As expected, Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Pérez (Netflix) landed a Best International Feature Film Oscar nomination today, one of a leading, and record-setting 13 overall for a film not in English. Other mentions for the audacious musical melodrama include Best Picture, Director, Actress and more.
With so many inclusions elsewhere, it’s possible that votes are split and Emilia Pérez does not convert to a win in the International race with folks opting to honor another deserving picture. But, if it does win, it would be the first time that a selection from France scores an Academy Award in the International category since Régis Wargnier’s Indochine in 1993.
The other titles in the International Oscar field doing crossover duty include Walter Salles’ lauded and so-called “comeback” movie, I’m Still Here from Brazil where it has done terrific box office for Sony. The movie also scored a Best Picture nomination as well as a Best Actress nod for Fernanda Torres. Salles has been nominated in the International category before, for 1998’s Central Station. This is the fifth time Brazil has been included in the nominees in that race.
In a first, Gints Zilbalodis’ animated fantasy adventure Flow (Sideshow/Janus) gives Latvia its inaugural nomination in this field as well as in the Best Animated Feature category. It recently won the Golden Globe in the latter equivalent race.
From Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof, The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Neon) is repping Germany with its International nomination today. This is the third year in a row that Germany, a strong country in this field, has had a film in contention. Conclave director Edward Berger’s 2022 drama All Quiet on the Western Front is the most recent winner from Germany. The nod for Sacred Fig marks a first for Rasoulof, who (never having represented Iran) has been living in Germany since his dramatic flight from his native country in May last year.
And, Magnus von Horn scored a nomination with his first Danish-language feature, The Girl with the Needle (Mubi). Should the drama advance to a win, it would be the latest for Denmark since Thomas Vinterberg’s Another Round in 2021.
Cannes chief Thierry Frémaux has got to be smiling today as four of the movies nominated in the International Feature Oscar race started their careers on the Riviera last May. I’m Still Here was a Venice debut in September.
Films which did not advance from the 15-strong International Feature shortlist include Universal Language (Canada), Waves (Czech Republic), Touch (Iceland), Kneecap (Ireland), Vermiglio (Italy), Armand (Norway), From Ground Zero (Palestine), Dahomey (Senegal), How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (Thailand) and Santosh (UK).