Well, I’ll be damned…
The candidates for the year’s best (as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines it anyway) foreign language film have been whittled down to nine selections and Japan’s entry Confessions remains standing. Given its flashy style, cynical depiction of the education children are receiving (through both parents and school) and exploitative use of kids doing nasty things to other kids, I was positive it didn’t stand a chance…
Apparently I’m not that great a prognosticator as it’s still in the running along with another dark horse – Greece’s Dogtooth. Good bets to move on to the final five are Canada’s Incendies, Denmark’s In A Better World (Susanne Bier’s recent winner of a Golden Globe) and Mexico’s Biutiful. More details at oscars.org, but here’s the list of 9:
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Algeria – Hors la Loi (“Outside the Law”) by Rachid Bouchareb
Canada – Incendies by Denis Villeneuve
Denmark – In a Better World by Susanne Bier
Greece – Dogtooth by Yorgos Lanthimos
Japan – Confessions by Tetsuya Nakashima
Mexico – Biutiful by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
South Africa – Life, above All by Oliver Schmitz
Spain – Tambien la Lluvia (“Even the Rain”) by Iciar Bollain
Sweden – Simple Simon by Andreas Ohman
Over at incontention.com there’s some thought as to why a few of these edgier films made the cut. Two years ago an executive committee was set up specifically to hand pick additional titles to mix things up a bit with those picked by general voters in the category, so one has to assume both Japan and Greece have benefited from these measures. I’d still be surprised (though quite happy) if Confessions made it to the final five, but this category has had its share of surprises over the last few years. Don’t listen to me though…
Wow!… Wouldn’t have expected Dogtooth and Confessions to make the short list. In all likelihood, however, neither has a chance of winning it.
Nice, I’d love it if Dogtooth snatched the award, but it’s doubtful, it’s too much of an audience-divider. I knew Life, Above All would sneak in, it’s very much an Oscar-friendly film, although I’m not sure it’s had enough buzz to win. I’m surprised Of Gods and Men didn’t make the cut.
Yeah – I was pretty shocked too. Only thing that would have surprised me more would been tp have seen Biblioteque Pascal on the list. Just last week after aegis Confessions I was joking that Japan had decided to ensure they wouldn’t win. Now really hoping both it and Dogtooth will make the next cut. I feel
Confessions deserves to for the first 20 minutes alone. I haven’t seen three of the nine still – but overall it seems a pretty good mix. I sort of have a hunch Even the Rain has a good chance to win, but suppose we have a few weeks to see …
This category remains (as always) the toughest one to call. Even at this stage.
Nice to see Canada is still in there. I am aiming to see Incendies fairly soon during its limited run in Toronto at the TIFF theatre.
Cool, Incendies is playing here this weekend; I’ll have to make sure I get there.
Only one I’ve seen from that list is Biutiful; definitely an amazing film, but I need to see the others to judge. Just ordered Dogtooth from Amazon since everyone here seems to be raving about it.
Keith. Since you are local, you should know that DOGTOOTH is playing in Toronto on the 28th of January @ the Royal.
I’m local as in Canadian, but I’m a left-coaster, so that’s a bit far for me to go for a movie.
However this gives me hope it will show up in Vancouver at some point in the near future. Thanks Kurt.
It does beg the question of “WHAT IS THE FURTHEST YOU’VE EVER DRIVEN/TRAVELED” to watch a specific movie (not just attend a festival).
My answer: Toronto – Rochester (350km) for BUBBA HO TEP.
That is an interesting question, but I don’t think mine would be anywhere near as far that.
My biggest adventure was crossing the city of Winnipeg at 11 years old with a buddy of mine, not telling our parents of course, to go see the Cronenberg’s The Fly. Amazingly they let us in and it was freaking awesome, though that scene of Geena Davis giving birth to a larva gave me nightmares for days. Still creeps me out actually…
Well worth getting in trouble from the parents as that movie was awesome on the big screen.
http://www.farfetchfilm.com/2011/01/preview-of-oscar-for-best-foreign-film.html
at my blog I breakdown the submissions, I think I saw 28 of em before shortlist, endeavor to see Confessions this week.