With 92 countries in the running and not a clear frontrunner, this year’s Best Foreign Language Film Oscar race is wide open for surprises, snubs, and possibly a country without previous wins taking the prize. The 9-film shortlist is expected to be announced this week and there are plenty of strong candidates, which means a few of the bigger titles may get shut out — as is the case every year.
Based on my recollections from screenings, conversations, and precursor awards nominations, I’ve put together a list of 20 films that, in my opinion, appear to be the ones most likely to make it to the next phase of the competition. I’ve listed some reasons for these picks, but like with all awards, nothing is certain. I’ve also included five more films that have the merits to sneak in, but that are long shots at this point.
Top 20 Contenders
Argentina
Zama (Dir.
Based on my recollections from screenings, conversations, and precursor awards nominations, I’ve put together a list of 20 films that, in my opinion, appear to be the ones most likely to make it to the next phase of the competition. I’ve listed some reasons for these picks, but like with all awards, nothing is certain. I’ve also included five more films that have the merits to sneak in, but that are long shots at this point.
Top 20 Contenders
Argentina
Zama (Dir.
- 12/11/2017
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
European Film Promotion highlights 28 European films for the 90th Academy AwardsPutting a spotlight on a record number of 28 European Oscar® entries, Efp (European Film Promotion) offers additional screenings of the films in L.A. for Academy members, journalists, U.S. distributors and international buyers. With the special support of the Efp member organizations, the event helps the productions to stand out among a record number of 92 submissions for the 90th Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
This year the Efp Screenings Of Oscar® Entries From Europe were held from November 2–15 at the state of the art Dick Clark Screening Room. The campaign is financially supported by the Creative Europe — Media Programme of the European Union and the participating Efp member organizations.
Many of the European Oscar submissions feature European Shooting Stars or were made by Efp-related filmmakers. Notably four films were realized by participants of this year’s edition...
This year the Efp Screenings Of Oscar® Entries From Europe were held from November 2–15 at the state of the art Dick Clark Screening Room. The campaign is financially supported by the Creative Europe — Media Programme of the European Union and the participating Efp member organizations.
Many of the European Oscar submissions feature European Shooting Stars or were made by Efp-related filmmakers. Notably four films were realized by participants of this year’s edition...
- 11/17/2017
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
The final deadline for submitting each country’s film for consideration for the foreign-language Oscar was October 2. Last year 85 were finally deemed eligible by the Academy; this year the number is a record 92. Haiti, Honduras, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Mozambique, Senegal and Syria are first-time entrants. These films are vying for the initial shortlist of 9, and final five nominations to be announced on January 23. See the final list below.
Read More:Oscar Announces Changes for Foreign-Film Voting: Now Simpler! (Sort Of.)
The frontrunners include Sweden selected Ruben Östlund’s hilarious Palme d’Or-winner “The Square” (October 27, Magnolia Pictures), an art-world satire shot in majority Swedish with some English from stars Claes Bang, Elisabeth Moss, and Dominic West, thus giving Östlund another shot after “Force Majeure” was a surprise 2015 Oscar omission.
Germany’s choice, Fatih Akin’s “In the Fade” (December 27, Magnolia Pictures), won Best Actress for Diane Kruger at Cannes.
Read More:Oscar Announces Changes for Foreign-Film Voting: Now Simpler! (Sort Of.)
The frontrunners include Sweden selected Ruben Östlund’s hilarious Palme d’Or-winner “The Square” (October 27, Magnolia Pictures), an art-world satire shot in majority Swedish with some English from stars Claes Bang, Elisabeth Moss, and Dominic West, thus giving Östlund another shot after “Force Majeure” was a surprise 2015 Oscar omission.
Germany’s choice, Fatih Akin’s “In the Fade” (December 27, Magnolia Pictures), won Best Actress for Diane Kruger at Cannes.
- 10/5/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
The final deadline for submitting each country’s film for consideration for the foreign-language Oscar was October 2. Last year 85 were finally deemed eligible by the Academy; this year the number is a record 92. Haiti, Honduras, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Mozambique, Senegal and Syria are first-time entrants. These films are vying for the initial shortlist of 9, and final five nominations to be announced on January 23. See the final list below.
Read More:Oscar Announces Changes for Foreign-Film Voting: Now Simpler! (Sort Of.)
The frontrunners include Sweden selected Ruben Östlund’s hilarious Palme d’Or-winner “The Square” (October 27, Magnolia Pictures), an art-world satire shot in majority Swedish with some English from stars Claes Bang, Elisabeth Moss, and Dominic West, thus giving Östlund another shot after “Force Majeure” was a surprise 2015 Oscar omission.
Germany’s choice, Fatih Akin’s “In the Fade” (December 27, Magnolia Pictures), won Best Actress for Diane Kruger at Cannes.
Read More:Oscar Announces Changes for Foreign-Film Voting: Now Simpler! (Sort Of.)
The frontrunners include Sweden selected Ruben Östlund’s hilarious Palme d’Or-winner “The Square” (October 27, Magnolia Pictures), an art-world satire shot in majority Swedish with some English from stars Claes Bang, Elisabeth Moss, and Dominic West, thus giving Östlund another shot after “Force Majeure” was a surprise 2015 Oscar omission.
Germany’s choice, Fatih Akin’s “In the Fade” (December 27, Magnolia Pictures), won Best Actress for Diane Kruger at Cannes.
- 10/5/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
All the foreign submission charts have been updated to reflect the speedy announcements of new titles. We're now up to 33 I believe. Somehow I neglected to include Ireland on the submission charts. They've selected an "audacious" biopic about the singer Joe Heany called Song of Granite. The film uses both documentary footage and narrative sequences. It's in black and white and looks gorgeous in still photos
Submissions we've reviewed thus far here at Tfe...
Austria's Happy End Belgium's The Racer and the Jailbird Estonia's November Hungary's On Body and Soul
Submissions we've seen but haven't yet reviewed...
Finland's Tom of Finland
Submissions we'll be seeing soon...
Germany's In the Fade Norway's Thelma Sweden's The Square
The rest of the list (thus far - it will more than double, surely). We'll look out for opportunities to see them...
Azerbaijan's Pomegranate Orchard Bosnia & Herzegovina's Men Don't Cry Croatia's Quit Staring at My...
Submissions we've reviewed thus far here at Tfe...
Austria's Happy End Belgium's The Racer and the Jailbird Estonia's November Hungary's On Body and Soul
Submissions we've seen but haven't yet reviewed...
Finland's Tom of Finland
Submissions we'll be seeing soon...
Germany's In the Fade Norway's Thelma Sweden's The Square
The rest of the list (thus far - it will more than double, surely). We'll look out for opportunities to see them...
Azerbaijan's Pomegranate Orchard Bosnia & Herzegovina's Men Don't Cry Croatia's Quit Staring at My...
- 9/9/2017
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Greece has selected Yannis Sakaridis' timely story of the opposing forces facing today's humanitarian crises, Amerika Square, as its candidate for consideration for the best foreign-language film Oscar.
The film, the second feature by Sakaridis, premiered last year in Busan and has won awards around the world since, including best feature at the Los Angeles Greek Film Festival this year.
In the pic, tattoo artist Billy (Yannis Stankoglou) and his best mate, the unemployed Nakos (Makis Papadimitriou), often hang out in the eponymous Athens square of the title. Nakos blames immigrants and refugees for his country's problems, projecting his own sense...
The film, the second feature by Sakaridis, premiered last year in Busan and has won awards around the world since, including best feature at the Los Angeles Greek Film Festival this year.
In the pic, tattoo artist Billy (Yannis Stankoglou) and his best mate, the unemployed Nakos (Makis Papadimitriou), often hang out in the eponymous Athens square of the title. Nakos blames immigrants and refugees for his country's problems, projecting his own sense...
- 9/6/2017
- by Nick Holdsworth
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive:
Corinth Films has acquired North American rights in Cannes for Yannis Sakaridis’ Greece-uk-Germany drama Amerika Square, following a deal with Patra Spanou Film Marketing & Consulting.
Deals have already closed with Cada in Spain, and Fabular Films in Turkey, while HBO Europe holds TV rights for Eastern Europe. Feelgood Entertainment distributed Amerika Square in Greece in March.
The film, which premiered in Busan last year and won the Fipresci prize in Thessaloniki, centres on a Greek nationalist in Athens whose world is turned upside-down when his apartment building becomes a home for migrants.
Yannis Stankoglou and Makis Papadimitriou star in Amerika Square.
Sakaridis produced the film with Nikkos J. Frangos, George T. Lemos, and Venia Vergou.
Corinth Films has acquired North American rights in Cannes for Yannis Sakaridis’ Greece-uk-Germany drama Amerika Square, following a deal with Patra Spanou Film Marketing & Consulting.
Deals have already closed with Cada in Spain, and Fabular Films in Turkey, while HBO Europe holds TV rights for Eastern Europe. Feelgood Entertainment distributed Amerika Square in Greece in March.
The film, which premiered in Busan last year and won the Fipresci prize in Thessaloniki, centres on a Greek nationalist in Athens whose world is turned upside-down when his apartment building becomes a home for migrants.
Yannis Stankoglou and Makis Papadimitriou star in Amerika Square.
Sakaridis produced the film with Nikkos J. Frangos, George T. Lemos, and Venia Vergou.
- 5/22/2017
- by tom.grater@screendaily.com (Tom Grater)
- ScreenDaily
Stormy awards sees Greek Academy blast government.
Argyris Papadimitropoulos’s (Wasted Youth) drama Suntan was the big winner at the Iris Hellenic Film Academy Awards on Tuesday evening (March 21) winning six prizes out of the 11 for which it was nominated including best film and director.
The film, which played in the Rotterdam, Brussels, Edinburgh, SXSW, Odessa and Jeonju festivals, was also awarded best screenplay, best actor for Makis Padimitriou and best supporting actress for Elli Tringou.
The Faliro House, Marni and Oxymoron production is a bitter sweet drama about a middle-aged doctor on a Greek island whose life turns upside down when he gets embroiled with a group of hedonist tourists.
The film is widely tipped to be Greece’s submission in the best foreign language category at next year’s Oscars.
World sales are handled by Us outlet Visit Films. Strand Releasing is the Us distributor.
Also winning awards was Tasos Boulmetis’ coming of age story...
Argyris Papadimitropoulos’s (Wasted Youth) drama Suntan was the big winner at the Iris Hellenic Film Academy Awards on Tuesday evening (March 21) winning six prizes out of the 11 for which it was nominated including best film and director.
The film, which played in the Rotterdam, Brussels, Edinburgh, SXSW, Odessa and Jeonju festivals, was also awarded best screenplay, best actor for Makis Padimitriou and best supporting actress for Elli Tringou.
The Faliro House, Marni and Oxymoron production is a bitter sweet drama about a middle-aged doctor on a Greek island whose life turns upside down when he gets embroiled with a group of hedonist tourists.
The film is widely tipped to be Greece’s submission in the best foreign language category at next year’s Oscars.
World sales are handled by Us outlet Visit Films. Strand Releasing is the Us distributor.
Also winning awards was Tasos Boulmetis’ coming of age story...
- 3/22/2017
- by alexisgrivas@yahoo.com (Alexis Grivas)
- ScreenDaily
Stormy awards sees Greek Academy blast government.
Argyris Papadimitropoulos’s (Wasted Youth) drama Suntan swept the Iris Hellenic Film Academy Awards on Tuesday evening (March 21) winning six prizes out of the 11 for which it was nominated including best film and director.
The film, which played in the Rotterdam, Brussels, Edinburgh, SXSW, Odessa and Jeonju festivals, was also awarded best screenplay, best actor for Makis Padimitriou and best supporting actress for Elli Tringou.
The Faliro House, Marni and Oxymoron production is a bitter sweet drama about a middle-aged doctor on a Greek island whose life turns upside down when he gets embroiled with a group of hedonist tourists.
The film is widely tipped to be Greece’s submission in the best foreign language category at next year’s Oscars.
World sales are handled by Us outlet Visit Films. Strand Releasing is the Us distributor.
Also winning awards was Tasos Boulmetis’ coming of age story Mythopathy, which won three...
Argyris Papadimitropoulos’s (Wasted Youth) drama Suntan swept the Iris Hellenic Film Academy Awards on Tuesday evening (March 21) winning six prizes out of the 11 for which it was nominated including best film and director.
The film, which played in the Rotterdam, Brussels, Edinburgh, SXSW, Odessa and Jeonju festivals, was also awarded best screenplay, best actor for Makis Padimitriou and best supporting actress for Elli Tringou.
The Faliro House, Marni and Oxymoron production is a bitter sweet drama about a middle-aged doctor on a Greek island whose life turns upside down when he gets embroiled with a group of hedonist tourists.
The film is widely tipped to be Greece’s submission in the best foreign language category at next year’s Oscars.
World sales are handled by Us outlet Visit Films. Strand Releasing is the Us distributor.
Also winning awards was Tasos Boulmetis’ coming of age story Mythopathy, which won three...
- 3/22/2017
- by alexisgrivas@yahoo.com (Alexis Grivas)
- ScreenDaily
Capturing not only the pain of Europe’s immigration drama but the degradation of Greece amid the hustlers and the crazies, Amerika Square (Plateia Amerikis) will long be remembered for its chilling portrait of an angry, disenfranchised racist who turns to poisoning immigrants to make them “go back where they came from.” The anguishing, downbeat illegal-immigrant story may be getting a little too familiar to have much bite at the box office, but this drama directed with clarity and compassion by Yannis Sakaridis should be well appreciated by festival audiences. It won the Fipresci award in Thessaloniki.
Sakaridis moved from an...
Sakaridis moved from an...
- 11/23/2016
- by Deborah Young
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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