Border Crossings: International Films Shape the 2024 Oscar Race
Dustin Chase
Unless you live under the Causeway, you’ve probably noticed or heard something about this year’s Oscar race. Summer films like “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie” are raking in nominations along with film festivals and critics’ darlings “Poor Things,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” and “Maestro,” betting on a boost from all the awards buzz. The infusion of international cinema into this year’s lineup is buried beneath the headlines of who got nominated and who didn’t.
Cannes Palm d’Or winner “Anatomy of a Fall” landed a best picture nomination, as did its French director Justine Triet, the first French female in history to receive a directing nod. The whodunnit, quasi-crime/courtroom drama is 59 percent in French, the remainder in English, with German actress Sandra Hüller speaking a few lines in her native language. Hüller also received a nomination as the best actress for the film.
Should you see it? Yes, if you are trying to catch most of the Oscar nominees before the ceremony on March 10, this one is a must, receiving five nominations total. Also, if you like emotional dramas that keep you guessing, this one satisfies that craving. Don’t buy into sensationalist reviews that promise some knock-your-socks-off twist because the film is restrained and mainly by the book as far as plotting goes. “Anatomy of a Fall” revolves around a family living in a wintry chalet, and the husband is mysteriously found dead, and the only witness is their blind child.
Despite being the most popular and awarded international film of 2023, France made the controversial choice not to submit “Anatomy of a Fall” for both political (Triet’s Cannes speech) and cautionary (the English language percentage) reasons. Instead, it submitted the quiet, very French, cooking period film “The Taste of Things” starring Juliette Binoche, which wasn’t nominated for anything.
Ironically, another non-English language film nominated for best picture, “The Zone of Interest,” also stars 2023 It Girl Sandra Hüller. The film, directed by best director nominee Jonathan Glazer, reinvents the holocaust genre here. His cold and nuanced experimental film only follows one high-ranking Nazi family, unphased by the atrocities happening beyond the wall. We hear the sounds, we see the clothes and the smoke, but never the images. Glazer expects the audience to know their history and recall the myriad of other Holocaust films that detail the atrocities.
As an original piece of work, there is nothing like “The Zone of Interest.” However, it’s the type of film you might expect to appear in a classroom. Glazer’s creative and, at times, challenging direction fills the audience with chills. Still, it’s a problematic sit and not necessarily the kind of film that promotes cheering, awards, or otherwise. The United Kingdom submitted “The Zone of Interest,” which is entirely in German, and received five nominations overall.
While not in competition in the International Feature category, “Past Lives,” nominated for best picture and original screenplay, is mainly in Korean and the remainder in English. My favorite film of 2023, it showcases the immense talent of first-time filmmaker Celine Song. It stars “The Morning Show’s” Greta Lee and BAFTA nominee Teo Yoo in beautiful performances that will stay with you long after the credits roll.
Netflix’s “Society of the Snow,” Spain’s entry for International Feature, also jumped outside the International Feature category, landing a second nomination in the makeup category. The epic retelling of the Uruguayan soccer team that crashed in the 1970s has become one of the most-watched films on Netflix ever. It’s a must-see, not only because of its two Oscar nominations but because of this historically accurate thrill ride that will have you gripping the couch the entire way through. It’s directed by Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom’s J.A. Bayona, who was also behind the Oscar-nominated tsunami film “The Impossible.”
Aside from “Society of the Snow” and “The Zone of Interest,” the other nominees for International Feature are “Perfect Days” from Japan, “The Teachers Lounge” from Germany, and the sweeping epic “Io Capitano” from Italy. Each has its charms, “Perfect Days” is as sweet and mild of a film as you will find in this year’s race. “The Teachers Lounge” is both gripping with what teachers have to deal with and ultimately infuriating, leaving the viewer hanging at the end. “Io Capitano” has some of the most eye-popping cinematography of the year.
When an international nominee, in this case, “The Zone of Interest,” also has a best-picture nomination, it’s almost always the winner. The Society of the Snow’s popularity on streaming and because it’s the kind of film you cheer for could provide some competition, but the fact it only received one other nomination shows, at least at the time of nominations, that it doesn’t have the support it needs to pull off an upset.