2013 Academy Awards – Foreign Language Films
This year a record 71 countries submitted entries in the Best Foreign Language Film category. I managed to see 61 of these films. Although there were many entertaining movies, the overall mood was bleak. As one of my viewing companions put it, it’s as if the stories were conceived during the financial crisis of 2008, written in 2009, funded in 2010, produced in 2011 and released in 2012. Here are my comments on the five nominees, as well some non-nominees that I consider noteworthy.
The 5 Nominees
- Austria—Amour
- Canada—War Witch (Rebelle)
- Norway—Kon-Tiki
- Chile—No
- Denmark—A Royal Affair (En kongelig affære)
7 Notable Non-Nominees
- Hong Kong—Life without Principle (Dyut meng gam)
- Russia—White Tiger (Belyy tigr)
- Italy—Caesar Must Die (Cesare deve morire)
- Iceland—The Deep (Djúpið)
- Philippines—Bwakaw
- Estonia—Mushrooming (Seenelkäik)
- France—The Intouchables (Intouchables)