FOREIGN OSCAR PREDICTIONS, ISRAEL-PHILIPPINES

Here's the next batch:

So far, I'm batting 1 for 1.....IRAQ became the first country of the year to enter the competition, and as I predicted, they went with "Son of Babylon".....

51. ISRAEL does not have numbers on its side. They’ve been nominated three years in a row, and no country has been nominated four times in a row since 1980 (France). The Israeli Oscar slot is automatically given to the winner of Best Picture at the Ophir Awards, and nominations should be released before early August. There’s a good article predicting the Ophirs (http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/5221/2010-ophir-awards-race-part-1) on iocinema. I think “Gei-On”, “Infiltration” and “Intimate Grammar” will easily get Best Picture nominations on the basis of baity plots, slots at the Jerusalem Film Festival and the fact that all three directors have won before. I was going to predict “Gei-On”, a 19th century period drama (I’ve never heard of one from Israel before….) about the arranged marriage of a young Russian woman to an old man in Ottoman-ruled Palestine. However, it was snubbed at the Jerusalem Film Festival, where coming-of-age story “Intimate Grammar” was the big winner, meaning it will also likely win the Ophirs. “Infiltration”, a drama about a multi-ethnic platoon of troops in 1950s Israel, should come third. The other two nominees are up for grabs, but could well be “Once I Was”, another coming-of-age drama but this time focusing on a family in the 1960s, and “Bena”, about a man dealing with the mentally handicapped. “And On the Third Day”, a nihilistic, sexual drama could sneak in. Other possibilities: Cannes drama “The Wanderer” got mixed reviews, female action movie “The Assassin Next Door” and documentary “Revolution 101” are probably going to be handicapped by their genres, and “Maya” will likely get lost in the shuffle.

52. ITALY has less to choose from than usual. While they have as many films out as usual, they don't have many that have the calibre to represent an Oscar powerhouse like Italy. Two and only two stand out: “The Man Who Will Come” won the Rome Film Festival and was the surprise winner of the David di Donatello Awards, beating favorite “Vincere” and last year’s Oscar submission, “Baaria”. “The Man” presses every Oscar button- it’s a large-scale WWII drama, set in 1944, about a historical massacre, seen through the eyes of the child. It’s definitely the favorite to represent Italy, but it faces competition from “The First Beautiful Thing”, a bittersweet comedy about the sacred relationship between an Italian man and his terminally ill mother (and made by Berlusconi’s film studio). Other options: Turkish-born Ferzan Ozpetek is shortlisted by Italy nearly every year with no luck so far- but his coming-out dramedy “Loose Cannons” has a shot, as does romantic tragedy "I Am Love". But I think it’s a two-film race, unless something new and exciting comes out in the next two months. In fact, no other Italian movie has gotten great reviews this year. A few comedies that sound good on paper, like "Our Life" (competed in Cannes), “Happy Family” (Gabriele Salvatores) and “Youngest Son” (Pupi Avati) aren’t well-liked enough. Wordless shepherd’s tale “The Four Times” has better reviews, but is too odd a film to rep the Italians.

53. JAPAN has a lot of great films, and an unpredictable Academy, so I’m not sure what they’ll pick this year. It certainly could be WWII drama “Caterpillar” (competed in Berlin and won Best Actress) about a war hero who returns to the care of his wife after becoming horribly disfigured during war with China. There’s also the 3-hour plus “The Unbroken”, starring Ken Watanabe, about Japan’s greatest air tragedy and which won Japan’s Academy Awards this year, taking Picture and Actor. Several previously submitted directors have a new movie or two: 2001’s Yukisada Isao has “Parade”, Japan’s only Best Pic nominee at the Asian Film Awards, about four roommates, a violent assault and a gay hustler, 2002‘s Hideyuki Hirayama directed “Shin-san, Song of a Coal Mining Town”, about a mining town in 1960s Kyushu, 2003’s Oscar nominee Yoji Yamada (“The Twilight Samurai”) has “Little Brother” (Ototo), about a woman (Sayuri Yoshinaga, aka the Japanese Meryl Streep) and her relationship with her n’er do well brother, and 2006’s Lee Sang-il has “Villain”, a sort of murder mystery that will premiere right before the deadline. Also in with a chance are “Confession” (the trailer looks great) by one of my favorite Japanese directors (Tetsuya Nagashima) about a vengeful teacher, and “Travels with Haru”, about an old man living with his recently fired granddaughter in provincial Hokkaido. Reviews haven’t been strong enough for Takeshi Kitano’s latest “Outrage”, interracial comedy “My Darling is a Foreigner”, and losing Japanese Best Pic nominees “Villon’s Wife” and “Zero Focus. “Desperate Blade” (also directed by H. Hirayama) might have a chance, but it’s Part Three of a series and unlikely to make it. It’ll be really close….My prediction: “Caterpillar” gets the nod by a nose over “The Unbroken”, with “Parade”, “Shin-san” and “Younger Brother” rounding out the Top Five, and the film I’m rooting for, “Confession”, in sixth place.

54. JORDAN submitted a film once in 2008, and they deserved a nomination for the wonderful “Captain Abu Raed”. I’ve heard that “Cherkess”, about the arrival of Circassian immigrants to Ottoman Jordan, is not as good, but it is a special film that highlights an exotic culture and language few people would ever hear about otherwise. I hope they send it.




55. KAZAKHSTAN got a nomination in 2007, a shortlist spot in 2009, and was rumored to have come quite close in 2008 with “Tulpan”. Last year’s “Kelin” was truly an original work of art, and deserves to be seen by the world (the DVD is available in Kazakhstan, and this wordless film requires no subtitles). This year, however, pickings are slim. I predict they send “Seker”, about a little girl raised as a tomboy, and how her life changes at age 12. It was made by the national film studio, giving them an edge over independent films “Letters to an Angel”, a sexy modernization of “1001 Nights”, and “Strayed”, a Twilight Zone-esque thriller that has been doing well on the fest circuit, attracting divisive reviews. In fourth place: action thriller “Who Are You, Mr. Ka?”. Unlikely: uplifting youth drama “The Burst”, and kid’s film “Baiterek”. Highly unlikely: silly but popular romantic comedy “The Irony of Love”, an “Tale of the Pink Hare”, a baity film that probably won’t be released in time. Next year’s nominee is already clear: I predict big-budget “Atazhurt”, about the arrival of Soviet deportees in the republic in the 1950s, and how they changed the ethnic makeup of Kazakhstan forever.

56. KOREA has deserved a nomination for almost every film they have submitted since 2002, but they have yet to even make the shortlist. Last year’s brilliant “Mother”, although perhaps not as impressive as “Secret of Their Eyes”, was my favorite of the two dozen submissions I saw last year. They usually choose their Oscar candidate from a shortlist. In 2008, I predicted the shortlist exactly. This year, I expect the list to include the following seven films (in alphabetical order): “71 Into the Fire”, a patriotic box-office hit Korean war drama about 71 teens conscripted to fight against the North Koreans, “Blades of Blood”, a big, splashy 16th century martial arts drama about a blind swordsman helping to repel a Japanese invasion, “Brand New Life”, about a 9-year girl abandoned in an orphanage, “Harmony”, a sentimental hit melodrama about women in prison who form a choir (the Foreign Oscar committee loves choirs), “The Housemaid”, an erotic soap opera remake of a Korean classic which competed in Cannes but got surprisingly average reviews, “Poetry”, Chang Lee-dong’s latest Cannes entry about the life of an elderly woman raising her grandson, and “Scooping Up the Moonlight”, the 101st film by Im Kwon-Taek about the cultural art of hanji paper. Other films that could be shortlisted (but not submitted): “Hahaha”, about the adventures of two drunk men telling stories, which somehow won the Un Certain Regard competition at Cannes, despite universally tepid reviews, “Moss”, a summer blockbuster about a village secret, “Paju”, about a trouble woman returning to her hometown, and “The Servant”, a comedy-melodrama re-telling of a classic Korean folktale. What a diverse group of films! Korea has tried all most of these genres before, except the “cute-kid” drama of “Brand New Life” which would probably go over well with the committee. My prediction: Chang Lee-dong gets the nod a third time for “Poetry” (3-1) with war drama “71 Into the Fire” (this is the 60th anniversary of the Korean War) in a close second (4-1), with dark horses “Blades of Blood” (9-1) and “Scooping Up the Moonlight” (10-1) in third and fourth place, and “Harmony” (12-1) in fifth.

57. KUWAIT last submitted a film in 1978. Gulf film is undergoing somewhat of a renaissance, but as far as I know, they only have short films this year, including “Whisper of Sin”, about a youth raised by a widowed father, and “The Fisherman”, a low-budget action film.






58. KYRGYZSTAN is a beautiful country (I went there last year) but has had to deal with a coup d’etat and ethnic massacres in the past four months. If they decide they’re stable enough to send a movie, it will surely be “The Light Thief”, but Aktan Arym Kubat, the director of Kyrgyzstan’s first two submissions (He used to use the name Aktan Abdykalykov). It’s about an electrician in an impoverished rural area of the country, and it played at Cannes.

59. LATVIA has only submitted twice, in 1992 and 2008, and the director of their first submission has a new costume drama – “Rudolf’s Gold”, about rural life in 19th century Latvia. I think they’ll send it in. If they don’t, they’ll probably not send anything, but the runner-up should be wartime love triangle “Three to Dance”, about a Latvian POW, a German soldier and the girl who both of them fall for.



60. LEBANON took last year off. I wonder if they are upset that the Israelis have been nominated three times in a row (twice for Lebanese-themed movies). This year, I know of three films (all directed by women) and the frontrunner is “Everyday is a Holiday”, about three Lebanese women on a journey by bus, and starring acclaimed Palestinian actress, Hiam Abbass. In second place: “From My Window, Without a Home”, about a Lebanese woman reunited with the daughter she abandoned 17 years before. Unlikely: musical “What’s Going On?”

61. LITHUANIA will probably send Tarantino-esque comedy-thriller, “Zero 2” (not a sequel), which Screendaily reports is negotiating with a US distributor. The Best Picture winners of both the 2009 and 2010 Silver Crane Awards are somehow both eligible, with “Low Lights”, a road movie about three young men and which represented Lithuania at their 2010 Film Festival has a definite edge over “Eastern Drift”, a thriller about a small-time crook on the run from the Russian mafia. In its defense, “Eastern Drift” won Best Picture and Director over “Zero 2”, which is surprising considering how incredibly bad their Variety review was. Unknown quantity : “Back to Your Arms” is a baity Cold War drama about a family separated during WWII, although I don’t think it will premiere in time. The third Best Picture nominee at this year’s Silver Cranes was “Farewell”, about a man with cancer returning home to say goodbye. I hope they choose “Zero 2”, which sounds like one of the more interesting films out there this year.

62. LUXEMBOURG may have a problem. Most of “their” films are co-productions with only a small Luxembourg stake. Out of the four majority-Luxembourg productions that I know of, three are in English, including the gay drama “House of Boys” that won Best Picture at this year’s Luxembourg Film Awards (yes, even Luxembourg has its own Film Awards, though they’re only held every two years), plus “Dust” and hip-hop documentary “Hamilius”. Their other film is part three of a local crime-comedy trilogy, “Trouble No More”. They submitted Part Two back in 1998 (I saw it), but these films are simply not Oscar-calibre. They may sit this year out, or send “Trouble” as a default. Alternately, they may try to send one of their minority efforts, of which the most likely would be “Just the Three of Us”, a French romance starring Emmanuelle Beart.

63. MACEDONIA has the smallest film industry of the five Yugoslav republics (the sixth republic, Montenegro, does not compete), and hasn’t had much to choose from this year or last. This year’s nominee is likely to be “Mothers” or “This is Not an American Movie”. “Mothers” is an expensive film by Macedonia’s only Oscar nominee (Milcho Manchevski). Like his previous Oscar nominee, it tells three parallel stories about Crime and Punishment. Post-production has been delayed and is now scheduled to premiere in September, right before the deadline. “This is Not An American Movie” is an action movie about a film-obsessed crime boss which has a great-looking trailer (http://www.thisisnotanamericanmovie.com/) and a lot of jokes aimed at film buffs. Manchevski will easily get the nomination if the film premieres. Otherwise, it will be the “American Movie”. Two movies about Macedonia’s Albanian community are dark horses- “The War is Over”, about refugees in Switzerland, and “My Father”, about a man whose son died in the Yugoslav wars.

64. MALAYSIA sent a film only once, in 2004. They probably won’t send anything this year, but they could send “Karaoke”, which was the first Malaysian movie at Cannes in fifteen years, or “Muallaf”, about three people finding religion, which was released a year about director Yasmin Ahmad’s untimely death. I predict they send nothing, but for the sake of completion I’ll say “Papadom” which won Best Picture at last year’s Malaysian Film Festival, and which is a sentimental drama about a widower’s attempts to raise his young daughter. Acclaimed Chinese-language films like “At the End of Daybreak” (Locarno, Toronto, Pusan, etc.) and “My Daughter” (Pusan) need not apply in Malaysia, where Malay language benefits from discriminatory preference laws.

65. MEXICO has an easy choice this year. It appears fairly obvious they will select “Biutiful”, starring Oscar winner Javier Bardem and directed by Oscar nominee Alejandro Inarittu Gonzalez. The bleak drama has gotten great reviews from critics and audiences (including an 8.7 on IMDB), and there’s not much competition coming from South of the border. It's main competion will come from "Northless", about a man trying to cross into Tijuana illegally and the upcoming biographical drama of “Hidalgo” (released right around the cutoff, which always helps).....Other possibilities for the shortlist include father-son drama “To the Sea” (Alamar), Carlos Carrera’s latest drama “From Childhood” (he’s repped Mexico three times since 1998), historical drama “ Chicogrande”, and the artsy, urban angst of “Leap Year”, Mark it down for Biutiful to make the 9-film Oscar shortlist for Mexico.

66. MONGOLIA announced they were sending a movie last year, but it didn’t appear on the list. It was probably disqualified (it was definitely a majority Russian production) but AMPAS never responded to my inquiry. Oh well! Mongolia has competed only twice before- both times with docudramas by Byambasuren Davaa about families with cute animals (first a camel, then a dog). Davaa, who is based in Germany, has “The Two Horses of Genghis Khan” (which actually is not about horses) this which has been somewhat less well-received than her first two. And she has competition! “"Grace from Heaven" claims on its website that it aspires to go to the Oscars and this beautiful-looking traditional drama about a traditional herder falling in love with a blind musician is made with a fully Mongolian crew. Tough call: I say Oscar nominee Davaa and her horses make it.

67. MOROCCO was the only Arab country to compete last year. This year, they have lots of possibilities but no obvious front-runner. The most visible film on the circuit this year is “The Man Who Sold the World”, a film based on a Dostoevsky novel, about an office worker descending into insanity, but it’s so arthouse I’m not sure it will get anywhere with the Moroccans, or with Oscar. There are a lot of small-scale dramas (which also will probably go nowhere with Oscar) in with a shot, including “Crossed Destinies”, about eight friends reunited by a strange letter, “Forgotten History”, a controversial drama about human trafficking and forced prostitution, and “Les gars du Bled”, about three unemployed young college grads. Less likely: “Grand Villa”, about a Frenchwoman who moves to Morocco to be with her abusive husband and “Fissures”, a violent film about three losers, made without a script. All of the above films competed together in Tangier and were beaten by “Pegasus”, about a woman who believes she is pregnant with the child of a saint, which is not scheduled to be released until November 2010. If Morocco wants something lighter, they could consider sending “Le Clandestin”, a comedy about a young man who turns to smuggling after he is repeatedly denied an ID Card that would enable him to get a job legally. Highly unlikely: “Story of a Wrestler Mchaouchi”, “Ahmed Garriaux” and (although it sounds great….) Cube-esque thriller “Mirages”. My prediction: Hmm…I dunno….maybe “Crossed Destinies”, which won second prize to Pegasus.

68. NEPAL last submitted in 2006. Like nearby Bhutan, they produce a lot of small, cheap films for the local market along with the occasional international co-production, that wins awards at festivals but may or may not ever be screened locally. I doubt they’ll send a film this year, but I think last year’s Film Awards winner “Timi Bina Marihalchu” and box-office champ “Kaha Bhetiyala” will lose out to “God Lives in the Himalayas”, about a young boy whose mother is killed and father injured in an accident, and his attempts to understand the cruelty of life.

69. THE NETHERLANDS has one of the best records in this category. This year, I can’t decide whether the Dutch will choose box-office hit romantic dramedy “Happy Housewife” or a much-anticipated drama heavy with the search of a missing child and child prostitution in Africa-set drama “Tirza”.”Housewife” stars Dutch superstar Carice van Houten as a woman whose life is turned upside down by a new baby, and the Netherlands likes choosing comedy-dramas. However, I think the film will come in second place to “Tirza” if that film gets good reviews. (Trivia: they tried to choose an African drama last year, but it had too much English). Five other films with a chance (in order): “A Woman Goes to the Doctor”, about a man cheating on his cancer-stricken wife won Best Picture at the Rembrandt Awards, “Joy” tells the story of a distressed teen looking for her biological mother, “R U There?” is about a competitive gamer and his adventures in Taiwan, “Don’t Touch My Children”, is based on a true story about a woman whose children are abducted by her Syrian ex-husband, and “The Aviatrix of Kazbek” is about a Dutch woman from a conservative village who falls in with a group of wild Georgian soldiers. Unlikely but possible: “The Domino Effect” by Oscar nominee Paula van der Oest about globalization, ice-skating drama “Hell of ‘63”, and “Majesty”, which is scheduled to be released after the cutoff date.

70. NICARAGUA last sent a film in 1988, and for good reason- they haven’t made any. This year’s “La Yuma”, a scrappy film about a young female boxer is the first Nicaraguan feature to be made in 20 years, and it has managed awards on the film festival circuit before premiering in Managua to widespread local interest, beating Iron Man II at the box office. If someone remembers how to fill out the paperwork, “La Yuma” is in.



71. NORWAY has very few realistic choices this year. There are three Best Picture nominees for the Amanda Awards, but the two favorites (“Vegas” and “Upperdog”) were eligible last year, leaving only “A Somewhat Gentle Man”, about a 50-something murderer and habitual criminal released from jail and his interactions with his old gang and his family. The biggest movie coming out later this year is “Shameless”, which will premiere one week after the deadline. So, the “Gentle Man” seems to have an absurdly easy road to the Oscars, facing a challenge from only two upcoming films, namely “Pax”, about seven strangers, and “Nokas”, about a famous bank heist. I predict a dead heart between “Gentle Man” and “Pax”, with “Man” getting the nod.

72. PAKISTAN last submitted a film in 1963. They’re hardly worth including here since no other country has been absent such a long time. If they choose to return, I predict they’ll pick “Channa Sachi Muchi”, a musical love story which has been released abroad (including Australia) amd one of the biggest Pakistani films to be made recently. Doesn’t look like Oscar material though.

73. PALESTINE fought hard to gain recognition by AMPAS, which they finally did in 2003, and they gained their first Oscar nomination two years later. They had their best-ever film year in 2009 but for some obscure reason, they did not participate. This year’s most likely submission is “Zindeeq”, a surreal film about a Palestinian émigré in Europe who returns home to Ramallah in time to witness a murder by a family member. It won the Dubai Film Festival, but is nowhere near as high-profile as the three films they had to choose from last year. Heartbreaking documentary “Port of Memory”, about a family evicted from their home by the Israeli occupation, is a dark horse.

74. PERU became the third South American country (out of nine) to get a nomination. I haven’t seen “The Milk of Sorrow”, but I very much enjoyed Claudia Llosa’s first film (which failed to get a nomination a few years back). Here’s hoping for a speedy US release. “Sorrow” was a big winner at Berlin last year. Minimalist comedy “Octubre”, about a loan shark who finds a baby on his doorstep, won the Jury Prize at Cannes, so it’s pretty certain to be selected. The dark horse is well-received gay ghost story “Undertow”, which won the Audience Award at Sundance. Unfortunately, “Paradise”, about local youth, and “Postcards”, a quirky Peru-US love story won’t have a chance.

75. THE PHILIPPINES The Philippines should be almost impossible to predict. Last year, the Pinoys chose a poorly-made commercial comedy, filled with histrionics and drag queens, over a series of more acclaimed films (like the snubbed favorite, “Lola”). I’m not sure what they were thinking…..Will they learn their lesson? Or pick a similarly mediocre film? I have no idea. If they want a similar film, they will choose “Last Supper #3”, a better-reviewed and more clever satire in the same vein as last year’s silly comedy, making fun of the Filipino legal system which won the Cinemalaya Film Festival. However, I’m going to guess they choose “Bakal Boys:” (a.k.a. “Children Metal Divers”), a well-received docudrama about child laborers that’s played at a lot of film festivals worldwide, and whose Variety review notes a beautiful mix of hard reality, humor and cute kids, with “Last Supper” runner-up. Neither one of these films is a shoo-in. “Buenavista”, a historical drama set in the 1890s (although it looks like a 1970s soap opera) has a powerhouse cast, “Clash” (a.k.a. “Engkwentro”), about extra-judicial killings, got good notices in Venice (although the Filipino Academy doesn’t usually choose any of the country’s many violent, gritty films), and “Manila Skies”, a deceptively simple story about a poor man on the verge of cracking. That’s my top five, although I also wouldn’t count out “Colorum”, about a road trip that turns into a crime spree and “Mountain Thief”, about a father-son team of impoverished scavengers. The winners of Metro Manila used to be selected a lot in this race, but this year’s two winners- critically maligned SFX thriller “Ang Panday” and love triangle melodrama “I Love You Goodbye” probably won’t come into play, and neither will the three-and-a-half-hour art film “Sewer”.

NEXT: A Brief Look at Possible First-Time Countries

Oscar Foreign Film Predictions 2010

This is bound to be the longest entry, since it covers the enormous film industries of France, Germany and India.....

26. COSTA RICA's film output is at a record high, producing a few films each year. They only sent a film once in 2005 but they may well send a second one this year. Front-runner is “Cold Water of the Sea”, which played in Rotterdam, about a little girl with an overactive imagination whose tall tale of abuse ends up destroying her family. I think it should be selected over unwanted pregnancy drama “Gestacion” (featuring evil nuns), which is the sophomore film of Esteban Ramirez (the director of CR’s 2005 submission, “Caribe”). Less likely: “Through Closed Eyes”, a spare 65-minute family drama about the grief of a widower.

27. COTE D'IVOIRE submitted one film in 1976- and they unexpectedly won the Oscar, beating French, Italian and German films (although it should be noted their film was a majority French production). Apparently satisfied with their 100% win record, they never entered the competition again. Their once-active local film industry is nearly dead. No signs they will ever the race again. For the sake of completion, I’ll say they choose “Le Djassa a pris feu” which was released nationally in December. It’s a low-budget local story of two brothers from an impoverished family where one becomes a petty criminal, and the other a cop.

28. CROATIA has chosen films from its Pula Film Festival every year for the past twelve years (although due to release dates, two films from the 2004 Festival got picked), and this year’s line-up has just been announced, narrowing the field down to seven. The winner will be announced on July 24th, but they don’t often pick the winner to represent them (only twice in the past seven years). Only one of the films has premiered so far, but I predict they choose “72 Days”, a very black comedy starring acclaimed actor Rade Serbedzija about an entire family supported by the pension one elderly relative- and what happens when he dies. In second place: “Just Between Us”, an erotic comedy that got decent reviews in the spring but whose trailer doesn’t look too promising...In third and fourth are two movies about marital strife, by previously submitted directors: “Mother of Asphalt” (by the director of lesbian drama “Fine Dead Girls”) has the edge over “Two Summer Days” (by the director of father-son drama “Armin”) by concentrating on drama rather than the action of “Days”. In fifth: “The Performance” about a bunch of Croatians in NYC for 9/11. Unlikely: “Forest Creatures”, which sounds like British thriller “Severance”. In last place: “The Show Must Go On”, a sci-fi horror film starring the cast of Croatia’s Big Brother (?!) We should have a better idea after the awards are given out at Pula.

29. CUBA, despite strained relations with the US, has sent films six of the past eight years. Last year’s film was a confusing mess. Oh well. This year, they have three films which have a very good chance. I predict they send dark horse “Lisanka”, a love story set amid the Cuban Missile Crisis, which almost destroyed the world as we know it in 1962. It’d be interesting to see this from their point of view. The smart money should be on “Jose Marti: Eye of the Canary”, a biography about the youth of Cuban national hero Jose Marti, by Fenrando Perez who repped Cuba in 1991 and 2003, showing longstanding favor with the Cuban Academy. I’m not sure why I’m backing Lisanka. Just a hunch. In a very close third place is “El premio flaco” (The Booby Prize), a tragicomedy by Juan Carlos Cremata who repped Cuba in 2002 (for a bad film) and 2005 (for a good one). Cuba chooses comedies a lot, so this strange melodrama about a poor woman whose life falls apart when she wins a new house, has a good shot. Unlikely but possible: ensemble drama “Large Distance” and erotic, psychological drama “Afinidades”, which stars Vladmir Cruz and Jorge Perugorria, who costarred in Cuba’s only Oscar nominee thus far, “Strawberry & Chocolate”. It seems they star in a movie together virtually every year (my favorite is “The Waiting List”), but Cuba has never chosen any of their pairings since.

30. THE CZECH REPUBLIC, as usual, has a number of films to choose from. They haven’t been nominated since 2003, but they are usually a contender, and they have the best Oscar record in Eastern Europe, excluding the Russians. I think they’ll send either “Kawasaki’s Rose” or the soon-to-be-released “Kajinek”. “Rose” is directed by Oscar-nominated Jan Hrebejk (“Divided We Fall”) and was nominated for Best Picture at last year’s Czech Lions (it lost to last year’s Oscar submission, “Protektor”). It has a meaty topic: Communist collaborators after the fall of Communism, which is handled with typical Czech pathos and humor. “Kajinek” is a baity true-life trial movie/thriller about an infamous hit man (who’s still alive), who did his dirty work during the Communist years. I really can’t decide between these two. I’ll pick “Rose” because Jan has represented the Czechs before, but it’s too close to call. Neither film is guaranteed a spot though- consider “Three Seasons in Hell”, which also got a Czech Lion nod last year, and which is representing the Czech Republic in Karlovy Vary. It’s set in the 1940s (like most Czech submissions), and tells a politically charged love story against the backdrop of post-WWII, Oscar’s favorite era. Three other dark horses will figure into the decision (in order of likelhihood): “Walking Too Fast” is a noirish thriller about a crooked cop, “Dreamers”, which will premiere in Karlovy Vary, is the story of a bunch of 30-something friends in modern-day Prague, and “Women in Temptation” was a major box-office hit about a marital counselor who finds her own marriage in trouble. Extreme long-shots in the Czech Top Ten: Jan Sverak won an Oscar for “Kolya”, but his animated children’s film “Kooky” won’t; nor will Felliniesque “Market Chalet”, comedy “The Doctor from Hippopotamus Lake”. Premiering too late: War drama “Lidice” will premiere in December, after the deadline, but it’s already well-positioned for next year’s race.

31. DENMARK, according the DFI website, has 27 eligible films. About one-third of these are youth and children’s films which won’t come into play. For those of you who predict “A Family”, IMDB says it won’t be released until after the deadline. No less than four films are by previously submitted directors: Oscar nominee Susanne Bier (“After the Wedding”) has “In a Better World” a drama that spans two continents and concerns two reunited twins who survived the Holocaust. Christoffer Boe (“Reconstruction”) has “Everything Will Be Fine”, a thriller about a journalist who uncovers a scandal involving Danish troops abroad. Erik Clausen (“Carl My Childhood Symphony”) has “Freedom on Parole”, about the relationship between an ex-con and his son. And finally Thomas Vinterberg (the superb “Celebration”) has “Submarino” (Berlin) about two brothers who meet for the first time at their mother’s funeral. Among the other high-profile films released this year are “Brotherhood”, a gay neo-Nazi romance which won the Rome Film Festival, “Oldboys”, a comedy-drama about a depressed old man who finds meaning in his life through a life of crime (nommed for Best Pic at the Danish Oscars) and “R”, a prison drama about two young criminals- one Danish, one a Muslim immigrant. There’s also the soon-to-be-released “Experiment”, reminiscent of Australia’s “Rabbit Proof Fence” about Greenlandic children taken from their families and raised in mainland Denmark. These eight films will battle it out. My predictions: the prior Oscar nom and Holocaust hook will get Bier and her “World” the nod. In second place: the Greenlandic “Experiment”, followed by Vinterberg’s “Submarino”. Rounding out the Top Five: “Brotherhood” and “R”. And there’s surely too much competition for the rest of the Top Ten, namely Per Fly’s “The Woman Who Dreamed of a Man” and relationship comedy “Therapy”.

32. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC submitted three films between 1983-1995, and then gave up. Reports show that half of their announced films never get finished- incidentally, my prediction last year (“Hermaphrodite”) never got released. That said, several better-than-average films have just been completed- they just had their first-ever film compete in Toronto- “La Soga” (a.k.a. “The Butcher’s Son”)- a violent urban drama set in NYC and the DR, which may convince them to return. If not, they have two major historical dramas- “Blood Tropics”, starring Michelle Rodriguez ("Avatar"), about two sisters who fought the Trujillo dictatorship, and “The Color of Night”, about race relations. “La Soga” has the potential to bring them back.

33. ECUADOR last submitted six years ago, with Sebastian Cordero’s disturbing thriller, “Cronicas”. This year, they’ll probably return with Sebastian Cordero’s disturbing thriller, “Rabia”. Cordero is the only international Ecuadorean director, and “Rabia”, about a murderous Ecuadorean antihero on the lam in Spain, is supposed to be quite good. It’s main obstacle is that it’s not really an Ecuadorean film...but neither was “Cronicas”. If they want to choose a more homegrown film (and I doubt they will...they just won’t enter), they could choose one of three other eligible films, most likely “Prometheus, Deported”, about a group of Ecuadoreans facing deportation from Spain that looks quite interesting. “Riff-Raff” won an award in Montreal World, but is supposedly pretty bad, so it and pregnancy drama “Maria como juego de ninos” are out of the running.

34. EGYPT took last year off despite some good films. Film production is way down, although local films take a significant percentage of the local market share. Production went from 57 films in 2008 to only 12 films in 2009, and the economic downturn plus a summer Ramadan means this year the figure is still below normal. If they choose to send a film, it’s sure to be one of three: “Birds of the Nile”, “Heliopolis” or “The Traveller”. “Birds of the Nile” is directed by Magdy Ahmed Aly (who represented Egypt in 2002), and was the only Egyptian film in competition at the Cairo Film Festival this year. It’s the story, spanning several decades, of a lower-middle-class family. “Heliopolis” is an ensemble drama by a young 31-year old debiut director about life in modern-day Cairo, and it’s gotten pretty good reviews. I tried to see it at the DC Film Festival, but it sold out quickly. “The Traveller” is this year’s big cheese. It’s the first film to be fully funded by the Ministry of Culture in thirty years, and it was expensive! It also co-stars 78-year old Omar Sharif in a rare return to his native country’s cinema. The film won a minor award in Venice, and looks at Egypt on three key days in history, 1948 (the first Arab-Israeli war), 1973 (the Yom Kippur War) and 2001 (9-11). The problem is that for all of its expense, it’s not supposed to be an extremely cohesive or engaging film. Dark horse: “Messages from the Sea” is a tense romance between a recent graduate and a mysterious woman. It’s by a respected director and it was quite well-received in Berlin. Very unlikely: “Escaping Tel Aviv” a spy thriller by the director of Egypt’s last submission (“The Island”) and the poorly reviewed “Egyptian Maidens”. Final predictions: Sharif pushes “Traveller” to an Oscar slot, followed by “Birds”, “Heliopolis” and “Messages”.

35. ESTONIA makes some of the best films that no one knows about. I recently visited Estonia and picked up DVDs of their Oscar submissions (most easy to find, with perfect English subtitles), and they’ve all been good so far. This year, I believe they have four films eligible. Of those four, it’s pretty clear they’ll send “The Temptation of St. Tony”, which got hands-down the best reviews, and competed at Sundance and Rotterdam. It’s the story of an average guy who suddenly decides not to be bound by human morality. It’s reputed to be quite a cult sensation, though definitely not an Oscar nominee. The runner-up would have to be “Red Mercury”, a genre action thriller about life in the early 1990s, immediately post-independence. The other two, “The Snow Queen”, a modern re-telling of a Hans Christian Andersen faerie tale, and “Bank Robbery”, about an ex-con trying to go straight, got mixed reviews.

36. FIJI doesn’t really have a film industry of its own, although its Film Commission promotes the islands as a filming location. Although they have three main languages (Fijian, Hindi and English), their first Oscar submission (and first-ever feature film) was in the minority Rotuman language. Fiji’s second film was banned from being released in Fiji in 2007 for “inappropriate themes”. Film #3, “Ghar Pardes” (Home Abroad), was released in Fijian cinemas in January. It’s a Bollywood-style film about Indo-Fijian migrant workers who emigrate abroad. I doubt it will be sent to the Oscars since it was made by Indo-Fijians, and the government is somewhat discriminatory to this community, but it’s eligible, so who knows?

37. FINLAND has fourteen eligible films this year and five of them are contenders to represent at the Oscars. The odds-on favorite has to be expensive historical Winter War drama “Under the North Star”. The Winter War is a moment of nationalist pride for the Finns, and several previous submissions have had this as their theme. It’s an epic three-hour film about a young man going to fight for his country. Problems? Well, it lost Best Picture to a minimalist (and very average) film at the Finnish Oscars earlier this year (last year’s submission “Father Jacob”) so it’s not universally loved, an it’s really only one-half of a whole. The second half will be released in late September and may compete for votes. The biggest threat is “Bad Family”, a dysfunctional family drama (Finland makes a lot of these) about a divorced family where the son grows up with the abusive father, and the daughter with the mother. In third place: Nenets-language drama (Finland submitted one in 2000) “Pudana: Last of the Life”, about the memories of an old indigenous woman looking back on her life. It’s supposed to be quite a good film. Rounding out the Top Five are two gentle comedies: “Princess”, about a mentally ill woman who believes she is a Princess (think “Enchanted” in a psych ward) and “Backwood Philosophe”, a culture-clash story about academics in deep, northern Finland. Oscar loves war movies, so I still put my money on “Under the North Star”.

38. FRANCE's stated goal is to be nominated for an Oscar every year, and they usually manage to do it- seven nominations (plus one shortlist appearance) in the past eleven years is certainly impressive, and even the three snubbed films- “8 Women”, “Persepolis” and, to a lesser extent, “Bon Voyage” were great movies. Although the French have not won since 1992, they do understand what Oscar likes, and they choose their submissions accordingly. This year, I think Oscar will like “Micmacs”, a breezy and visually inventive comedy about one man’s involvement with the arms trade, by Jean-Pierre Jeunet (“Amelie”) which has already opened in the U.S. to good reviews. France knows that Oscar likes some humor with their subtitles. However, they do have lots more to choose from, and could definitely go for either of two real-life dramas that played in Cannes, “Of Gods and Men” (about the murder of a group of Cistercian monks in Algeria in the 1990s), which won Second Prize, and epic 16th century costume drama “The Princess of Montpensier”, about the fight between Catholics and Protestants. It’s not scheduled to open until November, but France has done qualifying runs for the Oscars before. In fourth place, “In the Beginning”, about a con-man trying to swindle an economically depressed town. It got great reviews and a slew of Cesar nominations (it ultimately lost to “Un Prophete”). A half-dozen dark horses (in order) face an uphill battle: “Wild Grass”, a romance about two people brought together by a lost wallet, is by an acclaimed 88-year director, but not everyone loves the film, “Heartbreaker” is a popular comedy about an enterprise that breaks up couples for profit, but the subject matter may be too light, “Certified Copy”, is a romantic drama with the starpower of Juliette Binoche and acclaimed director Abbas Kiarostami but is likely too intellectual for its own good, “The Concert” presses all the right Oscar buttons (Jews, War, pretty music), but without the critical reviews to sustain a realistic campaign, Mathieu Amalric’s burlesque theatrical drama “On Tour” just doesn’t sound good enough and “Hands Up”, deals with illegal immigration in a refreshing way (a classroom of elementary school students lobby for their Chechen classmate to stay in France), but is too small to represent France. My money is on "Les Micmacs".

39. GEORGIA has one of the clearest choices on the list. I think it’s highly unlikely they’ll choose choose anything but “Street Days”. It’s an intriguing moral dilemma drama about a drug addict who is asked by corrupt cops to implicate his friend’s teenage son in a crime. If he refuses, he will be sent to jail. It’s the only Georgian film to really be playing the Film Festival circuit this year. The only competition should be “Conflict Zone”, a bitter dark comedy about two guys thrown together during the wars of the 1990s, and their mission to buy artillery. They both sound good. Third place: “Susa”, about a young Georgian teen.

40. GERMANY makes a huge number of films, which is why it’s so strange that they chose to announce early and steal neighboring Austria’s film last year (yes, I know “White Ribbon” was a co-production and equally German, but they knew Austria was going to choose it). A lot of Germany’s big movies of the year will be released in October (like Tom Tykwer’s “Drei”), so they won’t be eligible...I think the German nominee will be one of three films: “Bergblut” (Mountain Blood) is a large-scale 19th century historical drama about the struggle of the principality of Tyrol to maintain its independence (the battle was lost). “Soul Kitchen” is Fatih Akin’s first comedy, and it’s a fun food-related film (Oscar likes these) about a Greek restaurant in Hamburg, which audiences love. “When We Leave” is a drama about a Turkish-German woman and her struggles against her own family. Germany now holds the best record in the world in this category- six nominations in eight years, including two wins, and they want to keep it up. It’s a tough choice, but I’m going to guess “Soul Kitchen”. However, it should be noted that Akin’s last submission (“Edge of Heaven”) and Germany’s last comedy (“Goodbye Lenin”) were the two most recent German films that failed to get an Oscar nomination (though they both deserved them…..). If Germany gets worried, I think they’ll go with the amazing vistas of “Bergblut” (the trailer is gorgeous), followed by “Leave”. In fourth place: “The Last Silence”, an intriguing murder mystery. In fifth: “In the Shadows”, a crime drama. Two films that might come into play if they are released in time: “Nemesis” is a psychological thriller starring the late UIrich Muhe (“Lives of Others”) and his wife Susanne Lothar, (“White Ribbon”) one of the greatest actresses working today. Apparently it’s release is being held up by a lawsuit, but vault it to the Top Three if it comes out; also “Me & Kaminski” reunites the director and star of “Goodbye Lenin”. Unlikely but possible: “Afterwards”, about a woman concealing her GDR past alongside her homeless father, “The Chinese Man”, about serial murders in Sweden and their relation to a young German woman, “Sasha”, a gay-interest melodrama, “Shahada”, about three young Muslims in Germany, and two Austrian co-productions, the well-reviewed “The Robber” and the poorly-reviewed “Jew Suss”.

41. GREECE became one of the last countries to establish their own Film Awards this year, and cult hit “Dogtooth” won the first-ever Award in May. The film about violence and sexuality amongst a pretty F***ed up family has been on the Film Festival circuit for over a year, but waiting until November to premiere in Greece, making it eligible. Rumor has it that the Best Picture winner will go to the Oscars, so I’m predicting “Dogtooth”. If that is just a rumor, then I think the spot is more likely to go to “Deep Soul”, a large-scale film about two brothers fighting on opposite sides of the Greek Civil War. It will definitely find more favor that the incestuous goings-on in “Dogtooth”. Fellow Best Pic nominee “Strella” probably has the best reviews of the three (an ex-con falls for a transsexual). In fourth place, I predict 17th century period drama “Black Field”, about a very strange love story between a Janissary and a nun. A fourth Best Pic nominee, “Plato’s Academy”, a comedy about a racist slacker who learns he is actually half-Albanian, will likely come in fifth. Less likely: trafficking drama “Dancing on Ice” and comedy “The Building Manager”. I predict “Dogtooth”, but I think the Greeks would be smarter to go with “Strella” or “Black Field”.

42. GUATEMALA only submitted once in 1994, and they won’t send a movie this year either. If they did, it would be likely to be “The Return of Lencho”, about a young graffiti artist who returns home after 10 years in the States.



43. HONG KONG has gotten into the habit of sending big, splashy Mandarin-language Chinese co-productions instead of the small, locally-based Cantonese films they used to. For that reason, I think they’ll send “Bodyguards and Assassins” (which at least has some Cantonese in it), an expensive ($25 million) all-star martial-arts retelling of the story of Sun Yat Sen. It won Best Picture at the Hong Kong Film Awards, and was the only HK film to get a Best Picture nomination at the Asian Film Awards this year. However, it could easily be beaten by “Legend of the Fist” (both star Donnie Yen, who had four leading roles this year), which will premiere right around the deadline (Hong Kong has a history of doing an early one-theatre premiere for their submissions), and which is a long-awaited update of a role made famous by Bruce Lee, and which is set in Japanese-occupied Shanghai. If Hong Kong decides to go to the arthouse (and they did last year), they could choose “Echoes of the Rainbow”, about a working-class Cantonese family in the 1960s. Rounding out the Top Five: “Ip Man 2” (once again with Donnie Yen), the well-received sequel to the film they should have sent last year, and the latest from Jackie Chan, “Little Big Soldier”. Unlikely dark horses: I think they’re too small, but documentary “KJ: Music and Life” won the prize of the Hong Kong Film Critics last year. And “Gallants” is a fun genre-bending film, described as “Cocoon” with kung-fu.

44. HUNGARY is traditionally the first country in the world to choose their film, so they should be announcing fairly soon. They usually pick one of their premieres from Hungarian Film Week. The Hungarian Academy truly chooses their favorite film, without thinking too much about the film’s chances with Oscar. So, they’re fairly unpredictable. The three front-runners are “Bibliotheque Pascal”, an S & M drama about a trafficking victim who returns home to regain custody of her child (Winner of Best Picture & Foreign Critics Award at Hungarian Film Week, also in Berlin), “Question in Details”, a well-received and quirky drama about blind dating (Best Director and Internet Award at Film Week) and “So Much for Justice”, a big epic directed by 88-year old Miklos Jancso (who represented Hungary for the first time in 1966). His 79-year old ex-wife also has a contender in “The Last Report on Anna”, about an activist who fought against the Communists and the Fascists. Other dark horses: “The Camera Murderer”, a thriller about a series of missing children, “The Days of Desire”, about a mute housemaid working for an unhappy married couple, “Kolorado Kid”, an action movie a youth trying to escape the secret police in 1950s Hungary, “Returning Home”, about a war refugee returning to Romania, and “Vespa”, about a Gypsy child who goes to the city to pick up a prize. My predictions for the Top Five: “Bibliotheque Pascal” gets the nod, followed by “Question in Details”, “So Much for Justice”, “The Camera Murderer” and “Last Report on Anna”.

45. ICELAND's economic catastrophes have not prevented this tiny bankrupt nation of 300,000 from producing a record number of films: I count nine that will be released in the qualifying period, plus a tenth that might. It’s a tough race between two films, namely gentle Alzheimers family drama “Mamma Gogo” and box-office hit comedy “Mr. Bjarnfedarson”. “Bjarnfedarson” was the surprise winner of their head-to-head contest at this year’s Edda Awards. However, “Gogo” is directed by Fridrik Thor Fridriksson, Iceland’s only Foreign Oscar nominee, and he has represented Iceland a total of five times (The director of “Bjarnfedarson” has repped the country only once). “Gogo” is also a more Oscary film, and they may feel like rewarding the film at the Oscasrs since it lost at the Eddas. Both films are threatened slightly by “Messengers” a super-cool looking fantasy-thriller about a man who can see angels and demons- but not much. Also, “Undercurrent”, a soap opera aboard a fishing boat, could also come into play if it’s released by September 30th. I would be very surprised if any other films figured in, including “December”, about an émigré who returns home, “Polite People”, about a man trying to bilk a small town and “Jitters”, a depressing sounding gay-themed youth drama. I’m a big fan of the country, so I think it’s great they have so much going on...

46. INDIA makes a lot of movies, and while a few are international blockbusters, few are critical successes internationally. India’s press laments every year that they only have racked up three nominations (not bad, actually….that’s better than any country in Asia except Japan and Taiwan’ Ang Lee ) but they usually send very commercial efforts, with the odd regional arthouse film thrown in every few years. As usual, superstar Aamir Khan (who has starred in four of the past ten Indian submissions), figures prominently in the decision-making. The 400-pound gorilla this year is “Three Idiots”, a traditional Bollywood hit with comedy, melodrama and musical numbers packaged in a 2hr. 40min. running time. It swept most of the awards at the Indian Film Awards, and is a typical Indian Oscar submission. However, I predict an upset by “Peepli Live”, a black comedy produced by Aamir Khan, about a heavily indebted farmer who is advised to commit suicide so his family can collect the government compensation money. It’s gotten very good reviews, was the first Indian film ever at Sundance and has starpower behind it. I think it will be the surprise Indian nominee, with “Idiots” coming second. In third place: “My Name is Khan”, starring Shahrukh Khan in a relevant film about a borderline autistic Muslim Indian trying to convince the US President that he is not a terrorist, despite his common name. In fourth, “Ishqiya”, a crime caper that defied all expectations and succeeded based on critical acclaim and word-of-mouth. India makes films in dozens of languages that nobody sees outside their home state. Since I know nothing about most of these regions, I’ll predict the well-received Konkani-language (the language of Goa State) drama that played in Berlin & Toronto as the “non-Hindi” favorite. Also in with a chance: “Road Movie”, which has played at several international fests, big action-thrillers “Raajneeti” and “Kudaan”, coming-of-age story “Udaal”, and small drama “Madholal Keep Walking, set against the backdrop of the 2008 Mumbai Bombings.

47. INDONESIA usually sends a movie (8 of the last 12 years), and this year, it looks like they are destined to send a bad one. Indonesia is very proud of the fact that President Obama spend several formative years in the country as a child. A book was written about his life, and this book was made into a movie, namely “Little Obama”. They tried to time the release to President Obama’s visit, but President Obama canceled his visit (for a third time) and the film got released anyway. Anyway, the film looks positively awful (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlV0pmsKWTw), but it’s by a previously submitted director and the Indonesians will probably think it’s a compliment to send it in. In any case, they don’t have anything else outstanding. Other possibilities include: “The Dreamer”, a coming-of-age story set in Sumatra, and the first Indonesian film to open the Jakarta Film Festival in a decade. However, it’s a sequel, and Indonesia didn’t submit the first part...”Maida’s House”, a melodrama covering the better part of Indonesia’s 20th century history, and which got a Best Pic nod at the Indonesian Film Awards...“Sunday Morning in Victoria Park”, an issue-based film about a migrant worker in Hong Kong. Less likely, but possible: “Under the Sky”, an Islamic-themed drama about orphans, ”Tanah Air Beta”, about a family split up by East Timorese independence and “Menebus Impian”, about a mother and daughter trying to improve their lot in life. Indonesia’s highest-profile films of the year are unlikely choices: “Macabre”, is famous more for sadistic violence and problems with the censors, rather than for Oscar quality, and the acclaimed “At Stake” is a documentary. My prediction: “Obama” gets elected.

48. IRAN is a strange country. Despite up-and-down relations with the US, they always participate, and they usually send thought-provoking and interesting films (personal favorites have been “Colour of Paradise” and “Café Transit”). Will last year’s surprise snub of a popular favorite (“About Elly”) piss them off enough to miss the competition? I hope not….This year’s race is really wide open- there are no big directors or films out there. There’s still lots to choose from, as there were about two-dozen new films at the Fajr Film Festival, and several others have played at the Cannes Film Market and elsewhere. My prediction is “Kingdom of Solomon”, a big-budget period film about the Biblical tale of King Solomon. The stills look gorgeous, and I’ve never heard of a big-budget Iranian film, so the novelty might spur them to send it in. In second place: “Gold and Copper”, about a theological student who must quit his studies to take care of his sick wife. In third position: “In Purple Color”, which won the biggest awards at the Fajr Film Festival (including Picture & Director), but which features a controversial love story (an intelligence agent and an opposition activist) that led the film to be banned since 2003. The Iranian Academy has sent controversial films before though so one never knows. Rounding out the Top Five: “A Man Who Ate His Cherries”, about an impotent man getting a divorce, which did not play at Fajr, but which has been seen at festivals worldwide, and “The Fateful Night”, about a family fleeing war. There’s very little about Iranian films online, so a slew of other films from Fajr could get the nod including “Teheran, Teheran”, which tells two stories of life in the city, “Elixir and Dust, about people stuck in the international airport during the Islamic Revolution (I think these two may be too controversial), “10th Day Noon”, about a woman serving with the Red Crescent in Iraq, “Seven Minutes to Autumn”, about a young married couple, or “40 Years Old” (self-explanatory). I’d love to see “Payback”, a prison drama about four women seeking revenge on the men in their lives, or “Aal”, a horror-thriller about an evil spirit, which sounds like the most interesting choices. Out of the running: I don’t think they’ll consider Berlinale minimalist drama “The Hunter”, by a Europe-based Persian director.

49. IRAQ submitted films from 2005-2007, and then took the past two years off for unknown reasons, possibly due to a lack of screening cinemas. This year, I believe they will return with “Son of Babylon” (by the director of their 2006 submission), about a boy and his grandmother trying to find family members during the 2003 fall of Saddam. It got a confirmed release in Baghdad in May. Three Kurdish dramas could threaten: “Kick Off”, about refugees housed in a football stadium, “Herman”, about the suppression of Kurds in 1988, which played in Pusan and “Whistle With the Wind”, about a rural postman. But I doubt it.

50. IRELAND sent a movie once in 2007. Almost all of their films are in English. At the Irish Film Awards this year, the Gaelic language awards all went to television series. Unfortunately, I don’t see that they have anything eligible.

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