France has announced a list of five films nominees for submissions to the international feature race. Richard Linklater’s “Nouvelle Vargue” is a love letter to the French film movement known as the New Wave, acquired by Netflix. Jafar Panahi’s Palme d’or-Winning “It was just an accident,” he escaped and greeted by neon, rescued by French producers. Rebecca Zlotowski’s Sony Pictures Classics Film “A Private Life” performed with Cannes and star Jodie Foster. “Arco,” an animation feature expressed and produced by Natalie Portman (purchased by Neon). And Hafsia Helge’s strange adult drama “Sister,” which won Cannes’ Best Actress Award for Nadia Meriti.
Every year, official entries for France’s international special featured Oscar races are divisive, and the trails for this new campaign are no exception, considering that two frontrunners, “Nouvelle vague” and “It was just an accident” are not French managers.
Interests have risen by the day of the French Oscar Commission, especially after the fireproofing of the past few years. Not only did Justin Trillett’s “Anatomy of Falls” snubs in 2023 caused a firestorm, but last year’s Jack Audiard’s “Emilia Perez” choice was swept by a social media tornado after a surfaced star Cara Sofia Gascon’s offensive tweet, eventually “I’m here.”
The country’s last Oscar victory in the international feature category dates back to 1993, with Regis Warnier’s “Indoshin,” but France’s vibrant and highly subsidized film industry produces over 200 films a year.
Their eligibility raised some questions due to the filmmaker’s American and Iranian nationalities, but both “nouvelle is ambiguous” and “it was just an accident” are both eligible under the Academy’s international character guidelines.
The AMPAS Rules require international feature films to have “mainly (over 50%) non-English dialogue tracks.” “Nouvel Verge” was shot mostly in French, but with the exception of Zoe Deutzi (starring as New Wave Darling Jean Seberg), “it was just an accident,” and Panahi’s first film was shot in Falsi and Arabic since his release from prison in Iran.
The nationality of the filmmaker has not been considered in accordance with AMPAS guidelines, so long as “creative control of the film” is “mainly in the hands of citizens, residents, or individuals with refugee or asylum status in the submission country.”
“Nouvelle Vague” was produced by Laurent Pétin of Michèle Halberstadt, a Paris-based ARP selection, but Halberstadt and Laetitia Masson have also been praised as co-screenwriters (for adaptation) along with Holly Gent and Vincent Palmo Jr.
Meanwhile, “it was just an accident,” he said, French producer Philip Martin’s Reiss Films Pereas (“Autumn Anatomy”) and Luxembourg co-producer (which could also be featured in the film’s finalists), which was created by Panahhi under government restrictions. “It was just an accident” centers around a group of former prisoners and their torture guards. The film certainly has momentum given its tense geopolitical context. In a recent interview with Variety, Panahhi addressed the fact that Iran has never submitted a film from a opposition director, so he has never participated in an Oscar race.
Another powerful candidate is “Private Life,” a humorous psychological thriller starring Foster as therapist investigating patient suicide. It’s a prestigious French film backed by Sony Pictures Classic, which has a reputation as being a top Oscar campaigner (he just won that category with “I’m Still Here”), and Zlotowski has a strong profile as well, having recently won the French Film Awards.
“Arco” directed by Ugo Bienvenu is a rare animated film submitted by the French Oscar Committee. French animations often appear in the animation category, but are not part of the international feature film mix. The film premiered at Cannes in a special screening section and won the Annessy Festival’s Top Award, but tells the story of a young boy who uses his rainbow to travel adventures to travel through the rainbows in the wrong time. In addition to the narration, Portman also produced “Alco” with Sophie Mass under Banner Mountain, and Felix De Gibbly remembers. The Oscar winner was Toronto, and the film also features Will Ferrell, American Ferrera, Flea, Mark Ruffalo and Andy Samberg.
“The Little Sister” is the third director outing of actor-turned-filmaker Helji, one of several films that MK2 films competed in at Cannes. It won the Best Actress Award for Meriti, playing a French-Algerian teenager who struggles to harmonize cultural upbringing with her sexuality. Released in the US by Strand Releasing. The Variety review described the film as a “quiet character study” about self-acceptance.
Cannes Film Festival
In elimination of the finalists, the National Film Committee did not give the names of the 11 members of the French Oscar Committee. Last year’s committee has technically returned, but David Thion has a Halbersstat, who has “nouvelle ambiguity” on the list, saying it was “just an accident” and “nouvelle ambiguity.”
Perhaps the other members returning are Charles Tesson, former artistic director of Cannes Critics Week. “It happened” director Audrey Diwan. “Father” Director Florian Zeller (Father”); Patrick Waxburger, former Lions boss. Charades International Sales Executive Carole Baraton, Gregoire Melin of Kinology. Producers Rosalie Varda (“Faces Places”), Ciné Tamaris and Nadim Cheikhroua (“Olfa’s Daughters”); Actor Clemence Posey.
The committee will choose to submit the Oscars next week on September 17th, and Ampass will be unveiling 15 films registered in the International Feature Film category on December 16th.
