Exciting news for International film fans: The Academy Awards has announced its shortlist of nine films which are in the running for its Best Foreign-Language Film Award nomination. The Academy Awards is slated for February 27th, and the Foreign-Language Film Award shortlist is providing some early surprises! Aside from a number of expected films, the list contains some notable exclusions, as well as some unexpected inclusions.
Without further ado, The Academy Awards’ Shortlist for the Best Foreign-Language Film Award:
“Hors la Loi” (“Outside the Law”) – Algeria – Rachid Bouchareb, director
“Incendies” – Canada – Denis Villeneueve, director
“In a Better World” – Denmark – Susan Bier, director
“Dogtooth” – Greece – Yorgos Lanthimos, director
“Confessions” – Japan – Tetsuya Nakashima, director
“Biutiful” – Mexico – Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, director
“Life, above All” – South Africa – Oliver Schmitz, director
“Tabien la Lluvia” (“Even the Rain”) – Spain – Iciar Bollain, director (winner of Cinema Without Borders’ Bridging The Borders Award at 2011 Palm Springs International Film Festival)
“Simple Simon” – Sweden – Andreas Ohman, director
The Foreign Language Film Nominations for 2010 are being chosen in two phases. The Phase I committee screened the 66 eligible films and chose it’s top six films; those films, coupled with three films chosen by the Academy’s Foreign Language Film Award Executive Committee, comprise the Academy’s shortlist.
The aforementioned “surprises” include the snubbing of “I Am Love” (Italy) and “Enter the Void” (France), two films among many more that were expecting nominations. Also, Greece’s “Dogtooth” seems to be a surprise to many who believed that its disturbing subject matter would turn off viewers.
Stay tuned for the second cutdown and your first look at the official nominees for the83rd Annual Academy Awards!