Films from Europe, South America, the Mideast and Africa made the cut for the Oscar for best foreign-language film, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Thursday.
The shortlist included the critical favorites “A Fantastic Woman,” about a Chilean transgender waitress; “Loveless,” a bleak portrait of a toxic Russian marriage; and “The Wound” an unsettling South African drama. Several of the films on the list, including “The Square” (Sweden), Ruben Ostlund’s biting look at the art world, and “In the Fade,” a German thriller starring Diane Kruger, also earned Golden Globe nominations this week.
Six of the titles on the list were decided by a committee of academy members in Los Angeles; the other three were selected by the academy’s Foreign Language Film Award Executive Committee.
The final five nominees, chosen after another round of voting, will be announced on Jan. 23, and the winner will be revealed at the ceremony on March 4.
Here is the complete shortlist:
Chile: “A Fantastic Woman,” Sebastián Lelio, director
Germany: “In the Fade,” Fatih Akin, director
Hungary: “On Body and Soul,” Ildiko Enyedi, director
Israel: “Foxtrot,” Samuel Maoz, director
Lebanon: “The Insult,” Ziad Doueiri, director
Russia: “Loveless,” Andrey Zvyagintsev, director
Senegal: “Félicité,” Alain Gomis, director
South Africa: “The Wound,” John Trengove, director
Continue reading the main storySweden: “The Square,” Ruben Östlund, director
Continue reading the main story