This year’s international feature film nominees vary greatly in tone and subject matter, taking viewers all the way from aboard unsteady cargo ships caught in sea storms to the grueling mountains of Bhutan. Below, an overview of the five films selected to compete this year, each a groundbreaking submission in its own way.
(Japan, directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi)
Widely considered the most critically beloved film of the year, Hamaguchi’s Drive My Car has has been steadily building awards momentum since premiering at Cannes Film Festival, where, along with two other prizes, it won the award for best screenplay, in addition to a nomination for the Palm D’Or. Adapted from the Haruki Murakami short story of the same name, it follows a grieving theater director who is mounting a stage production of Uncle Vanya and has a beguiling connection with his personal driver.
“As a filmmaker, the idea of creating words and movement together is something that I deal with a lot in my work. So it was really easy for me to imagine what the story would look like as a film adaptation,” Hamaguchi told The Hollywood Reporter in an interview. Named best film of the year by both New York and Los Angeles film critics, Drive My Car is additionally nominated for Oscars in directing, adapted screenplay, and best picture, and has earned three BAFTA noms, a César nomination and a Golden Globe win.
(Denmark, directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen)
Rasmussen’s animated feature about an Afghan refugee who flees to Denmark makes history as the first movie to be nominated simultaneously in international, animated and documentary feature categories at the Academy Awards. In his review, THR’s David Rooney described it as “a powerful and poetic memoir of personal struggle and self-discovery that expands the definition of documentary.”
Flee follows an unidentified gay man’s story (cloaked in anonymity by the film’s animation) as he recalls his journey to escape violence and live safely with his husband. Actors Riz Ahmed and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau serve as executive producers. The movie has also secured animated and documentary BAFTA nominations, an indie spirit doc nomination, a Gotham award win for documentary, two National Board of Review awards and the Sundance Grand Jury Prize for documentary.
(Italy, directed by Paolo Sorrentino)
Sorrentino’s The Hand of God tells the semi-autobiographical tale of a young boy growing up alongside his rambunctious family in 1980s Naples, on a personal journey of self-discovery and a professional endeavor toward becoming a filmmaker. The movie premiered at the Venice Film Festival, where it won the Grand Jury Prize and star Filippo Scotti took home the Marcello Mastroianni Award for acting.
In his THR review, David Rooney describes how the film “has brought out sumptuous veins of joy and sorrow that feel richer, deeper, more searingly poignant than anything the director has done before.” The Netflix film has received nominations for two BAFTAs, a Golden Globe and the Golden Lion at last year’s Venice Film Festival.
(Bhutan, directed by Pawo Choyning Dorji)
Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom follows a schoolteacher in his last year of training, sent to a rural mountain town which he desperately wants to leave, even as his students attempt to convince him to stay. It had been previously submitted for Oscar consideration for last year’s awards, but was disqualified due to Bhutan’s lack of an official selection committee at the time. It’s only the second film ever submitted from the small Asian nation.
The film had its premiere at the BFI London Film Festival, and marks the feature directorial debut of Pawo Choyning Dorji, who has previously worked as a photographer for publications like VICE, Esquire and Life before pursuing filmmaking.
(Norway, directed by Joachim Trier)
Joachim Trier’s The Worst Person in the World tells the story of Julie, an aimless young woman attempting to figure out what she wants to do with her life — and with whom she’d like to spend it. At once both comedic and heartbreaking, the film was a sensation when it premiered at Cannes, where Renate Reinsve took home the award for best actress and the movie was nominated for the Palm D’Or. It’s since become a critical darling and a surprising box office success in its limited theatrical release.
“Trier reveals how well he can keep shifting tones and emotional arcs without losing any narrative momentum,” said Jordan Mintzer in his THR review. Certainly, the film has pulled off at once reviving the rom-com genre while still making a strong case for the coming-of-age drama. The Worst Person in the World is nominated for best original screenplay in addition to international feature at the Oscars, as well as lead actress and non-English film at the BAFTAs, international nominations at the Gothams and Césars and a National Board of Review win.
Source: HollyWood
