The Academy has chosen the nine films it likes best from the Foreign Language film longlist for this shortlist! And they'll compete for the five available nomination positions. Missing are favourites Renoir from France (thankfully), The Past from Iran (that'll do too), Wadjda from Saudi Arabia (a little disappointing, but I wouldn't have picked it either), Gloria from Chile (not bothered) and Ilo Ilo from Singapore (haven't seen that). Particularly pleased that The Missing Picture from Cambodia and The Hunt from Denmark are both still in the running because they're ever so good. Also keen to see An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker, and it'd be great to see it nominated, in less then four weeks now.
- The Broken Circle Breakdown - Belgium
- An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker - Bosnia and Herzegovina
- The Grandmaster - Hong Kong
- The Great Beauty - Italy
- The Hunt - Denmark
- The Missing Picture - Cambodia
- The Notebook - Hungary
- Omar - Palestine
- Two Lives - Germany
Pleasantly surprised with the inclusion of Wong Kar Wai's The Grandmaster in the 9 shortlist. Its a fascinating movie. His unorthodox film-making skills are so profound that they help convey so much more than what the structure and edits have to provide to one's eyes. Its unlike any other martial arts flick. The atmosphere of the film is ravishing. And it isn't about the Ip Man, alone. You don't often hear a better actor in a movie starring Tony Leung. And you do here, Zhang Ziyi, and in a real world she'd right up there contesting for best actress. Mean it.
ReplyDeleteBrother, have you seen it?
With Wadjda and The Past out, Hunt is more likely to ease into top 5. Still not expecting The Grandmasters to make it in. Its neither consensus nor a cool choice. The Great Beauty is the frontrunner.
I'd say The Hunt might actually be the frontrunner! But The Great Beauty is certainly up there. Now that it's being released theatrically, the critics are rly getting behind it.
DeleteHaven't yet seen The Grandmaster, but I can hardly wait to see it! Love martial arts films, love Wong Kar Wai and love the footage I've seen from it so far! Bizarrely, it still doesn't have an official UK release date.
Ah, that's sick. Hoping to hear good things when you do see.
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