In a matter of days we will know which movies have been selected as the nominees for this year’s Oscars. One of the most exciting categories is Best International Feature, which has 15 intriguing and attractive options.
This first filter resulted in the demise of some fantastic titles, including the Hungarian Preparations to Be Together for an Unknown Period of Time, the Venezuelan Once Upon A Time in Venezuela, the Italian Notturno (which, by the way, can still get a nomination for best documentary), the Peruvian Without a Name, and the Ukrainian Atlantis. Although the dismissal of these movies was painful, once we take a closer look to the 15 movies that are still in contention, things make sense. All of them offer something special, proving that the international markets are providing us with distinctive points of view that constantly ignored by mainstream (and American) cinema.
Three Latin American films, two African, seven European and three Asian are vying for a place in the top 5. Considering that predicting the nominations would be a foolish mission, I will instead take a closer look to each one of them, ranking them according to my personal preference. Although the order of this list is wildly subjective, I can safely say that in its majority, this pre-selection includes some of the best titles released in the past year.
15. THE MAN WHO SOLD HIS SKIN // Tunisia
In 2011, Sam Ali (Yahya Mahayni) – a Syrian man deeply in love – foolishly screams “It’s a revolution. We want freedom.” while dancing with his girlfriend in a crowded train. What would have been a romantic story in a different context quickly evolves into a nightmare where Ali needs to flee to Lebanon to avoid being incarcerated. What results is an odyssey in which Ali accepts having his back tattooed by one of the most revered European artists in the world. While this allows him to go to Europe and find his beloved, it also denies him the freedom he was desperate to obtain.
The Man Who Sold His Skin presents numerous thoughts about the state of the world that are worthy of further discussion. Including the value of art vs human beings, the imperialist ideas that still dominate the world, the dignity of people and the support given to refugees. Still, the execution of these ambitious ideas is the problem. With an international cast that also includes Monica Bellucci and Koen De Bouw, the film has a senseless script, uneven performances and an ending that is borderline insulting. Nevertheless, some of its ideas are worth considering for an ethics debate.
14. SUN CHILDREN // Iran
Sun Children starts with a stomach-churning piece of information that sets the tone of the movie: 152 million children are pressed into force-labour. Ali (Rouhollah Zamani), our main character, is one of them. With his mother in the hospital and his father dead, Ali has formed a tight and loyal group of friends like him that do petty errands and work on a garage to stay afloat. When the mafia leader of Tehran convinces Ali to find a hidden treasure, he and his three friends enrol in the school across the street to get access to it through the pipelines.
Whether being exploited by the mafia leader, constantly chased by the local police, or even used in political causes by the schoolteachers, Sun Children constantly exposes the way minors lose their innocence while dealing with issues that should stay away from them. Problems such as violence, fear of deportation, lack of education, police brutality and social hostility between Iranians and Afghans shape the feeble existence of our main characters.
The heart of the movie is Zamani, who offers a determined performance as the bright and naïve Ali, always two steps ahead of the game. While Sun Children is deeply engaging in its first half, it loses its plot somewhere in the middle, failing to offer a satisfying ending.
13. CHARLATAN // Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is represented by Charlatan, a biography of the enigmatic and almost-forgotten healer Jan Mikolášek (Ivan Troja). Who lived through the Nazi and Communist regimes and found peculiar ways to save himself during the multiple ups and downs of the Czech government. A sought-out healer because of his perfect diagnoses through his observational skills and knowledge of plants, he was as revered as much as he was suspected.
Directed by Agnieszka Holland, the movie presents a sobering and calculated image of a man that was dedicated to his craft, but that had a stoic personality that constantly alienated him from everyone. Interestingly, Holland introduces an unconfirmed gay story that perfectly captures his ambiguity and mystery.
Martin Strba’s cinematography offers dreamlike images that take us swiftly to his past. And mastery performances by Ivan Troja and Juraj Loj make this movie memorable. Nevertheless, it struggles to make us care about a man that is too brilliant to be humble and too dark to be fully appreciated. In this regard, Charlatan is the perfect example of well-made features that centre on exceedingly grey subjects.
12. TWO OF US // France
Barbara Sukowa and Martine Chevallier bring to life one of the best couples of 2020 in Two of Us. The French feature tells the story of Nina (Sukowa) and Madeleine (Chevallier), two women that have been together for decades, but that pass as neighbours to the unsuspected eyes of Madeleine’s children. When they finally decide to announce their relationship and move abroad to be together, tragedy presents itself and frustrates their plans.
What results is a test to the special bond between the ladies, as well as a desperate need of reconciliation with frustrated plans and an unknown history that is threatened to be forgotten. Nina will do everything in her power to be with Madeleine in these new circumstances. But what does someone do, when no one knows how special you are to your loved one? Through a sensible direction by Filippo Meneghetti and a script that allows us to feel the deep love between the women, it is impossible not to be moved and affected by this love story, even when some of the film’s mysteries feel unnecessary.
11. BETTER DAYS // Hong Kong
Similar to what we witness in Sun Children, Better Days is loud and clear regarding its exhibition of the burden of ridiculous social pressures put on teenagers. This melodramatic movie has a heavy resemblance to a teen soap opera, but manages to include in its saturated story a loving relationship between lonely teenagers and a real-life case of bullying that changed the Chinese policies in the matter.
Chen Nian (Zhou Dongyu) is a teenager that is getting ready for her final exams to go to university. When one of her classmates commits suicide as a direct response to continuous bullying, Chen becomes the new prey of harassment. In an unrelated instance of violence, Chen gets acquainted with Liu Beishan (Jackson Yee), a street thug who becomes Chen’s protector.
Sometimes romantic drama and other times thriller, the movie tries to cover too much in two hours (the platonic relationship between the leads, the pressures of the exams and Chen Nian’s constant bullying). Still, by focusing on the bond between Chen Nian and Liu Beishan, Better Days provides an optimistic and swooning perspective on topics that would have been too bleak to bear without this endearing story at the centre. A bit too sentimental, the movie works as an effective exhibition of the overwhelming challenge of being a teenager, while providing a hopeful view of the future.
10. NIGHT OF THE KINGS // Côte D’Ivoir
Philippe Lacôte transports us to a magical place through the storytelling of Night of the Kings. An otherworldly experience that takes place inside a prison in Côte D’Ivoir, the movie quickly moves away from its claustrophobic setting to a precolonial and fantastical place.
A young man is sent to the Maca, a jail which is ruled by the prisoners. In his first night inside, he is named the “Roman”, a figure in charge of telling stories to celebrate the red moon. Once he finishes, he will be killed. This propels a battle against time and the violence of the place, rendering clear references to One Thousand and One Nights. Lacôte fills his movie with contrasts: while violent and unpredictable, the men come together and get immersed in Roman’s story, offering admirable artistic renditions and an atmosphere of frail complicity. This movie works as an ode to those creatives that master the art of telling a good story.
9. A SUN // Taiwan
This Taiwanese film has managed to defy expectations and figure in this shortlist after being practically ignored during 2020. Discretely released by Netflix at the start of last year, A Sun has acquired mouth to mouth recognition, making it one of the best titles on the streaming platform.
A Sun centres in the Chen family, and through a methodical storytelling, follows the lives of each of its members after Ho (Wu Chien-ho) goes to jail. Through a poetic sensibility, director Chung Mong-hong examines the way each member of the family deals with this scenario, while confronting their own private struggles. His big brother Hao (Greg Hsu) proves to be a gentle soul as he navigates school, while the patriarch of the family, Wen (Chen Yi-wen), deals with feelings of anger and rejection.
The movie spans several years, reflecting the way their destiny is shaped by a desire to move on and an unavoidable resistance presented by emotional grudges and external threats. A Sun shines through its quiet moments and repressed emotions, making us care deeply about the tribulations of this fragile family.
8. HOPE // Norway
Hope helps us continue with our lives even when things feel lost. The idea of a better future propels us to deal with whichever harsh reality we face in the present. In the latest film by Maria Sødahl, aptly titled Hope, this is the only thing that maintains Anja’s (Andrea Bræin Hovig in a mesmerising performance) feeble sanity afloat when she finds out that she has incurable brain cancer.
Set during a week in the middle of the Christmas holidays, Hope follows Anja and her husband Tomas (Stellan Skarsgard) as they find out the news and start learning more about her case and her limited options. Even though it is not curable, her tumour could be operated and give her more months of life. In every catastrophic scenario, the couple manages to find a small fragment of hope, reflecting the desperation and fear that make us cling to life even when it is inevitably fading.
This drama is effective not because of its portrayal of misery, but because Anja and Tomas never give up. Instead, they look for alternatives while dealing with buried resentments, muted feelings and second thoughts about their relationship. This diagnosis opens the door to an accelerated and brutal reckoning with their love story, their feelings about their children, and the close end of their lives together.
7. DEAR COMRADES! // Russia
Nothing like having a massive change in your worldview due to the possible assassination of your daughter. In Dear Comrades!, Andrei Konchalovsky confronts the nationalistic ideals of a woman against the idealism of her daughter as they face the Novocherkassk massacre of 1962 in the Soviet Union.
Lyudmila Syomina (Julia Vysotskaya) is a loyal supporter of the Communist party and member of her city committee. When a strike breaks at the local electric plant, Lyudmila is one of the most vocal supporters of tough measures against the demonstrators. Nevertheless, when her daughter goes missing as people are killed during the strike, Lyudmila starts a frantic search for her, even defying the rules of her beloved party. This odyssey leads her to question her loyalties and political assumptions.
Filmed exquisitely in black and white by Andrey Naydenov and showing a mastery in its production design and editing, Dear Comrades! uses a deeply personal perspective to explore the dangers of radicalism, extreme devotion to flawed leaders and ideals, and the promotion of solutions that are easier said than done. A haunting scene of a mass execution in the public square and a riveting performance by Julia Vysotskaya, make of this film a crude warning about stubborn loyalties.
6. THE MOLE AGENT // Chile
The Mole Agent captivated the hearts of many with its lovable lead and its decisiveness in exhibiting an issue that affects not only Chile – where it was filmed – but the whole world: the cruel abandonment of old people in nursing homes. The documentary by Maite Alberdi starts when a concerned woman hires a private investigator to infiltrate the home where her mother lives. Sergio, an adorable octogenarian, is recruited as the mole.
Through his outgoing personality, clarity in judgment and sassiness, Sergio exposes what is really going on: the inhabitants suffer from loneliness by a lack of attention and love from their absent families. Sergio’s curiosity becomes our door into his new friends’ lives, while his thoughtful reports turn the finger of blame to the people that are clueless about the impact of their selfish ways in their aging relatives.
Considering that nursing homes became one of the most tragic victims of the COVID-19 pandemic, this documentary may produce profound sadness at the testimonies presented on screen, and an intense urge to hug our loved ones.
5. I’M NO LONGER HERE // Mexico
Although the issues of migration and drugs are common in Mexican cinema, Fernando Frias de la Parra created something unique with I’m No Longer Here. The movie presents both topics through the exploration of its protagonist’s identity and homesickness once he inadvertently confronts the violence that envelops the Northern part of Mexico.
Ulises (Juan Daniel García Treviño) lives in the metropolitan area of Monterrey, Nuevo León, surrounded by poverty and insecurity. Nevertheless, he is home, surrounded by friends and dedicated to dancing cumbia rebajada. One day, he finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time and his life crumbles apart, forcing him to escape to the United States.
Through his incapability of adaptation and the establishment of an awkward relationship with an Asian-American girl, Ulises comes to think about the home he left behind and the challenges he needs to conquer to move on with his life. The film also works as sharp commentary on social expectations and the idea of migration as a way of improving one’s life. Unique and colourful costumes, a solid performance by first-time actor García Treviño and a haunting ending, make of I’m No Longer Here a memorable contemplation on life and adaptation.
4. ANOTHER ROUND // Denmark
Since its premiere in the 2020 edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, Another Round has been an utter success. Reunited eight years after The Hunt, Thomas Vinterberg and Mads Mikkelsen uplift a simple – and easily-judged – premise into an existential reflection defined by extreme unsatisfaction and euphoria.
Four best friends find the perfect remedy for their feelings of emptiness and boredom in their comfortable lives in Denmark: they try a theory that dictates that a constant level of 0.05% of alcohol in their blood will make them function better. What starts as an ecstatic rediscovery of the joys of life, soon evolves into the undoing of their carefully designed existence. Cemented by a breath-taking performance by Mikkelsen – who exploits his previous life as a dancer in one of the most enjoyable film endings of the year –, Another Round is a celebration of life as well as a warning of the risk of falling over.
3. QUO VADIS, AIDA? // Boznia and Herzegovina
On July 11, 1995, more than 8,000 Bosnian men and boys were killed by Serbian forces during the Bosnian War. Quo Vadis, Aida? presents the Srebrenica massacre through the eyes of a woman (Jasna Đuričić), a United Nations translator, that finds herself in the middle of the events and suffers the uselessness of the UN (in 2013, the Dutch army was found liable in the Dutch supreme court for failing to prevent the assassination of more than 300 people) and the cruelty of the men under the leadership of Ratko Mladić (in November 2017, he was sentenced to life in prison by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia).
Jasmila Žbanić presents a gut-wrenching chronic of the events that happened during that day, including the bombing of the city, the evacuation conducted by UN troops, the desperate attempts of negotiations between ill-prepared international officials and Mladić, and the consequent naiveté of UN officials that allowed the massacre to happen. Through Aida’s point of view – who tries everything in her power to protect her husband and two sons – we witness the despairing knowledge of imminent death as she races against time and military pressure to find a solution for her unsolvable mission.
Deeply affecting and masterfully presented, Quo Vadis, Aida? presents a testimony on the lives that were snatched away that day. As well as the devastation of those that tried to carry on once the nightmare came to an end.
2. COLLECTIVE // Romania
Alexander Nanau created an incendiary documentary with Collective. Even though it presents a terrible event that happened in the foreign lands of Rumania, the documentary exhibits issues that plague the world, including corrupt governments, shady representatives and fierce media uncovering the truth. The fact that the exposed issue is comparable to the defective handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in multiple countries, only injects it with an extra layer of relevance and anger.
In Collective, Nanau follows a group of journalists that expose the corrupt Romanian healthcare system after multiple people die in the hospital due to infections acquired while being treated after a terrible fire in the Colectiv club in Bucharest, Romania. Nanau and his team present the exposé conducted by Sports Gazette, as its reporters confront the local representatives and new leaders are appointed to face the crisis before the next general election.
Whistle-blowers, journalists, victims, and technocratic leaders come together to try and fix this national scandal of corruption and disregard of basic rights, and Nanau offers a privileged view of what is happening in real time. Infuriating, frustrating and eye-opening, Collective presents the failings of a dishonest government and the way society is willing to commit the same mistakes over and over again.
1. LA LLORONA // Guatemala
Jayro Bustamante has created a masterpiece with La Llorona. A movie that takes as inspiration one of the most important legends of Latin American folklore and twists it to offer a story of vengeance in the face of social memory and lack of accountability. Here, Bustamante strips the myth of its misogynistic tones (in one of its most famous variants, a woman cries at night after killing her children in a spitefulness fit) and instead confers it with social purpose.
When former General Enrique Monteverde (Julio Díaz) is acquitted from charges of genocide, his house becomes haunted by a woman in white, who happens to be his new maid (María Mercedes Coroy). Although categorized as a horror story, the real terror comes from the burden of history and past sins that go unpunished. In La Llorona, the dead are looking for justice while the living are denying it.
That this adaptation deals with Guatemala’s own history of genocide (inspired by the real case of General Efraín Ríos Montt and the Mayan genocide), only offers a new layer of resonance to Bustamante’s. La Llorona works as a resounding testimony of Guatemala’s bloody past and the way so many people never found justice.
Nominations for the 93rd Academy Awards will be announced on Monday 15th March 2021.