2018: Foreign Language Film Shortlist: ‘The Square,’ ‘In the Fade’ In; ‘BPM,’ Angelina Jolie Snubbed
The nine films that will compete for the Foreign Language Film Oscar have been revealed and it’s never without huge surprises. While many films, such as Russia’s Loveless, Israel’s Foxtrot and Germany’s In the Fade made the cut, high-profile films BPM (from France) and Angelina Jolie’s First They Killed My Father (from Cambodia) did not find themselves on the shortlist.
Europe, South America, the Middle East and Africa are all represented this year. South Africa’s The Wound is on the list as well as surprise choice Félicité from Senegal. No country from greater Asia is represented this year. We correctly predicted six of the nine films and did correctly predict the snub for BPM.
For the last two months members of branches of the Academy have been watching the record-setting 92 releases in competition with the general committee putting forth six nominees and the executive committee offering three. While it’s never known exactly which films are sent forward by the general committee or the executive one, it’s likely that The Square, Loveless and possibly Félicité benefited from that executive save. Unlike in years past, voting on the nine finalists to make Oscar’s top five is now open to all members who agree to see the nine films, adding many more voters than before.
Oscar nominations are announced on January 23, 2018 and from the final list the entire membership of the Academy votes for the winner.
Here is the full shortlist of nine films.
Chile, “A Fantastic Woman,” Sebastián Lelio, director
Germany, “In the Fade,” Fatih Akin, director;
Hungary, “On Body and Soul,” Ildikó Enyedi, director
Israel, “Foxtrot,” Samuel Maoz, director
Lebanon, “The Insult,” Ziad Doueiri, director
Russia, “Loveless,” Andrey Zvyagintsev, director
Senegal, “Félicité,” Alain Gomis, director
South Africa, “The Wound,” John Trengove, director
Sweden, “The Square,” Ruben Ostlund, director
He is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, accredited by the Cannes Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival and more, is a member of the International Cinephile Society (ICS), The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics (GALECA), Critics Choice Association (CCA), San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle (SFBAFCC) and the International Press Academy. Among his many achieved goals with AwardsWatch, he has given a platform to underrepresented writers and critics and supplied them with access to film festivals and the industry and calls the Bay Area his home where he lives with his husband and son.
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