Oscar Submissions 2021- The Submissions from Western Europe (17 Films)

The Western European countries traditionally dominated this category, but last year they only got two slots (out of 10) and they haven't won since 2013. This year, they have the frontrunner (Denmark) which is great.....but I didn't like a lot of the 12 films I saw. 

FRONT-RUNNERS

1. DENMARK, “Another Round”

In A Nutshell:  Four middle-aged friends decide to test a theory that you function better in your work and personal life if you're always a little drunk. 

Pros: It's a crowdpleaser with a well-known star, a US distributor, great reviews and has been nominated in almost all the important precursors (including Best Picture at the European Film Awards and a GG nomination). It's also a really great film that is both a highly entertaining and original comedy with enough drama and pathos to not be considered "too light"

Cons: None, really....It shouldn't have any problem making the Top 15. 

2. NORWAY- "Hope”

In A Nutshell:  A couple's marriage coems under strain when the wife is diagnosed with a fatal illness.

Pros: Everyone who sees it says it's one of the best films in the competition. It has a major star (Stellan Skarsgard), played at a major festival (Berlinale) and should appeal to older voters. It's said to be quite an emotional ride.  

Cons: Losing momentum....I don't think it has a US distributor. It lost Best Picture at the Norwegian Film Awards. 

STRONG CANDIDATES

3. FRANCE- "Deux”

In A Nutshell:  A middle-aged lesbian couple in France face serious consequences when they hide their relationship from the older woman's family. 

Pros: The film tricks you into thinking it's a breezy French dramedy....but it isn't....It's actually a very exciting movie, and it's doing better with the precursors than anyone expected. Great acting performances, a straightforward and engaging story....And it's never wise to count out France. 

Cons: So, this category tends to punish films about strong women, and with strong female leads. LGBT films also have an upward climb (I'm still surprised "A Fantastic Woman" won) and the film gets off to a slow start....

4. SPAIN- "The Endless Trench" (La trinchera infinita)

In A Nutshell:  During the Franco dictatorship, a dissident goes into hiding and ends up stuck there for over a decade. 

Pros: Another "good old-fashioned" filmmaking entry....It's gotten very solid, positive reviews, and is exactly the sort of film this committee traditionally goes for.  It should find it easy to make the Top 15. 

Cons: At 2.5 hours and a relatively slow pace, this could frustrate viewers during the shortened voting period.....Some find it slow. 

DARK HORSES

5. GREECE- "Apples"

In A Nutshell:  A black comedy about a man who falls victim to a global pandemic that causes amnesia. 

Pros: Charming, original and topical with a wonderful ending....The central relationship is well-done. And who wouldn't give the film extra points for accidentally anticipating the global pandemic? "Dogtooth" got nominated and this is better than "Dogtooth"......

Cons: ...but Oscar has ignored Greek black comedies ever since .....The film is "cute" far more than "great".....The film does a good job of keeping the joke going, but it sags a bit in the middle....If it weren't for coronavirus, I don't think this would be in the conversation. 

6. IRELAND- "Arracht" 

In A Nutshell:  A devoted family man is forced to go into hiding during the Irish Potato Famine after an unexpected tragedy.  

Pros: Though it's billed as a film about the Irish Potato Famine, it's really more of a character drama, with the famine lurking in the background. It's almost three different films...The first third is Shakespearean, the second is "Castaway" and the final part is a US-style western (in fact, the whole film has a very Western feel). Never dull, even when the film goes extremely quiet in the middle. 

Cons: This is a very small film and I think it's very likely to get lost in the shuffle. The screenplay makes some odd choices....The middle segment is a bit too drawn out and the beginning and ending could be extended....Still, this is a good film. 

7. GERMANY- "And Tomorrow the Entire World"

In A Nutshell:  An educated young woman joins the ANTIFA movement to protest against the growing power of the far right.  

Pros: Oscar loves Germany. They have advanced 8 of the past 12 years (and this year there are more slots available). They do best when they send a mediocre film....and this is said to be one of them. Film is said to be exciting and topical.....I haven't seen it yet. 

Cons: Reviews have been decidedly mixed. Any positive portrayal of Antifa (which some people believe to be terrorists) will be politically controversial and lead to a lot of "low" votes. 

8. SWITZERLAND- "My Little Sister"

In A Nutshell:  A woman deals with marriage problems and the cancer diagnosis of her twin brother. 

Pros: A lot of reviewers find the film to be emotionally moving...

Cons: A lot of reviewers (including me) find this film to be a snooze.....Relatively low scores across the board (3.2 on Letterboxd, 6.7 on IMDB) compared to other European entries. The brother's character is surprisingly undeveloped considering the opportunities that are there. 

MID-RANGE

9. SWEDEN- "Charter"

In A Nutshell:  A Swedish woman on the cusp of losing a custody battle kidnaps her kids to take them on a Canary Islands vacation. 

Pros: An engaging custody drama....A fascinating look into the head of someone on the verge of losing their children.  

Cons:  The lead character can sometimes be frustrating and difficult to understand (which i think the director did on purpiose). This is a slow film which, while never boring, is not especially memorable. 

10. FINLAND- "Tove"

In A Nutshell:  A biopic of bisexual Moomins cartoonist Tove Jansson. 

Pros: A handsome period drama. A surprise Satellite Award nomination (a strong precursor that often matches the shortlist well) shows surprise precursor support. 

Cons: Zzzzzzz........It's hard to believe that a film with this much sensuality and sexuality could be so boring.....No awards or festival play. Most people in the USA has any idea what Moomins are. 

11. PORTUGAL- "Vitalina Varela"

In A Nutshell:  A Cabo Verdean woman spends a lot of time looking for traces of the husband who abandoned her 40 years before.

Pros: An auteur favorite ....It was on several Top Ten Lists. It could have a high average score if people who like this kind of movie see it and give it high marks and the others don't watch it on purpose (I haven't watched it because I know I will hate it) and avoid giving it low marks. 

Cons: Most people (other than a few auteur critics) hate it....Critics say the film is "plodding" and "slow". Portugal was clearly gambling on an Elite Committee save but that's canceled this year so it really has very little chance. 

12. BELGIUM- "Filles de joie" (Working Girls)

In A Nutshell:  A highly entertaining story about the everyday lives of three Belgian prostitutes who become involved with a murder.

Pros: It's one of my Top Five favorite films, of the 61 I've seen....It's reminds me of "Desperate Housewives" directed by Michael Winterbottom. The three characters are all interesting and real, and the film clevely keeps you guessing (like Japan) as to the identity not of the killer, but of the victim. You learn a lot about things you never thought you needed to know about prostitution.....Actress Noémie Lvovsky gives a truly brave and captivating performance. Hope she'll get a Cesar nom.   

Cons: Critics reviews have been middling at best. Some really frank discussions of sex and female sexuality are likely to turn off more prudish viewers.  

NNOT GOOD ENOUGH

13. NETHERLANDS- "Bulado"

In A Nutshell:  An Afro-Caribbean girl comes of age on the Dutch Caribbean island of Curacao. 

Pros: The first film from Curacao to go to the Oscars. Not sure why the Netherlands didn't ask that island territory (which has a similar status to Greenland, which competes separately) to form its own committee. 

Cons: Too small to be noticed. It's a small, slow-moving debut feature from a tiny island country and reviews have been good but not nearly good enough to advance. 

14. ITALY- "Notturno"

In A Nutshell:  Random, nearly wordless scenes of the Middle East with no context, narrative, or structure whatsoever. 

Pros: Hmmm.....Well, the director got a Doc nod for "Fire at Sea", which I also didn't like. 

Cons: It's a bad film, and a terrible choice for Italy. The Middle East has millions of interesting stories and hundreds of problems. This story tells you nothing about any of them. It doesn't tell you where the images were taken, and it doesn't tell you the stories of any of the people. It's like watching a random person's vacation photos (of a very sad vacation!). Reviews are some of the worst of any film on the list.....A 79 on Rotten Tomatoes, a 3.1 on Letterboxd and a 5.4 (third-t0-last!!!!) on IMDB, ahead of only Saudi Arabia and the Philippines. 

15. ICELAND- "Agnes Joy"

In A Nutshell:  A bored Icelandic working mother deals with her rebellious adopted teenaged daughter. 

Bottom Line: This is actually a pretty good (but flawed) film, but reviews are definitely not strong enough for this to be a contender. The mother is an interesting character, but we don't learn enough about her daughter, the eponymous Agnes Joy. What I learned? Icelandic husbands are really laid back and Icelandic women are really uptight! 

16. AUSTRIA- "What We Wanted"

In A Nutshell:  An infertile couple go on vacation and look unhappy for 90 minutes. 

Bottom Line: Why did Austria pick this? No awards....no strong critical reviews.....Possibly because of the Netflix label? This is a brooding domestic drama about a really whiny woman and her long-suffering husband (although I think the director would say it's about a long-suffering wife) who go on vacation to Italy when their final chance at state-sponsored fertility treatment fails to take. They make friends with the topless woman next door (and her husband and daughter) and complain, and sulk and generally annoy the audience. No chance.  

17. LUXEMBOURG- "River Tales"

In A Nutshell:  A documentary filmed in Nicaragua, about social activists putting on a play to encourage students to be aware of environmental and indigenous rights. 

Bottom Line: Not the worst film on the list by any means....(See ITALY) This is a small, pleasant documentary film that should just be happy to be here. I enjoyed it but recall almost nothing about it. Out of its league here. 

Now the statistics:

Genres: 8 domestic dramas, 3 period dramas, two thrillers, two documentaries and two (dark) comedies.

Number of countries who have participated in the past: 20

Number of countries entering films this year: 17

Number of debuts: Zero

Who Didn’t Submit?: The UNITED KINGDOM used to submit infrequently, but they’ve sent films eight of the past nine years….They didn’t submit a film this year but it seems they didn’t really have any obvious candidate to send. Also absent: GREENLAND (last submitted in 2012 and no longer has an active committee) and MALTA (submitted once in 2014). You can expect Malta back next year with “Luzzu”, which just won an acting award at Sundance.

Already Seen: I’ve seen 12/17 films (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Sweden and Switzerland). My favorite was Belgium, but I seem to really be alone in this….Denmark and France are tied for #2 and Greece is #4. 

Film I'm most looking forward to seeing: I saw all the ones I really want to see.....Out of the remaining 5, probably Norway because everyone says it's so good. 

Number of Female Directors: Exactly half of the 17 films are directed by women (the Belgian film is co-directed by a man and a woman). If “Listen” hadn’t been disqualified, women would actually be in the majority: Ulrike Kofler (Austria), Anne Paulicevich (Belgium), Zaida Bergroth (Finland), Julia von Heinz (Germany), Silja Hauksdottir (Iceland), Julie Schroell (Luxembourg), Maria Sedahl (Norway), Amanda Kernell (Sweden) and Stephanie Chuat/Veronique Reymond (Switzerland). Iceland sent a female-helmed film for the first time in over twenty years.

Oldest and Youngest Directors: 62-year old Pedro Costa of Portugal, and 34-year old Amanda Kernell of Sweden

Number of Languages Represented: 13. 3 in German (Austria, Germany and Switzerland), 2 each in French (Belgium, France), Spanish (Luxembourg, Spain) and Swedish (Finland, Sweden)….plus one each in Danish, Greek, Icelandic, Irish Gaelic, Norwegian, Portuguese, and- for the first time ever- Papiamento (Netherlands). The last film (from Italy) is in a mix of Kurdish and Arabic.

Number of countries with a realistic chance at making the shortlist: 9.

Most Likely to Get Their First Nomination: Ireland. Well, of these 17 countries…..9 have already won and 5 more have been nominated. Ireland is more likely than Portugal or Luxembourg to get their first nom in this category.

Buzziest film:  Denmark’s “Another Round”, followed by “Two of Us” from France and “Apples” from Greece.  

Dumbest Choice: Italy could have had Sofia Loren but chose the subpar documentary  “Notturno”  that nobody likes. Austria and the Netherlands also made poor choices.

Controversies and Changes: Portugal initially selected "Listen", which was disqualified for being mainly in English. Portugal argued that the English language- used mostly by Portuguese immigrants in the UK- was integral to the plot....That's true, but it doesn't make the film eligible. 

France is rumored to have selected "Deux" as a compromise candidate when their selection committee couldn't decide between two other films.....possibly (but not confirmed) "DNA" and "Cuties". 

Oscar History: We have two Oscar nominees in the race: Thomas Vinterberg (Denmark) got a Foreign Film nomination for "The Hunt", and Gianfranco Rosi (Italy) got a Best Documentary nomination for "Fire at Sea". 

Director who have been submitted in the past: Pedro Costa (1991, "O Sangue"), Thomas Vinterberg (1998, "The Celebration") Stéphanie Chuat & Véronique Reymond (2010, "La petite chambre"), and Jon Garaño & Jose Mari Goenaga (2015, "Loreak")

Most Notable Omissions:  The big three omissions were "The Life Ahead" (Italy), starring Sophia Loren, "DNA" (France) and "When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit", (Germany) directed by Oscar winner Caroline Link. Honestly, as soon as Caroline Link won the Oscar for "Nowhere in Africa", the German Academy has decided to just ignore her for some reason. 

Also snubbed: "Games People Play" and "Dogs Don't Wear Pants" (Finland...really sad about this one!), "Summer of 85" and "The Truth" (France), "Berlin Alexanderplatz" and "Undine" (Germany), "Echo" (Iceland), "Hidden Away" and "Pinocchio" (Italy), "Mosquito" (Portugal), "Mother" and "The Platform" (Spain) and "About Endlessness" (Sweden....so happy they finally ignored Roy Andersson). 

Familiar Faces: I think it bears repeating that Italy could have had Sophia Loren....But they don't. 

The most "familiar faces" of the group are Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen, who stars in "Another Round" and Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgard, who stars in "Hope"... Also: Elyas M'Barek (Austria), Antonio de la Torre (Spain), and Nina Hoss (Switzerland). 

Last year's race:   Europe got 2/10 shortlist spots for France and Spain. I'm still shocked "System Crasher" didn't score here.....My grades: France, Sweden (A), Germany, Luxembourg, Spain (A-), Netherlands, UK (B+), Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Ireland (B), Finland, Switzerland (B-), Greece, Italy (C), Iceland, Norway (C-)

I saw all the submitted films last year except "A Herdade" from Portugal.