Oscars 2024: ‘Best International Feature Film’ spotlight
In what could be a good omen for one title in particular, the last five winners of ‘Best International Feature Film’ at the Oscars have also been shortlisted for either ‘Best Picture’ or ‘Best Director’, and in several cases both.
Ever since Sebastián Lelio’s A Fantastic Woman emerged victorious at the 2017 ceremony, the winners have tended to secure at least one nomination in the major categories. Alfonso Cuarón’s Roma won ‘Best Director’, Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite won the double, Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Drive My Car was nominated in each category, while Thomas Vinterberg’s Another Round saw him recognised for his directing, and Edward Berger’s All Quiet on the Western Front doubled as a ‘Best Picture’ nominee.
That’s not to say it’s a cut-and-dried race, with the entire quintet fully meriting the honour of being named as the victor when the 2024 Oscars roll around. They hail from five different countries and tell five different stories with completely different undertones, but it can’t be argued they don’t deserve to be in the running.
Shining a spotlight on all five ‘Best International Feature Film’ nominees, there may be an odds-on favourite among them, but none of them could be called undeserving winners should an upset be on the cards.
Io capitano (Matteo Garrone, Italy)
Matteo Garrone made his directorial debut in 1996, but this year marks the first time the filmmaker has ever been nominated for an Academy Award, although he’s experienced plenty of international awards season success through Gomorrah, Reality, and Dogman.
An international co-production between Italy, Belgium, and France, the narrative is inspired by true stories of African migrants making their way to Europe, with Seydou Sarr’s Seydou and Moustapha Fall’s Moussa setting off an arduous journey from Senegal to Italy to realise their dreams of a better life, although it doesn’t come without its inherent dangers.
Maintaining a hopeful and optimistic outlook despite the obstacles faced, Io capitano showcases both the beautiful and ugly sides of the human experience, punctuated by two protagonists who remain steadfast in their belief that the arduous trek – and the problems they face along the way – will all be worth it in the end.
Perfect Days (Wim Wenders, Japan)
The Tokyo Toilet Project served as the inspiration behind Wim Wenders‘ latest absorbing foray into narrative cinema, with the filmmaker becoming so enamoured by the concept that he decided to turn it into a feature film.
Kōji Yakusho stars as a toilet cleaner across a quartet of vignettes that explore his day-to-day existence, offering an understated and captivating slice-of-life drama that traces his movements both on the clock and away from toilet-scrubbing duties.
Mundane in its structure and observations yet anything but in execution, Perfect Days is an unhurried, unfussy, and contemplative account of a man going about his daily routine, but with Wenders at the helm, it becomes a poetic, moving insight into the inner workings of one cog in a giant societal machine.
Society of the Snow (J.A. Bayona, Spain)
The incredible story of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 has been regaled many times across feature films, documentaries, and books, but Netflix‘s Society of the Snow still manages to create nerve-shredding tension and heart-wrenching grief in almost every single frame, a testament to Bayona’s treatment of the material.
A survival thriller anchored by an ever-dwindling cast of characters, the stunning cinematography and vast landscapes only serve to deepen the inevitable fate of the remaining survivors before their perseverance and resolve pushes them to extremes they’d have never thought themselves capable of.
Bayona’s background in horror and blockbusters comes to the fore during the bruising set pieces, but Society of the Snow never loses sight of its central themes. Whatever the world throws at them – and it’s a lot in this case – strength of spirit and sheer stubborn determination can never be extinguished.
The Teachers’ Lounge (İlker Çatak, Germany)
Largely regarded as the underdog in the ‘Best International Feature Film’ race due to the absence of a big-name filmmaker, major studio, or powerhouse streaming service backing its theatrical release and subsequent Oscars campaign, The Teachers’ Lounge shouldn’t be slept on.
Leonie Benesch stars as Carla Nowak, an idealistic teacher stung by the consequences of her actions when she gets involved in an internal investigation pertaining to a string of thefts happening in her school. Two class representatives point the finger at a Turkish classmate, but Carla becomes increasingly convinced of not just his innocence but the underlying racism at the heart of the accusations.
Co-writer and director İlker Çatak roots the story in current socio-political and educational issues, using the unassuming settings of a classroom for an allegorical parable on how society moulds and impacts the people who reside within it, carried along by a central mystery drenched in the stylings of a classic thriller.
The Zone of Interest (Jonathan Glazer, United Kingdom)
The only one of the five nominees shortlisted for major prizes, Jonathan Glazer‘s The Zone of Interest stands out as the clear front-runner after securing an additional four nominations, including ‘Best Picture’, ‘Best Director’, and ‘Best Adapted Screenplay’.
Glazer adapts Martin Amis’ novel of the same name and puts his own distinctive stylistic and thematic spin on it, offering an unflinching and unforgiving examination of the everyday lives of people who were complicit in some of history’s most notorious atrocities.
Juxtaposing unforgivable acts with the inconsequentialities of a family building their dream home, the banality of evil has rarely – if ever – been so powerful on-screen. The Zone of Interest‘s lack of sentimentality only enhances how unnerving and disturbing the narrative really is, leaving behind a lingering feeling of queasiness that takes some time to disperse.
