Russia, Hungary, Paraguay Select Foreign Language Oscar Hopefuls
Russia, Hungary and Paraguay have selected their Foreign Language Oscar hopefuls.
Hungary has chosen Venice Film Festival Competition drama Sunset from director Laszlo Nemes who won the Foreign Language Oscar in 2016 for Son Of Saul. Sony Classics handles Sunset, which is set in Budapest on the brink of World War I.
Juli Jakab (Son Of Saul) stars as a young woman orphaned at an early age, who arrives in the city looking for work at a successful hat store that used to belong to her parents. Repelled by the new owner, she becomes embroiled in a mystery surrounding her long-lost brother.
Meanwhile, Russia has selected Sobibor as its choice in the category. Konstantin Khabensky’s World War II film is based on the true story of an uprising in the Sobibor Nazi extermination camp in 1943, led by Soviet officer Alexander Pechersky. The pic was released in Russia in May, taking $5M at the local box office.
The Paraguayan Academy of Film Arts and Sciences has gone for Marcelo Martinessi’s The Heiresses. Martinessi’s debut film premiered at the Berlin Film Festival, where it won three awards, including the Silver Bear for best actress for Ana Brun. The film tells the story of a withdrawn, middle-aged gay woman who is forced to navigate a life separated from her partner of 30 years.
Below is the updated list of Foreign Language Oscar hopefuls.
2019 Foreign Language Film Oscar Submissions
Austria – The Waldheim Waltz – Ruth Beckermann
Belarus – Crystal Swan – Darya Zhuk
Belgium – Girl – Lukas Dhont
Colombia– Birds of Passage, Cristina Gallego & Ciro Guerra
Croatia – The Eighth Commissioner – Ivan Salaj
Ecuador – A Son Of Man – Jamaicanoproblem and Pablo Agüero
Estonia – Take It Or Leave It – Liina Trishkina-Vanhatalo
Finland – Euthanizer – Teemu Nikin
Georgia – Namme – Zaza Khalvashi
Germany – Never Look Away – Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Hungary – Sunset – Laszlo Nemes
Israel – The Cakemaker – Ofir Raul Grazier
Japan – Shoplifters – Hirokazu Kore-eda
Kosovo – The Marriage – Blerta Zeqiri
Latvia – To Be Continued – Ivars Seleckis
Lithuania – Wonderful Losers: A Different World – Arunas Matelis
Luxembourg – Gutland – Govinda Van Maele
Netherlands – The Resistance Banker – Joram Lürsen
Norway – What Will People Say – Iram Haq
Palestine – Ghost Hunting – Raed Andoni
Paraguay – The Heiress – Marcelo Martinessi
Romania – I Do Not Care If We Go Down In History As Barbarians – Radu Jude
Russia – Sobibor – Konstantin Khabensky
Serbia – Offenders – Dejan Zecevic
Singapore – Buffalo Boys – Mike Wiluan
Slovakia – The Interpreter – Martin Sulik
South Korea – Burning – Lee Chang-dong
Spain – Champions – Javier Fesser
Sweden – Border – Ali Abbasi
Switzerland – Eldorado – Markus Imhoof
Turkey – The Wild Pear Tree – Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Ukraine – Donbass – Sergei Loznitsa
UK – I Am Not A Witch – Rungano Nyoni
Venezuela – The Family – Gustavo Rondon Cordova
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