If you follow me in Twitter you already know that I think that this list is crazy!! Take a look as these are the nine (9) films out of the 66 qualified films that advance to the next round of voting in the Foreign Language Film category.
Algeria, “Hors la Loi” (“Outside the Law”), Rachid Bouchareb, director;
Canada, “Incendies,” Denis Villeneuve, director;
Denmark, “In a Better World,” Susanne Bier, director;
Greece, “Dogtooth,” Yorgos Lanthimos, director;
Japan, “Confessions,” Tetsuya Nakashima, director;
Mexico, “Biutiful,” Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, director;
South Africa, “Life, above All,” Oliver Schmitz, director;
Spain, “Tambien la Lluvia” (“Even the Rain”), Iciar Bollain, director;
Sweden, “Simple Simon,” Andreas Ohman, director.
The list is crazy as there were so many EXCELLENT films that are gone that I can’t simply believe it. I have the problem that I haven’t seen eight films and the only one I have seen couldn’t watch it! LOL! Besides film is too similar to one by Mexican director Arturo Ripstein, whom I don’t particularly like too.
But from buzz I know than Denmark has to be nominated as well as Canada (both ‘dying’ to see them); I like very much films by Rachid Bouchareb, so don’t mind him being nominated plus is a Cannes film; know that Japanese non-commercial cinema is great and I’m really curious about the Swedish film. But I’m also dying to see Biutiful and IF gets a nomination, then probably Javier Bardem could be nominated again, this time in the Best Actor category, interesting as it happened at the BAFTA’s.
Won’t list the many great films that are not in this short list, but well Academy members always gives us BIG not pleasant surprises in this category.
To read announcement at official site go here.