Well, consider me surprised by France’s selection of Trần Anh Hùng’s “The Taste of Things” as their Oscar selection for Best International Film. Justine Triet’s “Anatomy of a Fall” was snubbed by the selection committee.
French critics are very angry, and showing their dissatisfaction, on Twitter. This should be fun. France reorganized their selection committee this year, Cannes boss Thierry Fremaux had been nixed, and this was supposed to be France’s year to finally win their first International/Foreign Film Oscar in over 30 years.
Don’t get me wrong, I really liked “The Taste of Things” (originally titled “The Pot-Au-Feu”) but Triet’s film won the Palme d’Or and was the clear critical favorite. Hùng’s Film might still get nominated, it’s a rousing crowd-pleaser, but this is a major shocker.
The latest numbers had “Anatomy of A Fall” at around 60% dialogue in French and 40% in English, it would have qualified, but the French selection committee decided to pick a film that is 100% en francais.
The Vietnamese-born Hùng won best director at Cannes for his cinematic foodie delight, which stars Juliette Binoche and Benoit Magimel, the period movie was bought by IFC Films and Sapan Studios.
In my 05.24.23 Cannes dispatch, I wrote …
“The Pot au Feu” is richly satisfying. It’s one for the culinary lovers, you can call it “food porn” if you’d like, but mixed with wonderful, earthly romance. Juliette Binoche and Benoît Magimel are a magnetic pairing. This is a film very much in the same tradition as fellow foodie delights “Big Night” and Babette’s Feast.”
Meanwhile, “Anatomy of a Fall, which was acquired by Neon at Cannes, has been a French box-office smash with nearly 1 million tickets sold, so far. It’s being released in the U.S. on October 13th and will be campaigned for Oscar glory in multiple categories, including best picture, actress, director and screenplay.