2020 Oscar Nomination Predictions: INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM (October)

October marks the first month of official predictions for the newly titled International Feature Film Oscar (formerly titled Foreign Language Film) now that we have the record-setting 93 submissions to choose from.

This year saw not just a record total number of submissions (if they all hold and there are no disqualifications, that is) but also a record number of women-directed (or co-directed) submissions: 29; a record number of films with LGBTQ+ main subjects or themes: 7; and the most entries from Africa ever: 10. We also have a slightly expanded shortlist (from 9 to 10) that will be revealed on December 16th.

This has been an ever-changing category with longtime domination from Italy and France waning in recent years (although France is likely to return this season). The door is open for Africa and East Asia to emerge as strong contenders as well as animated entries and documentary films being major players this season. Argentina and Brazil are multi-nominated countries with wins under their belts. Denmark has had huge success this decade. Poland, Czechia and Norway are all in the running.

Here are my 2020 Oscar Nomination Predictions in International Feature Film for October 18, 2019.

1. South Korea – Parasite (Bong Joon-ho) – Neon
2. Spain – Pain and Glory (Pedro Almodóvar) – Sony Classics
3. France – Les Misérables (Ladj Ly) – Amazon
4. Sweden – And Then We Danced (Levan Akin) – Music Box
5. Senegal – Atlantics (Mati Diop) – Netflix

6. Russia – Beanpole (Kantemir Balagov) – Kino Lorber
7. Norway – Out Stealing Horses (Han Petter Moland) – Magnolia
8. Czechia/Czech Republic – The Painted Bird (Václav Marhoul) – IFC Films
9. Brazil – Invisible Life (Karim Aïnouz) – Amazon
10. North Macedonia – Honeyland (Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir Stefanov)

OTHER CONTENDERS

Algeria – Papicha (Mounia Meddour)
Argentina – Heroic Losers (Sebastían Borensztein)
Australia – Buoyancy (Rodd Rathjen)
Austria – Joy (Sudabeh Mortezai)
Belgium – Our Mothers (César Díaz)
Canada – Antigone (Sophie Deraspe)
Colombia – Monos (Alejandro Landes) – Neon
Denmark – Queen of Hearts (May el-Toukhy) – Breaking Glass
Germany – System Crasher (Nora Fingscheidt)
Hungary – Those Who Remained (Barnabás Tóth)
Israel – Incitement (Yaron Zilbrman)
Italy – The Traitor (Marco Bellocchio) – Sony Classics
Japan – Weathering With You (Makato Shinkai) – GKIDS
Luxembourg – Tel Aviv on Fire (Sameh Zoabi)
Mexico – The Chambermaid (Lila Avilés) – Kino Lorber
Netherlands – Instinct (Halina Reijn)
Palestine – It Must Be Heaven (Elia Suleiman)
Poland – Corpus Christi (Jan Komasa)
Romania – The Whistlers (Corneliu Porumboui) – Magnolia
Saudi Arabia – The Perfect Candidate (Haifaa Al-Mansour)