In an exciting development for film enthusiasts and cinephiles, three remarkable films have advanced to the highly-coveted Oscars International Feature Film shortlist, asserting their dominance in a relatively low-profile year.
France’s cinematic gem, ‘Emilia Pérez,’ stands proud on this prestigious list alongside Germany’s evocative ‘The Seed of the Sacred Fig’ and Brazil’s compelling ‘I’m Still Here.’ These films maintain their lead in a category known this year for fewer high-profile contenders than usual. Yet, these frontrunners represent the creative heartbeat of their respective nations, captivating audiences and critics alike.
A diverse mix populates the rest of the shortlist. Canada’s ‘Universal Language,’ the Czech Republic’s ‘Waves,’ Denmark’s ‘The Girl with the Needle,’ Iceland’s ‘Touch,’ Ireland’s ‘Kneecap,’ Italy’s ‘Vermiglio,’ Latvia’s animated wonder ‘Flow,’ Norway’s ‘Armand,’ Palestine’s ‘From Ground Zero,’ Senegal’s ‘Dahomey,’ Thailand’s whimsically titled ‘How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies,’ and the United Kingdom’s ‘Santosh’ showcase a myriad of storytelling techniques and cultural perspectives.
Interestingly, ‘Flow’ distinguishes itself as the sole animated feature, while ‘Dahomey’ is the lone documentary in the race. The Palestinian entry, ‘From Ground Zero,’ is particularly notable, offering a unique narrative through a collection of 22 short films crafted by Gaza-based directors over the past year.
European films dominate the list, with 10 out of the 15 slots. Asian entries follow, and there’s one film each from North America, South America, and Africa, underscoring the global nature of this competition. While Palestine and Thailand’s films were surprising selections, mostly, the list mirrored the early favorites in the race.
The absence of prominent films such as Mexico’s ‘Sujo,’ Sweden’s ‘The Last Journey,’ Portugal’s ‘Grand Tour,’ Belgium’s ‘Julie Keeps Quiet,’ and India’s ‘Lost Ladies’ — the latter chosen over the critically acclaimed ‘All We Imagine as Light’ — raised some eyebrows. Despite this, the shortlist predominantly includes films that had been widely expected to make the cut.
Among the directors, Jacques Audiard of ‘Emilia Pérez’ and Walter Salles of ‘I’m Still Here’ have seen their works nominated for Oscars previously, reinforcing their films’ strong standing in this competition. Meanwhile, Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel of ‘Armand’ carries a legacy, being the grandson of famed filmmaker Ingmar Bergman, whose films won Oscars multiple times.
This year saw an impressively selective process, with only 85 films qualifying for the category — the least in nearly a decade. Academy volunteers across seven groups viewed 12 to 13 film entries each, with ranked-choice voting determining the top 15 to advance. Gone are the days when an executive committee could add challenging films to the list, making this year’s selection all the more predictable, yet fiercely competitive.
As the excitement builds in the film industry, a second voting round will trim these contenders to a final five. Announcements are set for January 17, 2025, with the glittering Oscar ceremony following on March 2. This shortlist is a testament to international cinema’s vibrant and diverse storytelling.
Source: Yahoo
