Discover the Hidden Gems in This Year’s International Feature Oscar Race!

People who closely follow the International Feature Film Category of the Academy Awards might have observed two particular points this time around.

Initially, the total count of countries submitting for the award has fallen to its lowest point since 2018, the year “Roma” was nominated for Best Picture. Although this number has decreased slightly from its all-time high of 93, non-English films are gaining more visibility in various categories, such as Best Picture, each year.

To elaborate, EbMaster assessed a greater number of entries within this category than ever before this year. In total, 68 out of 85 submissions were evaluated, which equates to approximately 80% of the potential films eligible for review. This significant figure is part of an ongoing commitment by EbMaster to recognize and honor the international films that have been chosen to represent their respective countries (including complex cases like co-productions such as “The Seed of the Sacred Fig”).

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has consistently advocated for involving numerous nations in its competition, allowing each one to submit a single film. This approach, similar to the World Cup, is aimed at shining a spotlight on international films that might otherwise go unnoticed due to their lack of industry attention. To achieve this goal, EbMaster recruited a global team of 15 critics who screened and evaluated as many of the 85 submissions as feasible. Countries that did not respond or could not be reached were offered the opportunity for review.

Hopefully, next year, both the number of submissions and EbMaster’s review count will increase significantly. For this year’s selection, we have compiled summaries from EbMaster’s reviews for all 15 shortlisted films, along with links to the additional 52 contenders we evaluated during this season. The nominees for the 97th Academy Awards will be revealed on January 23.

(Pictured top: Brazil’s “I’m Still Here” and Germany’s “The Seed of the Sacred Fig”)

    Brazil: ‘I’m Still Here’

    Canada: ‘Universal Language’

    Czech Republic: ‘Waves’

    Denmark: ‘The Girl with the Needle’

    France, ‘Emilia Pérez’

    Germany, ‘The Seed of the Sacred Fig’

    Iceland: ‘Touch’

    Ireland: ‘Kneecap’

    Italy: ‘Vermiglio’

    Latvia: ‘Flow’

    Norway: ‘Armand’

    Palestine: ‘From Ground Zero’

    Senegal: ‘Dahomey’

    Thailand: ‘How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies’

    United Kingdom: ‘Santosh’

  • Reviews of the Other Countries’ Submissions

    Albania: “Waterdrop” – Review
    Algeria: “Algiers” – Review
    Argentina: “Kill the Jockey” – Review
    Austria: “The Devil’s Bath” – Review
    Bangladesh: “The Wrestler” – Review
    Belgium: “Julie Stays Silent” – Review
    Bosnia and Herzegovina: “My Late Summer” – Review
    Bulgaria: “Triumph” – Review
    Cambodia: “Meeting with Pol Pot” – Review
    Chile: “In Her Place” – Review
    Colombia: “The Supreme One” – Review
    Costa Rica: “Memories of a Burning Body” – Review
    Dominican Republic: “Aire: Just Breathe” – Review
    Ecuador: “Behind the Fog” – Review
    Egypt: “Flight 404” – Review
    Estonia: “8 Views of Lake Biwa” – Review
    Finland: “Family Time” – Review
    Georgia: “The Antique Shop” – Review
    Greece: “Murderess” – Review
    Guatemala: “Rita” – Review
    Hong Kong: “Twilight of the Warriors: Trapped Inside Walls” – Review
    Hungary: “Semmelweis” – Review
    India: “The Deceivers” – Review
    Iraq: “Baghdad Messi” – Review
    Israel: “Come Closer” – Review
    Japan: “Cloudy Day” – Review
    Kazakhstan: “Bauryna Salu” – Review
    Kenya: “Nawi” – Review
    Kyrgyzstan: “Paradise at Mother’s Feet” – Review
    Lebanon: “Arze” – Review
    Lithuania: “Drowning Dry” – Review
    Malaysia: “Abang Adik” – Review
    Mexico: “Dirty” – Review
    Mongolia: “If Only I Could Hibernate” – Review
    Morocco: “Everybody Loves Touda” – Review
    Nepal: “Shambhala” – Review
    Netherlands: “Memory Lane” – Review
    Pakistan: “The Glassblower” – Review
    Peru: “Yana-Wara” – Review
    Philippines: “And So It Begins” – Review
    Poland: “Under the Volcano” – Review
    Portugal: “Grand Tour” – Review
    Romania: “Three Kilometres to the End of the World” – Review
    Slovakia: “The Hungarian Dressmaker” – Review
    Slovenia: “Family Therapy” – Review
    South Korea: “12.12: The Day” – Review
    Spain: “Saturn Return” – Review
    Sweden: “The Last Journey” – Review
    Switzerland: “Queens” – Review
    Taiwan: “Old Fox” – Review
    Tunisia: “Take My Breath Away” – Review
    Turkey: “Life” – Review
    Ukraine: “The Palace” – Review

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2025-01-20 21:47