Oscar Submissions 2021- The Films from North and South America (19 films)

This has been such a strange year! On January 8^th, the list of the record 93 films competing for the Oscar International Feature award was finally unofficially announced (AMPAS still hasn’t published an official list). The record was partly a result of the COVID-related loosening of the screening requirements and a longer (15-month) eligibility period. 

Online viewing has also made it easier for people around the world- including me- to see all the nominated films. As of January 26, I have seen 52 and I will have access to about 20 more before the shortlist is announced on or about February 9. One of the few good things about COVID!

 It appears that 97 countries submitted films but only 93 qualified:

1. Belarus was disqualified for “Persian Lessons” (which would have been a strong Oscar contender) because it was a majority Russian production with a North American director filmed in Belarus, but with no major Belarusian crew. 

2. The Wrap reported that Algeria withdrew their film (why???). 

3. Uzbekistan was disqualified after AMPAS received the film on time but asked for it to be converted into a different file format....The producers said they were crushed to learn about this the day of the deadline but were never told by the Uzbekistan Selection Committee. 

4. Bhutan's "Lunana" was disqualified for unknown reasons, but I’m guessing it’s probably the same as Uzbekistan.

 AMPAS has already announced that the Elite Committee will not meet this year, and that the 10-film shortlist would be expanded to 15. Since the elite committee usually strives to include some more diverse arthouse offerings, a lot of my predictions have changed.

 This year, I’ve divided the 93 films into 5 categories:  

I-                 THE AMERICAS (19 films)

II-             EASTERN EUROPE (21 films)

III-         WESTERN EUROPE (17 films)

IV-          ASIA (18 films)

V-              AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST (18 films)

Last year, films from the Americas got exactly zero spots on the shortlist and I wasn’t sure they would do better this year. But the elimination of the elite committee will benefit traditional Oscar bait like Canada, and films that skew older like Chile.

FRONTRUNNERS

 1.   

CHILE- “The Mole Agent” (El agente de topo)

In A Nutshell:  A documentary about a bored octogenarian who volunteers to go undercover at a nursing home to assist a private detective investigating abuse.

Pros: A real crowd-pleaser and older voters especially will love it. It’s funny and original but also has a lot of insights about aging. Like “Honeyland” last year, it is a documentary that tells its story like a narrative feature.  Out of the American submissions, it’s ranked #1 on IMDB and #2 on Letterboxd (behind Mexico).-

Cons: It’s a small film and “Collective” (Romania) is expected to take the unofficial documentary “spot” on the shortlist…but maybe that won’t matter with the expanded list of 15. 

 

 2.     CANADA- “14 Days, 12 Nights” (14 jours, 12 nuits)

In A Nutshell:  A Canadian woman travels to Vietnam to scatter the ashes of her adopted daughter.

Pros: A good, old-fashioned family drama. Oscar likes Canada, and the film’s focus on the legacy of the Vietnam War will resonate with American voters. Best known for comedy and her work with Xavier Dolan, Anne Dorval is a fantastic dramatic actress.  

Cons: Very little buzz, and Oscar tends to ignore films with a strong female lead.

DARK HORSES-

3. GUATEMALA- “La Llorona”

In A Nutshell:  Ghostly incidents start happening when a young indigenous woman arrives at the home of a wealthy family to be the new maid. The elderly patriarch of the family is on trial for war crimes.

Pros: It’s a good film with a great ending, about a very topical subject. Lots of buzz, and people are rooting for it. Won Boston Film Critics Award for Best Foreign Film and is one of only three films on the list nominated at the Spirt Awards (along with Bosnia and Ivory Coast).

Cons: Oscar doesn’t like horror films (although this really isn’t a horror film) and this isn’t generally the kind of film that gets selected here. The film gets off to a very slow start and viewers may not stick with it long enough to get hooked. I have a strong feeling that this is going to be one of the surprise snubs when the list is announced. 

 4.   COLOMBIA- “Forgotten We’ll Be” (El olvido que seremos)

In A Nutshell:   Based on a beloved novel, a writer tells the story of his father’s life over the course of 30 years of turbulent Colombian history.

Pros: Director Fernando Trueba (“Belle Epoque”) is the only Oscar winner in the entire race. This is old-fashioned filmmaking of the sort that almost always gets nominated…..

Cons: …..in the 1980s and 1990s. Reviews have been unenthusiastic, nobody is talking about the film, and American voters may not care too much about turbulent Colombian history. 

5. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC- “A State of Madness” (Mis 500 locos)

In A Nutshell: A renowned doctor is mysteriously assigned to a lunatic asylum during the dark days of the Trujillo dictatorship (mid 1950s)

Pros:  The few people have seen it say it’s an extremely well-done period drama….

Cons: No buzz….Nobody knows anything about it and it’s not been featured in any of the viewing platforms  

 6.   MEXICO- “I’m No Longer Here” (Ya no estoy aqui)

In A Nutshell: An eccentric Mexican teen dancer becomes the target of a gangland vendetta in Monterrey, Mexico....forcing him to unexpectedly flee to New York.

Pros: The film has some really passionate fans (not sure why….) and the backing of Netflix. Definitely the most widely seen film from this region, this year. It's #1 worldwide on Letterboxd (tied with Denmark and Romania).

Cons: It's not that good. This is absolutely not what AMPAS usually likes- it’s a youth-oriented film filled with hip-hop dance sequences….the lead character is enigmatic and introspective and you don't learn very much about him….The conflict the heart of the film is poorly explained. While it's never boring, I personally didn’t find the story very interesting at all.  

UNLIKELY-

7. ECUADOR- “Emptiness” (Vacío)

In A Nutshell: Smuggling networks traffic young Chinese migrants to Ecuador who plan to quickly move on the U.S…..but who often find themselves stuck and unable to get there.

Pros: Nobody knows about it, but this Chinese-language film is one of my favorites among the 54 films I’ve seen in the race. It’s an interesting, well-acted story that skillfully blends drama, thriller and social commentary that builds to a satisfying conclusion- something that most films this year fail to do.

Cons: It’s a small indie that absolutely nobody has seen.

8. ARGENTINA- “The Sleepwalkers” (Los sonámbulos)

In A Nutshell:  An overprotective (or is she?) mother tries to keep her daughter safe during a family reunion.

Pros:  Strong acting performances from an Oscar-winning country

Cons: It’s a very slow film, the characters aren't particularly likable or interesting, and not much happens until the big finale. Relationships between the characters are often vague or difficult to understand. Oscar rarely goes for female-centric pictures

9.   PERU- “Song Without A Name” (Canción sin nombre)

In A Nutshell: Based on a true story. A pregnant indigenous woman responds to a flyer that offers free maternity services. After giving birth to a healthy infant, she is told the baby died and the medical office disappears. She desperately contacts a reporter to find out what happened.

Pros:  Has gotten some strong reviews from auteur critics.

Cons:  The film moves in fits and starts….far too slowly to make an impact here.

10. PARAGUAY- “Killing the Dead” (Matar a un Muerto)

In A Nutshell: A tense “moral dilemma” about two gravediggers who bury victims of the Stroessner dictatorship….but who find one who is still breathing.

Outlook:       A respectable finish, but no chance at an award.

NO CHANCE-

11. HONDURAS- “Days of Light” (Días de luz)

In A Nutshell: Not a Honduran film at all but rather six short films by six directors from six Central American countries, revolving around a blackout that affects the entire region.

Outlook:       I’m so sad I missed seeing this one at the 2019 Latin American Film Festival!….Like most anthologies, people say that some of the shorts are better than others, though most also comment that the producers did a really excellent job of building the film around a common framework….They feel like they are all part of the same film. Ultimately, six Central American shorts are unlikely to score here but I’m excited to see it. Trivia: the film includes the first-ever Salvadoran director in the Foreign Oscar competition (the other five countries all compete separately).

12.                       VENEZUELA- “Once Upon A Time in Venezuela” (Érase una vez en Venezuela, Congo Mirador)

In A Nutshell: A documentary filmmaker films two women on opposite sides of Venezuela’s violently polarized political spectrum in a dying, riverside town.

Outlook:       The director does a really excellent job at staying neutral (in her interviews, she is passionately pro-opposition) and telling the human stories of the town. But not all the supporting stories are compelling and ultimately, this is one of those films that is more educational than an Oscar nominee.

 

13.   URUGUAY- “Aleli”

 In A Nutshell: In one of this year’s only comedies, three adult siblings (and their elderly mother) drive each other crazy as they try to divvy up their father's possessions after his death.

Outlook:       This Netflix dramedy is a good but mostly forgettable film. I personally felt they didn’t do enough with these four interesting characters…..but Oscar rarely likes comedies anyway.

 14.     SURINAME- “Wiren”

In A Nutshell: A deaf Surinamese boy fights for his rights in a country that provides few amenities for the disabled.

Outlook:       Welcome, Suriname! This is a respectable debut for Suriname (population: 590,000), the second-smallest country in the competition this year....but this is very clearly a debut film by a debut director with non-professional actors and crew from an emergin filmmaking country, and it will have trouble competing with films from more developed countries. The trailer looks a bit "Afterschool Special". 

 OUT OF THEIR LEAGUE-

15.  BRAZIL- “Babenco: Tell Me When I Die”

In A Nutshell: Acclaimed director Hector Babenco’s widow makes a documentary about how much she loved her husband. 

Outlook:       Oh dear. It’s difficult to criticize a film that is so clearly a labor of love…..But this abstract, poetic and above all incomprehensible documentary is painful to watch and seems far longer than its 75-minute running time. And if you haven’t seen Babenco’s films (I’ve seen one), forget about understanding anything they’re talking about. Even for those who like the film, Chile and Romania will be seen as the superior documentaries this year. 

16.

    PANAMA- “Causa Justa”

In A Nutshell:  A group of ordinary Panamanian characters deal with the American military invasion of Panama, on Christmas Day 1989.

Outlook:       Although many Americans may remember this brief war to overthrow Manuel Noriega, this film is clearly a story aimed at local viewers, and it’s gotten fairly tepid reviews. As of January 26, it’s ranked dead-last on IMDB (third-to-last globally) and Letterboxd among the American submissions. 

17.         BOLIVIA- “Chaco”

In A Nutshell: Indigenous soldiers under the command of a German general in the 1934 Chaco War face harsher conditions from the desolate terrain and environment of the Chaco region, than from any actual battles. 

Outlook:       This film falls under the category of “educational”. It’s a really slow and difficult film to watch, but it really does make you think about how much of wartime is spent waiting for things to happen...as well as the daily struggle to make sure troops have food, water and hygiene to stay alive. Other than Panama, this is the only other Latin American film in IMDB’s Bottom Ten.

18.      CUBA- “Buscando a Casal”

In A Nutshell: An abstract look at the life of 19^th century Cuban poet Julián  del Casal (1863-1893) during the Spanish colonial era.    

Outlook:       The most obscure film on the list (I had to add it to IMDB myself) and about a historical figure Americans will know absolutely nothing about. The trailer looks like a cross between a 1970s Soviet historical drama and a staged theatre play. 

19.   COSTA RICA- “Land of Ashes” (Ceniza negra)

In A Nutshell: A young Afro-Costarican girl deals with a whole lot of death in her impoverished jungle village.   

Outlook: This is a slow-moving drama with lots of lingering shots of nature and very little character development. Out of its league.

 

Now the statistics:

Genres:     1 Comedy (Uruguay), 11 Dramas, 3 Documentaries, 3 Thrillers and 1 Omnibus Anthology.

Number of countries who have participated in the past: 21.

Number of countries participating this year:  A record 19.

Number of debuts: One, SURINAME.

Who’s Not Here?:  Wow. Basically, everyone submitted this year. The only real absence is Haiti, which submitted a film just once in 2017.

Also absent are Puerto Rico (which is no longer invited) and Nicaragua which doesn’t have an active committee and probably didn’t have any films eligible. Ironically, Nicaragua has two co-productions in the race- “River Tales” (Luxembourg) was shot entirely in Nicaragua, and Central American anthology “Days of Light” (representing Honduras) has a segment made by a Nicaraguan director.

Number I predicted correctly- Well, I didn’t really do my full predictions but I did pretty badly, predicting only Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic and Peru….plus I predicted “14 Days, 12 Nights” for Canada last year and planned to predict it again this year until they announced “Funny Boy” early on.

Already Seen: I’ve actually seen most of these movies- 11 out of 19- but I was only impressed by two- “Vacio” (A-) from Ecuador, and “La Llorona” (A-) from Guatemala. “The Mole Agent” (B+) from Chile was also well-done, although I don’t think I’m the target audience. The films from Peru (B-) and Uruguay (B-) were fine, though not particularly memorable. The ones from Argentina and Mexico (C+), Bolivia (C) and Venezuela (C+)  all had strengths and weaknesses outlined above….I didn’t like the films from Costa Rica (D) and Brazil (F).

Film I'm most looking forward to seeing: I saw most of the films I wanted to see, but I like shorts so I’m looking forward to seeing “Days of Light”, which consists of six short films from six Central American countries. I’m also looking forward to seeing “14 Days, 12 Nights” (I love Anne Dorval) and “Wiren”.

Number of Female Directors:  It was looking like this group would have a rare female majority….But when Arami Ullon wasn’t selected to represent Paraguay and Deepa Mehta was disqualified from representing Canada, that number fell to 47%....9 of the 19 films are helmed or co-helmed by women- Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela, plus one of the six directors for “Days of Light” (who is from Nicaragua). That’s still probably the highest rate ever.

Oldest and Youngest Directors: Spanish director Fernando Trueba (who is representing Colombia) is 65 and Costa Rican director Sofia Quiros Ubeda is 31.

Number of Languages Represented: Of course, Spanish is the dominant language in twelve films (it can be heard in four more). But indigenous languages are strongly represented this year with three films primarily in local languages- Guarani (Paraguay), Sranantongo (Suriname) and a mix of Quechua & Aymara (Bolivia). Two more have a large minority (Peru in Quechua; Guatemala in Kaqchikel Mayan). We also have French (Canada) and Portuguese (Brazil).

Number of countries with a realistic chance at making the shortlist: Not too many….Perhaps 4 or 5?

Who Benefits from the New Rules? Canada probably wouldn’t have made the Top 7 with the larger committee, but they have a very good chance at making the Top 15.

Who is Hurt? Peru, whose slim chances were dependent on a save.

Most Likely to Advance for the First Time:  Definitely Guatemala.

Buzziest film:  Chile’s “The Mole Agent”, with Guatemala and Mexico as runner-ups.

Controversies and Changes:  Canada originally selected LGBT drama “Funny Boy”. When the film was released on Netflix a few weeks later, there was a lot of Internet chatter about how much of the film was in English. AMPAS agreed and disqualified the film….but Canada knew that was a strong possibility. It seems they had secretly sent a second film (“14 Days, 12 Nights”) along with “Funny Boy” in case it was disqualified. 

Oscar History: Fernando Trueba won this award for Spain (“Belle Epoque”) way back in 1993, but is now representing Colombia.

Three directors have been selected before: Leticia Tonos (Dominican Republic) is in the race for the third time after “Love Child” and “Cristo Rey”, while Jayro Bustamente (Guatemala) directed his country’s last submission- “Ixcanul”- back in 2015. Lastly, we have Jorge Luis Sánchez (Cuba) who directed “El Benny”.

Deepa Mehta was disqualified this year but she previously got an Oscar nomination for Canada with “Water” and represented India with “Earth”.

Most Notable Omissions:  Venice thriller “New Order” (Nuevo orden) was considered an early frontrunner to win the Oscar before controversial statements by director Michel Franco and accusations that the film was racist or classist against non-white Mexicans. This probably helped Mexico decide on Netflix rival “I’m No Longer Here”.

I was really hoping that LGBT drama “End of the Century” would represent Argentina, and “The Night of the Moons” (by the same director of the wonderful “My Straight Son”) would represent Venezuela…..but that didn’t happen.

 Also absent: “Memory House” (Brazil), “Nadia Butterfly” (Canada), “My Tender Matador” (Chile), “90 Minutes” (Honduras), “I Carry You With Me” (Mexico) and “Champion of the World” (Uruguay).

 Familiar Faces: She’s not so familiar to most people but I’m a huge fan of Quebec’s Anne Dorval, a brilliant comedienne and dramatic actress. Also in this year’s films: Uruguayan actor Daniel Hendler has a supporting role in “Sleepwalkers” and Willem Dafoe drops by Brazil’s documentary “Babenco”.

 Last year's race:  I managed to see all of the films from the region last year except the one from Honduras. None of them were shortlisted. The best film was the fantastic LGBT drama from Bolivia- “Tu me manques” (A)- which I encourage everyone to see….I also saw the films from Mexico and Colombia (A-), Venezuela, Dominican Republic and Canada (B+), Argentina and Peru (B), Brazil, Ecuador and Cuba (B-),  Uruguay (C+), Chile (C), Panama (C-) and Costa Rica (D).