) is just fabulous and now in theaters. Go see it!

BONES AND ALL
The latest flick from Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name) is an interesting experiment in fusing tender romantic drama with sickening gore...

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"Holy Spider" and other interesting updates to Best International Feature Film

by Nathaniel R

"Holy Spider" will be released in the US, dates TBA

Lots to tell you about today in the Best International Feature Film race. We are just six days away from the deadline for countries to submit their representative film for consideration at the upcoming Oscars but we know one country that won't be submitting and that's Russia since they're boycotting us given which side we fall on in their war on Ukraine.

We generally know most of the list before that deadline due to press releases from all around the world. But not all. There are usually about 90ish entries and we have 70 announced thus far. You might remember that last year the Academy chucked their (very good and transparent) tradition of releasing the full official list of submissions in early October. If they continue that this year we won't have exact counts for awhile which is quite sad since those films need all the attention they can get and they only have a short window to get that since the all but 10 of them will be culled on December 21st when the shortlist is announced. What's more we thrive on statistics and factoids when getting obsessed with this niche window into global cinema and you cant do that without the exact list. ANYWAY, sorry about all the minutae. There are quite a few interesting new submissions / factoids to share with you after the jump...

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TIFF: A Mother on Trial in ‘Saint Omer’

By Abe Friedtanzer

Last week, France narrowd its list of contenders for the Oscar submission to five. Three of them played at TIFF – One Fine Morning, Paris Memories, and Saint Omer. The last of those has the advantage at the moment thanks to its two prizes at the Venice Film Festival. It’s a difficult, focused drama that deals with motherhood, national identity, and the justice system in France…

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France chooses 5 finalists for the coveted Oscar submission

by Nathaniel R

France is the most-nominated country of all time in the Best International Feature Film Oscar race. What's more their tally is so impressive it will be probably be several decades before anyone catches up (IF that ever happens). Though they don't lead in winners (Italy holds that distinction) they haven't ever had a true slump of being passed over for nominations* so they're always crucial to watch. Consider the crazy impressive stats. They are the only country to submit to each and every Oscar race in this category. Their total honors include 38 nominations, 9 wins, and 3 additional finalists from 67 submissions. Before this became a competitive category in 1956, they won 3 Honorary Awards.

What will they select this year? The Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée, the agency responsible for choosing France's submission has named five finalists, all but one of which are from female directors. Here's a little detail on each film (if the title is linked it goes to our festival coverage)...

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