FOREIGN FILM PREDICTIONS (Africa and the Middle East)

Here are my predictions for the countries from Africa and the Middle East. Fourteen African countries have entered the Oscar race, but most of them have only submitted once or twice. This year, Ghana and the United Arab Emirates have announced that they will send films for the first time, and Nigeria (which has never submitted a movie) has been invited since 2014.

ALGERIA- "Let Them Come" Algeria submits a film only if they feel they have something good to send. They’ve sent films five of the past ten years and the last four (i.e. all submissions since 2010) have focused on freedom fighters fighting for liberation from France. That being the case, it would appear the most likely submission this year would be “The Seven Ramparts of the Citadel” which focuses on the question of why the Algerians so suddenly (according to the director) rose up against French imperialism in the mid 20^th century, after over a hundred years as a French colony. The problem is that, as of June, the film was still being edited so it may not premiere by the September 30 deadline. In that case, I predict they send “Let Them Come”, which won the Jury Prize at Dubai 2015 and was finally shown at home in Fall 2016. This is a more modern-day tale, centering on a man living during Algeria’s “lost decade” (the 1990s) when terrorism plagued the country. I’d prefer they sent the talky drama “I Still Hide to Smoke” with its all-female cast, led by Palestinian actress Hiam Abbass. Set amidst a crew of nine eccentric characters at a women’s hammam and featuring very, very minor nudity, the film may be too much for the stuffy Algerian Ministry of Culture. Ditto for Merzak Allouache’s documentary “Investigating Paradise”, which seeks to get in the head of suicide bombers. It was Algeria’s only film at Cannes this year. “Let Them Come” already beat “Smoke” in the Best First Film category at the 2016 Carthage Film Festival and I predict it will be the Algerian nominee.

BURKINA FASO- "Borders" Burkina Faso prides itself on being the capital of African arthouse cinema as well as the home of the world’s most important African Film Festival (FESPACO). They produce a few films annually but have only entered the Oscar race once, way back in 1989. This year, Burkina Faso had three new films competing at FESPACO, two of which won awards. If they choose to rejoin the race, an excellent candidate would be “Borders” (Frontieres), a tragicomedy about four women traders who meet along the long journey from Senegal to Nigeria, crossing four national borders. Also released this year is “La forêt du Niolo” a drama about a corrupt politician poisoning the local water supply to force a poor, local village to relocate.  “Niolo” got significant government support, but “Borders” won three awards and has greater international exposure so I give it the edge. This year also saw a Burkinabe co-production (“Wallay”) at Berlinale, but its director and crew are almost all Europeans.

CAMEROON- "Lifepoint" Cameroon reportedly tried to send a Bollywood movie to the Oscars last year just because it had a Cameroonian in the crew, or something like that. If that means that the Oscars are back on their radar (they sent a film just once in 1980), they could send “Life Point” a new drama about an elderly professor who has just lost his wife, who is planning to end his life before meeting and falling for a young, Central African refugee.  As is typical in Cameroon, the film is in a mix of French, English and “pidgin”, and may or may not  meet the language requirements.

CHAD- "Hissien Habre. A Chadian Tragedy" Chad has submitted two films by Mahamat-Saleh Haroun,  the country's only professional film director. This year, Haroun accepted a position as the country’s Minister of Culture and Tourism. Last year, he had a “Special Screening” of his new political documentary “Hissein Habré, A Chadian Tragedy” premiere at Cannes. The documentary, about the brutal dictator who ruled the country from 1982-1990 and who was convicted of crimes against humanity in 2016, could represent Chad if it managed to get a theatrical release this year.

CONGO-KINSHASA- "Congo! Le silence des crimes oubliés" Congo-Kinshasa submitted a film once in 1997 but hasn't submitted any others since, even when they have a strong contender (like “Viva Riva”). This year, their highest profile feature is “Congo! Le silence des crimes oubliés”, a documentary about the atrocities committed against civilians in eastern Congo. Although there have been a lot of strong documentaries made about Congo in recent years, this is one of the few directed by a Congolese. It won Second Prize in the documentary competition at the 2017 FESPACO film festival.

COTE D’IVOIRE- "Innocent Malgré Tout" The Cote d'Ivoire (aka Ivory Coast) took a forty-year break from the Oscars before returning in 2015. This year they had two feature films in competition at FESPACO, in addition to a number of shorts and documentaries, signaling a possible resurgence of their national film industry. If they enter the race this year, it makes sense they’d choose one of these. “The Interpreter”, a thriller about a married female interpreter who becomes involved with a visiting African-American businessman, won Best Editing at FESPACO but I think it’s more likely they’ll send “Innocent malgré tout”, about an impoverished young man falsely accused of participating in a gang rape.

EGYPT- "The Preacher" (Mawlana) Egypt has the largest film industry in the Middle East and yet I really think that their Oscar race will fall to a competition between just two acclaimed new films- “The Preacher” (Mawlana) and “The Originals”.  “The Preacher” has been a box-office hit in Egypt and has been a darling of Western film critics for its story of a moderate Islamic mullah whose devoted following leads to a lavish lifestyle, and national influence (similar to the frightening phenomenon of American televangelists). Called “witty”, “twisty” and “powerful”, this drama-cum-thriller really has the potential to go far, especially with increasing interest in cinema from the Islamic world. Egypt has repeatedly been passed up for an Oscar nomination sending numerous worthy films (“Yacoubian Building”, “Clash”) and "Preacher" would be a great choice. They could also choose Marwan Hamed’s “The Originals”, a thriller about an upper-class executive and family man who is abruptly fired from his job due to downsizing, and who is offered a shadowy new job in its place. This would be a much more populist choice, which would have a much smaller shot at a nomination. The directors of both films have been selected once before (in 2002 and 2006) and both films have gotten strong reviews. Unlike other Arab countries, the Egyptian Academy doesn’t seem to have any problem selecting films that are controversial at home. So even though many Sunni Muslim leaders have complained, and called for “Preacher” to be banned, it got released anyway and should be Egypt’s Oscar representative. Less likely:  Wedding comedy-drama “Brooks, Meadows and Lovely Faces” (Locarno) and fantasy-romantic-dramedy “Good Night” both look great, but probably aren’t serious enough to represent Egypt.

ETHIOPIA- "Fre" Ethiopia apparently has a thriving film industry but there’s virtually no evidence of it online. A quick IMDB search indicates four films were produced in the past two years but that’s simply not true. I had the pleasure of visiting Ethiopia on vacation in April and I was struck by the number of cinemas showing local films. Most of them didn’t seem to show anything else. So, movies are being made. However, I struggled to find even one movie that I thought could be sent to the Oscars this year. I just came up with “Fre”, which represented the country at FESPACO, about a widower whose life is turned upside down when his young daughter becomes the victim of a sexual assault.

GHANA- "Nakom" Ghana had its official Oscar selection committee recognized in 2017 and seems likely to send what will be the fourth-ever West African film to the Oscars (after “Yaaba”, “Run” and Oscar nominee “Timbuktu”). Their probable first-ever submission is “Nakom”, a drama about a medical student studying abroad whose entire life plans are placed in jeopardy by the death of his father in Ghana. It has appeared in a number of important global film festivals (including Berlin, Hong Kong, Seattle and Vancouver in 2016) and was the opening film at Ghana’s local Black Star festival. Despite what it says on IMDB, the film is mostly in the Kusaal language. It has gotten great reviews and will represent Ghana proudly. 

IRAN- "Ferrari" Iran is once again returning champion, thanks to Asghar Farhadi’s “The Salesman”, a good film to be sure, though probably one of his weaker efforts. Farhadi did not attend the awards because of the on-again, off-again American travel ban against Iranians, so it's possible that Iran will boycott the Oscars, as they did in 2012. With its two most famous international directors (and only Oscar nominees) working overseas (Farhadi in Spain and Majid Majidi in India), and with the director of the most acclaimed film of the year (Cannes 2017 anti-corruption drama “A Man of Integrity”) in jail, the field is wide open. It seems likely they’ll look to this year’s Fajr Film Festival for their Oscar nominee. The two big awards (Best Picture and the Audience Award) were both won by “Midday Event”, a historical thriller about the Iranian government’s struggle against a rival group trying to seize power after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Director Mahdavian also won Best Picture at Fajr last year for "Standing in the Dust", which was shortlisted against “The Salesman” to represent Iran at the Oscars. It should be noted however that the Fajr winner and the Iranian Oscar nominee has only matched up once in the past fifteen years. That's because the Iranians tend to shy away from sending their patriotic pro-revolution dramas to Hollywood (probably a smart move) so it’s perhaps more likely they send “Ferrari”, a more modern drama about an 18-year old Iranian woman who finds trouble when she comes to the big city to have her picture taken with a classic car. It won four awards at Fajr (including the Jury Prize), it's directed by a respected, senior director who has never been selected before, and it's written by Kambuzia Partovi, who has written several Iranian Oscar submissions. It seems Iran’s most likely choice at this point. Other options:  “No Date, No Signature” about a coroner who finds himself examining an old friend, and family drama “Under the Smoky Roof”, which is seeking to be the first film by a female helmer to represent the Islamic republic.

IRAQ- "The Dark Wind" Iraq has submitted films from its largely independent (and mostly peaceful) Kurdish region for the past three years, and they’ll probably do so again this year. This year, the two frontrunners  competed against each other at the Dubai Film Festival where the controversial “The Dark Wind” won Best Arab Feature Film (because Iraq is an “Arab” country, even though the director and most of the language of the film is Kurdish). “The Dark Wind” is a bold and timely drama about ISIS atrocities against Iraq's Christian Yazidi minority. The film follows a young woman who escapes from sexual slavery in the ISIS zone, only to be shunned upon her return to her village and her family. The film caused a scandal in Kurdistan as some felt the film portrayed their community in a negative light. “House Without Roof” is a bit lighter, following three Kurdish siblings raised in Germany who return to Kurdistan to bury their mother. It won the Audience Award at the inaugural Kurdish Cinema Awards (where most of the winners were films from Turkey’s Kurdish region).  Until now, Iraq’s only Arabic-language movies to go to the Oscars were both directed by Mohamed al-Daradji; he and his brother have two new films this year- Mohamed has “The Journey”, a tense thriller about a female suicide bomber, while his brother Atiya has “Path of Maryam”, which was Iraq’s submission to the Asia-Pacific Screen Awards.  Iraq will have a tough decision; frontrunner “The Dark Wind” is very controversial and Iraq’s pick may depend on the personal feelings of the committee members. My prediction: “The Dark Wind” squeaks through “Maryam” and "Roof", but it will be really close.

ISRAEL- "Longing" Thanks to “Spartak” for sending a list of this year’s 31 eligible films from Israel. Israel is unique in the world in that they automatically send the Best Picture winner from their national film awards (the Ophir Awards) to the Oscars (Greece used to have a similar system, sending the Best Greek Film winner from the Thessaloniki Film Festival).  So, to determine the Israeli submission, we have to predict which five out of the 31 films will be nominated at the Ophirs. Four previous Ophir winners- Sabi Gabizon, Eran Riklis, Dan Wolman and Dover Kosashvili- all have films in contention. Gabizon has made three features since 1990 and all three won Best Picture at the Ophirs....quite a strong record. This year, his new film “Longing” is also one of five eligible Israeli films debuting at the Jerusalem Film Festival (JIFF), another strong precursor for the Ophir nominations. "Longing" is a tragicomedy about a wealthy man in his fifties who learns from a college classmate that he has an adult son he never knew about. If it wins Best Picture at JIFF, it will be the film to beat. However, until it premieres, it's hard to say how good it is. Predicting the other four Ophir nominees is tough. Israel has no frontrunners and nearly a dozen strong contenders. I'm confident three of the slots will go to “Beneath the Silence” (Montreal 2016/Shanghai 2017), about a family dealing with a father suffering from PTSD after the Six-Day War, “An Israeli Love Story” (Wolman’s film), a romance set against the backdrop of Israeli’s declaration of independence, and “Scaffolding”, about a boy who aspires to more than just continuing the blue-collar family business. The fifth nominee is less certain. It could easily  be “Before Memory”, about corruption in the religious Hasidic community, “Land of the Little People" (Rome), produced by Oscar nominee Tony Copti (“Ajami”), a chilling, violent allegory about military-minded Israeli youth, or the buzziest Israeli film of the year- In Between”- a comedy-drama about young Israeli Arab women living in liberal Tel Aviv. But I think it’s more like to be something less daring, namely, “Past Life”, a creaky-sounding drama about two sisters growing up in the 1970s. Riklis’ new thriller “Refuge” and Kosashvili’s new relationship drama “Love Birds” probably won’t come into play, but it's all so confusing when most of these movies haven't premiered yet. I have my fingers crossed for another dark horse, and the Israeli film I most want to see this year, namely feminist cannibal comedy “Madam Yanekelova’s Fine Literature Club”, about a most unusual version of a “pig party”. In the end, I predict “Longing” represents Israel, followed by “An Israeli Love Story”. The Jerusalem Film Festival will announced its awards on July 23rd, which may clarify things somewhat.

JORDAN- "The Curve" Of course, Jordan should send “Blessed Benefit”, a well-reviewed, low-key comedy about a middle-aged construction worker sentenced to three months in a quirky Jordanian prison on a minor fraud charge. It has quietly gained a solid reputation, representing Jordan at numerous international festivals (including Toronto, Dubai, Busan and Warsaw). It was partially funded by the Royal Jordanian Film Commission and the country only produces one or two movies annually, so it should be a shoo-in, right? Unfortunately, Jordan mysteriously banned the film shortly after its February premiere screening so it did not get a local cinematic release. Apparently Jordan- considered one of the Arab world’s more easygoing countries- objected to certain scenes that implied official corruption existed in the country. I’m hoping the matter will be resolved by the September 30 deadline, but I’m not sure how likely that is. Therefore, I’m predicting they send “The Curve”, a talky, low-budget road movie about a Jordanian “share taxi” driver and his three quirky Lebanese and Palestinian passengers. 

KENYA- "Kati Kati" Kenya submitted  a film just once in 2012 when they sent the edgy “Nairobi Half Life”, which many said was the sign of a new kind of East African cinema…but then nothing much happened. Kenya didn’t have a single film nominated at the African Academy Awards and only a single short film represented the country at FESPACO. If they enter a film, I see two possibilities- fantasy drama “Kati Kati” is the story of a woman with amnesia who wakes up in a strange hotel, where she is told that she is dead and must make peace with her past along with a few other lost souls. It is produced by Tom Tykwer whose production company made “Nairobi Half Life” and it has been seen at a number of global festivals including Seattle, Toronto and Zanzibar.  It’s also roughly 50% in English (not sure exactly how much) so it may not be eligible. The second option is local film “Get Some Money”, a strange comedy-drama retelling Judas’ betrayal of Jesus Christ, but setting the story in what looks like a cross between Ancient Rome and Ancient Kenya. It’s entirely in Swahili. I predict Kenya will send “Kati Kati” if it’s eligible. If not, they won’t send anything at all. 

KUWAIT- "Ateej" Kuwait hasn’t submitted a film since 1978, the longest absence of any of the 113 competing countries. Recently there’s been an uptick of Oscar interest among the Gulf countries (since 2013, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Yemen have applied to have national committees recognized by AMPAS) so perhaps we’ll see the Kuwaitis finally return. They actually have a half dozen eligible films this year (sometimes they have zero), although production values are usually modest. Their best prospect this year would be “Ateej”, about three sets of characters linked by a set of prayer beads. It’s said to offer a peek into modern-day Kuwaiti society and got released all over the Gulf in November 2016.

LEBANON- "Solitaire" Lebanon is always one of the most fun countries on the Oscar longlist because they are willing to send films from all sorts of genres, ranging from comedies (“Caramel”, “Ghadi”) to musicals (“Bosta”) to thrillers (“A Very Big Shot”) to arthouse (“Void”, “Blind Intersections”). The Lebanese also like movies about strong women; four of their past seven nominated films have been directed or co-directed by women. Nadine Labaki alone has deserved at least two nominations in the past ten years but Lebanon has unfortunately never yet been nominated. This year, tiny Lebanon has six main contenders: (in alphabetical order) “Listen”, “Nour”, “Nut$”, “Solitaire”, “Tramontane” and “The Traveller”.   More than most countries, Lebanon shows appreciation for its commercial cinema so romantic drama “Listen” (by Philippe Aractingi who has repped Lebanon twice) and the female-helmed Tarintinoesque gambling thriller “Nut$” are both in with a chance. “Listen” won Best Picture at this year’s Lebanese Film Awards and is supposed to be charming and original…though still really just a movie romance. I visited Lebanon on holiday this year, which is where I saw one of my favorite films of the year- family comedy “Solitaire” (Dubai, Seattle), which has been charming the international film festival circuit with its story of a young Lebanese woman whose seemingly sweet mother is willing to do anything to sabotage her engagement to her handsome Syrian fiancé. The clash between two families joined by marriage has been done many times, but "Solitaire" manages to be original and still relatable.  Another comedy- “The Traveller”- (which may be too French) is about a smooth-talking travel agent who is overwhelmed when he travels abroad for the first time. On the arthouse side, we have “Nour”, a emotionally draining drama about a teenaged girl forced into a marriage to an older man, and “Tramontane” (Cannes Critics Week 2016, Dubai), which is about a young, blind musician forced to go on a journey around Lebanon to unravel the mystery of why his birth certificate is fake. Six good choices! I know I’m rooting for “Solitaire” to raise its international profile, so I'm predicting that, followed by “Nour”, “The Traveller” and “Tramontane”.

MAURITANIA is one of those countries that really only has one famous international director, in this case Oscar nominee Abderrahmane Sissako. He hasn’t made a film since his brilliant Oscar nominee “Timbuktu” and Mauritania won’t figure into the Oscar race until he does. The only film I know from the country is the 9-minute short film “The First Box”, which has represented the country at some festivals specializing in regional films or shorts.

MOROCCO- "Burnout" Morocco has three well-known international directors- Nabil Ayouch (who was invited to join AMPAS in June), Faouzi Bensaidi and Noureddine Lakhmari (some might add Laila Marrakchi, though she’s younger than the others and has never been selected). Their films have been selected five times since 1998 and all three have hotly anticipated new films this year. However, as of June, none of them has premiered and none has a local release date. So, it really depends which (if any) gets a release by September 30. Moroccan films often tour the festival circuit for awhile, so I predict only “Burnout” , by Noureddine Lakhmari, (which promises to be released “between September and November) will be eligible. It’s about a series of characters living in modern-day Casablanca, including a politician, a medical student who moonlights as a prostitute, a poor shoeshine boy, a wealthy businessman and his wife. Nabil Ayouch’s “Razzia” (also about Casablanca) and Faouzi Bensaidi’s “Volubilis” probably won’t make it in time (if all of them were, “Razzia” should win this easily despite Ayouch’s highly publicized battles with the Moroccan censors). But what if none of them are released? For the past three years, Morocco has gone with small local films that nobody has ever heard of.  At Morocco's National Film Festival in March, twelve out of fifteen competing films won awards but the big winner was “Sweat Rain” (produced by Nabil Ayouch), about an impoverished man trying to survive a drought and hold on to his meagre parcel of land in a small village.  Other possibilities include “The Tears of Satan”, a revenge thriller about a man just released from prison, “Basta”, a social drama about the problems faced by Moroccan youth or “Fadma” (aka "Julie-Aicha"), a light drama about a Moroccan mother who visits her elder son and granddaughter in France. Less likely: “Mimosas” won Best Picture in Cairo, but it’s a majority French film, “Headbang Lullaby” has appeared at several festivals but is likely too strange and arty, while B&W drama “Fidaa” covers nationalist history but doesn’t look as professional made as their other choices. I predict “Burnout” if it’s released and “Sweat Rain” if it’s not.

NIGERIA- "'76" Nigeria has one of the world’s largest film industries on paper, but it mostly produces straight-to-DVD cheapies for the local market. It had an Oscar committee officially recognized in 2014 but hasn't submitted any movies. It’s my understanding that AMPAS will invite countries that do not submit films for five years, before they fall off the invite list. Many of Nigeria's top films this year are largely in English, including comedy “Dara Ju” (SXSW), “Green White Green” (Toronto), and thriller “Kada River”. I don’t think they’ll send anything but in case they do, I’ll predict “’76”, a political thriller about a coup d’etat in the 1970s. It was one of two Nigerian movies nominated for Best Picture at the African Academy Awards and it’s split roughly evenly between the English and Ibo languages. Even that may have too much English to qualify.

PALESTINE- "Ghost Hunting" Palestine has had a slow year, and most of their movies this year have been documentaries. The most hotly awaited feature of the year is “Wajib” by two-time Palestinian Oscar representative Annemarie Jacir. It’s a family drama about an estranged father and son forced to hand-deliver wedding invitations around the West Bank as part of a local tradition. It sounds charming, and a nine-minute preview of the film was shown at the Cannes Film Festival in May. Unfortunately, it’s still in post-production and it’s unlikely to get a release in the West Bank by September 30. As for Palestine’s other two internationally recognized directors, Elia Suleiman has been inactive and Hany Abu-Assad’s latest film is in English.  So what will Palestine do? They’ll probably send a political documentary, as they did in 2015. The obvious choice would be “Ghost Hunting”, a sort of “Missing Picture” about the trauma of Palestinian political prisoners. It won the Best Documentary award at Berlinale 2017. But they could also send “Ambulance” (about ambulance drivers during the Israel-Gaza war), “Speed Sisters” (feminist race car drivers) or “Off Frame” (Palestinian cinematic history).  I predict “Ghost Hunting” unless “Wajib” is finished ahead of schedule.

SAUDI ARABIA- "Madayen" Saudi Arabia has no cinemas (they’re banned) but local filmmakers have managed to enter the Oscars twice (with two absolutely wonderful films!) by relying on foreign cultural centers and expat facilities on oil compounds. I don’t think they have anything eligible this year, but for the sake of completeness, I’ll choose “Madayen”, which appears to be a horror-documentary hybrid in the style of “Paranormal Activity” or “Blair Witch”. It's about three guys investigating a supposedly haunted site in the far north of the country. The director is Filipino/Saudi. The Saudis also have a completed feature in the can…Coming-of-age drama ”The Great Muse” could compete next year. 

SOUTH AFRICA- "Asinamali" South Africa has eleven official languages, but most films are made in English or Afrikaans, with most of the rest in Zulu or Xhosa. This year, I predict South Africa will send apartheid-era resistance musical “Asinamali”, which will premiere at the Durban International Film Festival this summer. It’s produced by Oscar nominee Darrell Roodt (“Yesterday”) and well over 50% in Zulu, and comes from the same team as hit Broadway musical Sarafina. South Africa makes some beautiful musicals (e.g. "U-Carmen") and this is clearly a stirring subject for one. At the 2017 African Academy Awards, the Zulu-language “Vaya” (Toronto 2016)- about three strangers whose lives intersect on a cross-country train ride- was the top nominee with 10 nominations. It would be an excellent choice, but IMDB says it won’t premiere at home until October, after the deadline. Two other major contenders are (1)- “Krotoa”, an Afrikaans-language drama about a 17th century Khoi (Bushman) servant girl who becomes a strategically important translator between Dutch settlers and her African tribe, and (2)- the Xhosa-language “The Wound” (Sundance/Berlin), about the traumatic coming-of-age ceremonies of the Xhosa people. My top five: “Asinamali”, “The Wound” and “Krotoa”, followed by gritty prison drama “28S” and interracial canoeing drama “Beyond the River”.

TANZANIA- "Kiumeni" Tanzania has a well-established film industry of “Bongo” movies, which are usually produced on a shoestring budget in weeks (or days) and produced solely for the home video DVD market. They’ve entered the Oscar race once with US-Tanzania co-production “Maangamizi: The Ancient One”. This year, their most likely selection would be “Kiumeni” which is trying to buck the low-quality "Bongo" trend. It’s a fairly paint-by-numbers romantic dramedy about a rich man who falls for a poor girl who has a jealous thug of an ex-boyfriend. "Kiumeni" was specifically made for a cinematic release, has been released in neighboring Kenya, and is touted as a “game-changer” for the local industry. 

TUNISIA- "Flower of Aleppo" Tunisia had perhaps the strangest journey to the Oscars last year. First they announced they were returning to the Oscars after a fifteen-year hiatus with “Flower of Aleppo”. A few weeks later, there was a separate (and more official) announcement saying they would send “As I Open My Eyes”.  As bloggers wondered which story was accurate, when the final list was announced, Tunisia wasn't on it at all! What happened? There was never any explanation. “Flower of Aleppo”, about a mother who goes into ISIS-occupied Syria to bring back her fundamentalist son, actually premiered after last year’s deadline so I predict it may be getting a second chance. That is, unless the country is reluctant to highlight the fact that the traditionally moderate country is contributing so many foot soldiers to ISIS.  Tunisia actually has a lot of good movies this year so I'm hopeful they will return. “Beauty and the Dogs”, about a conflicted young woman dealing with the aftermath of a sexual assault by Tunisian police officers, premiered at Cannes 2017 although I don’t think it will get a domestic release by September 30. “Zaineb Hates the Snow” (which is variously described as a drama or a documentary….is it both???) won Best Film at Tunisia’s Carthage International Film Festival  and probably has the strongest reviews of any Tunisian film this year. It’s an upbeat little film about a little Tunisian girl who emigrates to Canada and hates the snow and cold weather. “Foreign Body”, about an illegal immigrant fleeing an abusive marriage, is directed by provocative female helmer Raja Amari (“Satin Rouge”) and co-stars Salim Kechiouche and Hiam Abbass. “Burning Love” is about the lives of three characters and their lives after the Arab Spring. I’m probably wrong, but I’m predicting “Aleppo”, followed by “Zaineb Hates the Snow”.

THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES- "Only Men Go to the Grave" The UAE had an Oscar selection committee approved this year but I’ve been expecting them to join for years. The UAE has tons of money, loves publicity and has seen a growing number of local films being released. Their first-ever Oscar submission will probably be family drama “Only Men Go to the Grave”, which won Best Emirati Film at the 2016 Dubai International Film Festival. It’s about an old woman who dies in an accident after promising the family that she was going to reveal a shocking secret. Screendaily notes that the film delves into some rather taboo subjects but if it was rewarded in Dubai, then that should be enough for it to succeed here. The challengers are “The Waiting List”, a romantic drama about five friends, and “The Worthy”, a post-apocalyptic action-thriller set in a world with almost no fresh water. The latter film is directed by Ali F. Mostafa, generally considered one of the country’s most promising filmmakers. 

YEMEN, amidst a devastating civil war, was a surprise first-time entry to the Oscars last year for “I Am Nojoom, Aged 10 and Divorced”. The film was produced in 2014 before the violence got really bad but I can’t imagine how they managed a seven-day screening in the country during the civil war. I’m sure they don’t have anything eligible this year. The highest-profile film about the country is “Socotra, the Land of Djinns”, a B&W documentary filmed on the remote island of Socotra in their local Soqotri language. However, the film has a Spanish director and wholly Spanish crew, and surely was never screened in Yemen. 

FOREIGN FILM PREDICTIONS (The Americas and Oceania)

It's that time of year again. Over the course of the next few months, over 80 countries will send their best films to Hollywood to compete for the Best Foreign Film award at the Oscars. Every year, I see some of my favorite films by hunting down the films on the list. The best ones are rarely nominated. Last year's haunting "Eva Nova" from Slovakia was ignored.

Until now, 113 countries have entered the Oscar race at least once. Last year a record 89 countries announced submissions, although four of them were mysteriously disqualified (The disqualification of Armenia's "Earthquake" was particularly confusing).

I've decided the world into five regions.
The Americas and Oceania (22 countries)
Middle East and Africa (24 countries)
Eastern Europe (24 countries)
Asia (23 countries)
Western Europe (20 countries)

Additionally, two new countries- Ghana and the United Arab Emirates- have applied to send films for the first time.

Here are the likely submissions from The Americas and Oceania:

ARGENTINA- "Zama" Argentina is widely expected to select political thriller “La cordillera” (The Summit), the third feature by up-and-coming director Santiago Mitre, who was in the running for “The Student” and “Paulina” but who has never yet been selected to represent Argentina. It’s easily the most anticipated Argentina film of 2017, earned a spot in Cannes 2017 (Un Certain Regard) and co-stars Ricardo Darin and Paulina Garcia (and, for some strange reason, 80s star Christian Slater?!). Darin stars in virtually every film selected by the Argentine Academy. However, this drama about political corruption and scandal hasn’t been as well received as the other Mitre films and Argentina is in this to win, so I'm not confident about its chances. From my perspective, the two front-runners are historical dramas “Zama” and  “The Long Night of Francisco Sanctis”.  Set in the 17^th century under Spanish rule, and based on one of Argentina’s most acclaimed novels, “Zama” is directed by Lucrecia Martel (“La cienaga”), another director who may be felt to be owed. IMDB says it will be released in December, while other sources say it will be released this summer...it's unclear. “The Long Night of Francisco Sanctis” premiered at Cannes 2016 but wasn’t released in Argentina until November. It’s a moral dilemma drama set during the military dictatorship about a bureaucrat/family man who is handed information that two friends of friends are about to be arrested and “disappeared” by the military regime. The man must decide whether to risk his life to save the lives of these innocent strangers. “Francisco Sanctis” was released so long ago that it’s really at a disadvantage. However, it’s the only Best Picture nominee eligible from this year’s Silver Condor Awards and reviews are better than the buzzy “La cordillera”.  Rounding out the top five candidates are patriotic Falkland Islands war drama “Soldado Argentino solo conocido por Dios” (An Argentina Soldier Known Only to God) and “The Winter” about an old man surviving a rural winter with the young man due to replace him. I’ve heard some mention mystery-thriller “Black Snow” (also starring Ricardo Darin) and wacky comedy “You Only Live Once” (co-starring Gerard Depardieu), perhaps seeking to emulate “The Secret in Their Eyes” and “Wild Tales” respectively….but I don’t think they’ll factor in the vote. The Argentine Academy votes on their favorite choice and I think “Zama” will win this easily if its released, while “Francisco Sanctis” will get it if it's not. “La cordillera” will be a distant third.

AUSTRALIA- "One Less God" Australia should be sending “Salt Bridge”, a Hindi-language drama about Indian immigrants to a small Australian town. It’s billed as Australia’s first Bollywood film but there’s one problem- the film seems to have (foolishly) gotten an Oscar qualifying release in Los Angeles in 2015 so that they could enter the Best Original Song category. This is one for the rulebooks, but I believe that means “Salt Bridge” cannot enter the Foreign Film category this year. Another Aussie option is “One Less God”, a gripping new thriller about the international (and multi-lingual) travelers caught in the middle of the Mumbai terrorist attacks in 2008. It’s unclear exactly how much is in English. A final option is Albanian-language horror-thriller “Bloodlands”, made by an Australian director in Albania. There are actually quite a lot of multi-cultural stories coming out of Australia this year (“Ali’s Wedding”, “The Colour of Darkness”) but they’re all in English. So many “maybes”….I predict Australia tries their luck with “One Less God”.  

BOLIVIA- "El rio" Bolivia is expected to release about eight features in 2017, including a musical-comedy, a silly prison break caper and a dramatization of the sexual tortures of the Marquis de Sade. None of these sound like Oscar contenders. The Bolivians don’t always send a movie (one year their selection committee said none of the films were good enough….another year the producers of the selected film said they couldn’t subtitle the film in time) so they could skip this year. Their highest-profile film is clearly “Dark Skull” (Viajo Calavera), a mysterious thriller set in the country's tin mines. It’s probably appeared at more film festivals (it won Best Picture in Cartagena and other awards at Locarno and Rio de Janeiro) than any Bolivian film in history. However, I predict they send “El rio”, the debut feature of Juan Pablo Richter, about a teenager who falls in love with his stepmother. It hasn't premiered in cinemas yet but it boasts a fairly well-known local cast and is set in a photogenic border region near Brazil. In third: “Averno”, an adventure-drama. There’s even less info online but director Marcos Loayza is a fairly accomplished national director who has never been selected before.

BRAZIL- "The Great Mystical Circus" Brazil is always difficult to predict, but this year I have a strong feeling they will send “The Great Mystical Circus”, a colorful epic drama following a century in the history of a Brazilian circus. The trailer looks great, and the film represents the comeback of 77-year old Carlos “Caca” Diegues, who has directed six previous Brazilian submissions. It will be released right before the deadline, which should work in its favor.  Brazil has lots to choose from, but I’m pretty sure this will be their selection. Two other movies by previous selected directors also have a strong chance with the Brazilian committee, namely “A Movie Life” (Selton Mello), based on an acclaimed novel about a young cinema aficionado raised by his mother in the 1960s, and “Joaquim” (Marcelo Gomes), a historical drama (Berlinale 2017) about an 18^th century national hero. Rounding out the top five: father-daughter drama “Mulher do Pai” and “Bingo: King of the Morning”, about an actor who finds anonymous fame as a beloved television clown. Brazil typically has a long shortlist of over a dozen films, and you can expect to also find films like “The Dionti Family, “Comeback”, “Gloria and Grace” and “The Two Irenes”. Won’t be released in time: “Piedade” and “Gabriel and the Mountain” (Cannes). 

CANADA- "Old Stone" Canada is a powerhouse in the Foreign Film category, with seven films shortlisted in the past eleven years (though my favorite submission- “I Killed My Mother”- was not). Proudly multicultural Canada has submitted films in Inuktikut and Hindi as well as French over the past decade and has potential submissions in all three languages this year, plus one in Mandarin Chinese. The Canadians have no less than eight contenders this year, and it’s possible we may see even more when they unveil the line-up at the Toronto International Film Festival. But for now, we have eight. “Maliglutit” (Searchers, dir: Zacharias Kunuk) and “Iqaluit” (Benoit Pilon) are dramas set amongst the indigenous peoples living in Canada’s far north, and both films are by previously submitted directors. “Searchers” is a revenge drama best described as an “Arctic western”, about a man seeking to rescue his kidnapped wife and daughter from an enemy clan. It’s gotten much more festival exposure than missing husband drama “Iqaluit” (co-starring Marie- Josée Crozee) so it has an edge. Canada’s Asian immigrant communities are represented by China-born Johnny Ma and India-born Deepa Mehta. Johnny Ma got a Canadian Best Picture nod and won Best First Feature at Toronto 2016 for “Old Stone”, a thriller about a taxi driver facing moral dilemmas and red tape in modern-day China. It has the edge over Oscar nominee Mehta’s experimental Hindi-language docudrama “Anatomy of Violence”, about a high-profile gang rape case in India. Canada’s foreign film entries have traditionally been in French, so they could choose leftist opus “Those Who Make Revolution Halfway Only Dig Up Their Own Graves” (which won best Canadian Film at Toronto 2016, despite a three hour-plus running time),  “A Bag of Marbles” (Un sac de  billes), a drama about two brothers fleeing the Holocaust, “Boundaries” (Pays), a political satire focusing on three women conducting international treaty negotiations, and the upcoming “Et au pire, on se mariera” (loosely translated as “At the very least, we’ll get married”) by Lea Pool, about an Arab-Canadian girl who becomes obsessed with an older man.  Canada is in this to win, so I think the “weirdness” of “Those Who Make Revolution” and “Anatomy of Violence” will knock them out of the running, “Iqaluit” will be considered “too small”, “Boundaries” too local and “A Bag of Marbles” may be considered a majority French production (Canada already selected one of these last year). That leaves three contenders. I predict the Canadian nod will be dark horse thriller “Old Stone” which is more of an audience pleaser than the more challenging runner-up (and supposed frontrunner) “Searchers”. Lea Pool’s new film hasn’t premiered yet but I’m placing it a very close third.

CHILE- "A Fantastic Woman" Chile has a pretty easy decision this year- everyone agrees they will choose critically acclaimed transgender drama “A Fantastic Woman” (Una mujer fantastica) directed by the magnificent Sebastian Lelio (who directed “Gloria”, one of the best snubbed Oscar submissions ever). It won three awards at Berlinale, including Best Screenplay, and transgender stories are a trendy topic. Like most everyone, I’m pretty certain it’s in. What could possibly beat it? The closest things to competition are quirky family dramedy “Family Life” (Sundance), co-directed by Alicia Scherson (“Play”) and Cristian Jimenez (“Bonsai”), and hotly-anticipated sequel “Johnny 100 Pesos: 20 Years Later”. However, “Family” has no buzz, and American audiences won’t remember the first “Johnny 100 Pesos” (which represented Chile in this category way back in 1993!). Youth dramas “Bad Influence” and “Spider Girls” might have contended in a quieter year. This year, it's “Fantastic Woman”.

COLOMBIA- "The Animal's Wife" Colombia doesn’t have as much as they usually do…In fact, they didn’t have a single film in competition at their local Cartagena Film Festival (though eight films were screened in the National Section). I think they’ll probably go with the brutal “The Animal’s Wife” (La mujer del animal; Toronto 2016) about a novice nun who flees a convent to go to her sister’s village where she ends up held captive by a local village thug. It’s a difficult watch but it has very good reviews and is seen as a comeback for director Victor Gaviria (La vendedora de rosas). The runner-up is likely to be “Between Sea and Land” (Audience Award, Sundance) about a man unable to fulfill his dream of going to the ocean due to an obscure medical condition. Other options include “X500” about Afro-Colombians (though two dull films about that community barely got noticed in the Oscar race before), family drama “So Long Enthusiasm” which won Best Colombian Film amidst weak competition in Cartagena, and slight chess-themed drama “The Dragon’s Defense”, which quietly premiered in Director’s Fortnight at Cannes and probably won’t be released in cinemas until after the deadline. In such a weak year, Colombia might also choose a documentary for the first time, e.g. narco doc “Wars of Others” (Guerras Ajenas) by HBO Latin America or “When the Guns Go Silent” about the peace negotiations with the FARC terrorists. My prediction: “The Animals’ Wife”.

COSTA RICA- "The Sound of Things" Costa Rica has reported that thirteen local films will be released in 2017- more than double the previous national record of six, set in 2010. The two front-runners for the Oscars are “The Sound of Things”, about a young nurse trying to get over her cousin’s suicide, and “Abrazame como antes”, about the lives of transsexual prostitutes living their lives far from the well-scrubbed image that makes the country famous. The two films duked it out at the 2017 Costa Rican Film Festival where “The Sound of Things” won Best Costa Rican Film and “Abrazame” was given the Jury Prize. Two upcoming films- “Violeta, al fin” by previously submitted director Hilda Hidalgo and “Dos Fridas” about Frida Kahlo’s Costa Rican caretaker- could also challenge if they turn out to be good. For now, I think “The Sound of Things” is the film to beat…it also competed at the Moscow Film Festival in 2016- a rare Class-A Festival appearance for a Costa Rican film.

CUBA- "The Last Days in Havana" Cuba has submitted only two films in the past five years. Films not only have to be good, they also have to be approved by the government-sponsored film body (ICAIC) that selects the Cuban nominee. Six Cuban films competed at the Habana International Film Festival in December, but only two won awards. “Last Days in Havana” won the Jury Prize and a tech prize and also earned a special screening slot at Berlinale 2017. It’s a nearly plotless film about daily life in Havana and it’s directed by Fernando Perez who has represented Cuba twice before. “Not Like Before” (Ya no es antes), about two lovers who meet in Cuba after forty years separated by the Cold War, is likely to do better with American audiences. It won Best Actor and the Audience Award in Havana. A seventh film- “Santa and Andres”- about a straight/gay friendship a la “Strawberry & Chocolate”- was pulled from the festival when the director refused to abide by the demands of the Cuban censors. Crime thriller “Vientos de la Habana” didn’t win anything but it’s received good notices in Europe and been extended into a TV miniseries version called “Four Nights in Havana”. New drama “Sergio & Sergei” by respected Cuban director Ernesto Daranas (“Conducta”) won’t be released in time. The nearly plotless “Last Days in Havana”- about a gay man and his neighbors- is the least likely to charm the Yakees, but it’s the most likely selection for Cuba, followed by “Not Liked Before”. 

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC- "Woodpeckers" The Dominican Republic is another country seeing film production booming, with around twenty films produced each of the last few years. This year, it’s difficult to see them choosing anything other than acclaimed prison drama “Woodpeckers” (Carpinteros) about male inmates who invent a secret sign language to communicate with the women’s prison next door. It competed at the Sundance Film Festival (a major achievement for a DR film) and director Jose Maria Cabral was selected before (for “Check Mate”, one of my favorite submissions of 2012). Unlikely but possible: boxing drama “Samba” did well at Tribeca and “Luis”, a drama about the moral dilemma faced by a police officer whose son commits a crime. The much-buzzed about “Cocote”, about faith and religious cults, is unlikely to be released in time but it’s probably next year’s submission.

ECUADOR- "Killa" Ecuador skipped the Oscars last year, although they did enter the race for the Goyas with “Alba”, a drama that has played at a number of international festivals including Rotterdam and Mumbai. It’s about a severely introverted 11-year old girl forced to care for her ailing mother. The Hollywood Reporter called it “heartbreaking”. Because of its October 2016 release date, “Alba” was eligible for the Goyas last year but the Oscars this year. However, the film failed to make the nomination stage at the Goyas, meaning it’s likely to have even less luck with Oscar. Probably looking to send something new, Ecuador is thus likely to send “Killa”, touted as the first film mostly in Quechua, the language of the Incas, which was released in March. "Killa" focuses on a Quechua journalist who faces off against a shady mining corporation. It looks like film production is down and Ecuador doesn’t have much to choose from this year.

FIJI- Nothing Fiji became the first Pacific island nation to enter the Oscar race in 2005. They’ve only produced a few feature films in their national history, but they have a thriving film industry as a location for foreign productions. This year, the only somewhat “local” movie I can find anything about is drama “Woh”, a Hindi-language drama about a woman who becomes involved with a man accused of murder. The directors (a married couple) were both born and raised in Fiji, though they made their film in Australia. It will not be sent.

GUATEMALA- "Septiembre o un Llanto en Silencio" Guatemala has submitted films twice and was considered somewhat of a dark horse contender for “Ixcanul” in 2015. This year, I think they may submit “Septiembre o Un Llanto en Silencio” (September, A Silent Cry), a drama set during the civil war of the 1980s. In the film, a woman loses her hearing after she survives a rebel attack on a bus. It’s set to premiere in early September. “Los gigantes no existen”- another drama set during the civil war- probably won’t be released in time but it may contend for next year.

MEXICO- "Un cuento de Circo and a Love Song" Mexico is really unclear this year. For the past two years, they’ve selected style (and big names) over substance, selecting “big” movies starring famous actors (and with large amounts of English) instead of the arthouse favorites. Nobody much liked “Desierto” but the presence of Gael Garcia Bernal and “Gravity” screenwriter Jonas Cuaron was apparently enough for Mexico to send the film to the Oscars. For this reason,  I’m wondering if they will send Oscar nominee Demian Bichir’s directorial debut “Un cuento de Circo & A Love Song”, co-starring Bichir and Eva Longoria (“Desperate Housewives”), about a man raised in a Mexican circus, who ends up in New Orleans. The trailer has no dialogue, so I’m not sure how much of the film is in Spanish and how much is in English. Gael Garcia Bernal also has a new movie- crime drama “Museo”- but I don’t think it will be released in time. Nor will Alfonso Cuaron’s “Roma”. However, most of Mexico’s contenders this year are arthouse. People are talking about fiction features “April’s Daughter” (winner, Jury Prize, Un Certain Regard, Cannes 2017), “The Untamed” (Best Director, Venice 2016) and “I Dream in Another Language” (winner, Audience Award, Sundance 2017) as well as documentaries “Devil’s Freedom” (Best Mexican Film, Guadalajara) and “Tempestad”. To that list, I’d add “El sueno del Mara’akame”, which did quite well at the recently announced Ariel nominations…The prizes won’t be handed out until July 11^th though only “Mara’akame” and “Tempestad” will be competing there. Somehow, I don’t think any of these films are really likely….so I wouldn’t be surprised if Mexico selects some new film I’m unaware of, perhaps released at the very end of the year. But based on recent history, the Mexican Academy doesn’t like arthouse, so I’ll predict an upset for “Circo” with “I Dream in Another Language”, about a linguist who becomes involved in the lives of the elderly residents of a village who are believed to be the last speakers of a dying language, coming second.   

NEW ZEALAND- "One Thousand Ropes" New Zealand obviously makes most of their films in English, so they only enter the race when they have a film in a foreign language. So far, they’ve sent two films set in New Zealand (in Maori) and one each made by Kiwi directors in Samoa and Afghanistan.  This year, there’s little doubt they’ll send “One Thousand Ropes”, a Samoan-language supernaturally-tinged drama about Samoan immigrants in New Zealand. The story is about a father atoning for his history of violence, and his relationship with his teenaged daughter. It premiered in Berlinale 2017 and its director Tusi Tamasese directed the country’s first-ever Oscar hopeful in 2011. Hopefully it doesn’t have too much English to qualify.

NICARAGUA- "Sunflowers of Nicaragua" Nicaragua has submitted films three times, most recently with Florence Jaugey’s charming female boxing drama “La Yuma” in 2010. They probably won’t submit this year, but they could send Jaugey’s latest film, “Las girasoles de Nicaragua”, which premiered in January 2017. It’s a documentary about sex workers seeking legal reforms that would protect them from violence and abuse at the hand of their clients.

PANAMA- "Ilegitimo" Panama selected two documentaries to go to the Oscars before selecting their first fiction film last year. With their penchant for nonfiction, it’s highly possible they will send another documentary- “La Matamoros”- this year. The film won Best Picture in the regional section of Panama’s international film festival and was directed by Delfina Vidal, whose documentary “Box 25” was submitted but not accepted by AMPAS in 2015 (I’ve never heard a reason why). “La Matamoros” tells the story of feminist and labor activist Marta Matamoros. If they choose a fiction film, the front-runner is “Ilegítimo”, a social drama about a young boxer who has to support his girlfriend and his sick mother. I give “Ilegitimo” the slight edge to represent Panama. “Beyond Brotherhood” (Mas que hermanos), a soon-to-be-released drama about two orphaned teenagers co-starring Maria Conchita Alonso, is a potential dark horse.

PARAGUAY- "Los Buscadores" Paragauay was the most notable absentee from last year’s list of submissions. They entered the race for the first time in 2015 and launched an open call for submissions in 2016 but ended up not submitting a film. I’ve read that Paraguay’s most successful film- the brilliant Goya-nominated thriller “7 Boxes”- was considered for submission in 2012 but because Paraguay did not have a recognized committee, it couldn’t be sent. Paraguay will likely try to rectify that omission with the submission of “Los buscadores”, a treasure hunt adventure-comedy by the same co-directors, which is due to premiere in September 2017. They only have a couple of other eligible films, including documentary “Memory Exercises” and race car drama “Thunder”, but they would be highly unlikely choices.

PERU- "The Final Hour" Peru has had a fairly quiet year for cinema. Out of their four main contenders, I’d say the most likely is “The Final Hour”, a based-on-a-true-story political thriller set in the mid 1990s about the pursuit and capture of the leader of the Shining Path guerillas that terrorized Peru for over a decade. Most Americans know nothing about the Shining Path, but hopefully the thriller elements of the film will compensate for that. Director Eduardo Mendoza was selected once before in 2014, and the film will open on September 14^th, right before the Oscar due date. That means it will be fresh in the minds of the Peruvian Academy. Its main competition comes from “Rosa Chumbe”, a long-awaited drama about an alcoholic policewoman who is given one final chance to reform and keep her job. It won Best Peruvian feature way back in 2015 but did not managed to get a domestic release until June 2017. Less likely: “One Last Afternoon” is a talky drama about a husband and wife reminiscing about their student activist days while finalizing their divorce. It won the Audience Award at the Lima International Film Festival. Out of the running: “The Dreamer” won Best Peruvian film in 2016 but this juvenile delinquent story has a dismal 4.7 on IMDB and no buzz. 

PUERTO RICO- "Extraterrestrials" Puerto Rico was unceremoniously uninvited from the competition in 2011 when AMPAS inexplicably made a new rule that U.S. territories could not enter the Oscar race (only Puerto Rico was affected). This is extremely unfair and I think that one day Puerto Rico will be invited once again. If that were to happen this year, they’d be likely to send “Extraterrestrials”, a quirky romantic comedy about a Puerto Rican woman “coming-out” to her conservative family after deciding to marry her physicist girlfriend.

URUGUAY- "Breathe" Uruguay doesn’t have many contenders this year, and with the eligibility period three-fourths over, only one (“El sereno”) has been released. I predict Uruguay will send “Respirar” (Breathe), due in August, a drama about a recent divorcee who discovers she’s pregnant with her ex-husband’s child. However, Uruguay typically likes to send comedies, so it’s entirely possible they’ll prefer “Otra historia del mundo” (July 20), about the lives of people in a small town or “Las olas” (The Waves) about an adult man who accidentally returns back in time to his childhood (though we still him as the adult that he is). “Neptunia” looks like a Gregg Araki (my favorite director) film, but that’s probably a bit too out there even for Uruguay. Until these films are actually seen by the public, Uruguay is a difficult one to predict.

VENEZUELA- "The Night of the Two Moons" Venezuela is on the brink of famine and political disintegration but they’ve managed to make some great movies, and their annual Festival del Cine Venezolano featured no less than seventeen new features. Historically, most of their Oscar submissions come from the Festival (though not last year). At first, I was ready to predict “La planta insolente”, a period drama directed by 85-year old Roman Chalbaud. Chalbaud directed Venezuela’s first-ever submission (way back in 1977) and he was honored at this year’s festival. However, “La plante” looks old-fashioned and cheaply made and failed to win a single award. Three Venezuelan films have made a mark on international festivals this year, namely “La Familia” (Cannes), “El amparo” (San Sebastian) and “La soledad” (Audience Award in Miami), although none has yet secured a domestic release. Ultimately, two films dominated the awards at Cine Venezolano, namely "El amparo" (which won six awards including Best Picture) and gritty boxing biopic “El inca” (which won seven, including Director and Screenplay). "El Inca"'s success was a bit surprising since the film had previously been banned due to objections from the real life boxer's family…the ban has since been lifted and the film is eligible. Period drama "Maisanta" won four tech awards, and geriatric road comedy “Mas vivos que nunca” won some sort of People's Choice Award…but the Venezuelan Academy is usually pretty serious.  Venezuela's biggest domestic hit of 2016- transgender drama “Tamara” is also eligible. Last but not least, there’s the upcoming “La noche de las dos lunas” by the director of Goya winner “My Straight Son”, one of the best foreign films of 2012 that was not submitted that year. It’s an intriguing new drama about a woman mistakenly inseminated with twin embryos from another woman, and the battle of both women to keep the kids. It premieres in September. Who knew the race in Venezuela would be so exciting? Top Five:  It’s tough, but I predict “La noche de las lunas” gets the nod, followed by the grim Best Picture winner “El amparo”, a true story from the 80s about fishermen caught between the violence of the longstanding Colombia-Venezuela conflict. followed by boxing biopic "Inca", gender-bending “Tamara” and “La soledad”, about a family trying to survive the current economic crisis.