With the Oscars still three months away, there’s the growing sense that this coming year’s ceremony is going to be one of the stranger awards events in recent years. And now, the latest revelation that the International Film Oscar’s shortlist, which usually narrows down the 90+ submissions from countries all over the world to just five nominees, has been announced.
The International Film committee shortlist usually consists of 9-10 films. However, this year, the Academy decided to expand the shortlist to 15 films, all done through popular vote, which now almost doubles the number of selections up for consideration. This decision was made with just three weeks left in voting and has let numerous country’s film committees scrambling to amp up their FYC campaigns.
To make matters even more unpredictable, due to the fact that the Cannes Film Festival ended up not happening last year, the 2021 International Film Oscar race is one of the most fascinating in years. Six of the last ten winners in this category have been Cannes-selected films, not that unprecedented when you consider just how important the French Riviera-set film festival is to film world. Not having a Cannes in 2020 means that far out of leftfield choices may make the final five cut.
Despite all of these complications, this year’s crop of 15 contenders are in for a slugfest to squeeze into the final five. The only clear cinch to make it is Denmark’s “Another Round,” but even that film has its faire share of detractors and could still lose the trophy when all is said and done come Oscar night. Major snubs include “Beginning” (Georgia), “My Little Sister” (Switzerland) , “Never Gonna Snow Again” (Poland) , “Vitalina Varela” (Portugal), “Atlantis” (Ukraine) and “Apples”(Greece)
This year’s 15 shortlisted films are as follows:
“Two of Us” (France)
“Dear Comrades!” (Russia)
“Another Round” (Denmark)
“I’m No Longer Here” (Mexico)
“Collective” (Romania)
“Quo Vadis, Aida?” (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
“The Mole Agent” (Chile)
“Charlatan” (Czech Republic)
“Night of Kings” (Ivory Coast)
“La Llorona” (Guatemala)
“A Sun” (Taiwan)
“Better Days” (Hong Kong)
“Sun Children” (Iran)
“Hope” (Norway)
“The Man Who Sold His Skin” (Tunisia)
Time for some major catching up. I have only seen 7 of the 15 shortlisted film.
As expected, a fairly subpar lineup this year. Also, despite there being no physical edition of Cannes, one “Cannes-labeled” title makes the final cut (“Another Round”). One can say that the international film industry probably can’t afford to have the prestigious film festival canceled again this year. With rumors already looming of a possible delay, people are holding their breaths right now, hoping, no praying, that it comes to fruition.
As mentioned, leading the charge is Danish filmmaker Thomas Vinterberg’s “Another Round,” a total crowd-pleaser and festival favorite at this past fall’s film festivals. The plot has a group of friends deciding to hold an experiment to see if maintaining a certain level of alcohol intoxication can benefit their daily lives. What starts off as a successful venture in inebriation, both professionally and personally for these scruples of liquid poison, turns into, how predictable, total chaos and dependence on the substance. The film has the kind of accessibility that will please Academy voters, ditto its uplifting and wild ending, which, I’ll admit it, put a major smile on my face.