Final International Feature Film Oscar Nomination Predictions

With the Academy’s nominations announcement drawing closer by the day, it’s time to lay it all on the line with my final Oscar nomination predictions. We’re in an odd situation this year where the winner (Minari) of the equivalent to Best International Feature Film at the Golden Globes, Critics Choice Awards, and possibly the BAFTAs won’t be nominated in this category at the Oscars. That leaves the door wide open for assumed frontrunner and critics season favourite Another Round, which seems almost unstoppable at this point. The Danish film has nabbed nominations at all three of the above ceremonies and would appear to be the only true lock of this category.

We saw the Academy’s willingness last year to nominate an international documentary for both Best International Feature Film and Documentary Feature and I think we’ll see a repeat of that again this year with Romania’s Collective. It received nods from BAFTA and Critics Choice and is firming as the favourite to take Documentary Feature. Quo Vadis, Aida? has tremendous critical acclaim that should be enough to carry it over the line, especially given Bosnia & Herzegovina hasn’t nabbed a nomination in 20 years.

Guatemala’s La Llorona has been a favourite during the critics awards season where it scored key wins from the National Board of Review and at the Satellite Awards. It also nabbed nominations at both the Golden Globes and the Critics Choice Awards. That really leaves us with the fifth spot up for grabs to any number of films including France’s Two of Us, Russia’s Dear Comrades!, and Chile’s The Mole Agent. I’m giving the edge to Taiwan’s A Sun, partly due to its ease of access by being available to stream on Netflix worldwide.