This is the nominee that would be favored to win the Academy Award if only critics voted. Unlike A Prophet, it is an “artsy” film and has received extensive distribution in the United States on the arthouse circuit. The White Ribbon (Das weisse Band – Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte) is beautifully shot in black and white, but its ambiguous plot will leave many viewers unsatisfied. Set in a village on the eve of World War I, a series of increasingly alarming and unsolved occurrences beset the villagers. Like A Prophet, The White Ribbon is long, but it is not aimed at a general audience. Having said that, it does provoke discussion and differing interpretations among its admirers.
