“Oscar” reflected “Sunstroke” – BBC

The American Film Academy has announced the list of contenders for the “Oscar” for best foreign language film. Representing Russian historical drama Nikita Mikhalkov’s “Sunstroke” in the final nine was not hit. Screen adaptation of the story by Ivan Bunin and fragments “Cursed Days” was chosen by the Russian Oscar committee unanimously, but the director himself estimated the chances at a premium as the paintings are very low. Mikhalkov doubt in favor of American academics because that is in the black list for entry to Ukraine.

The selection of nominees for the foreign “Oscar” takes place in several stages. First, his challenger calls each country – this year, for example, the American Film Academy has received 80 applications from all over the world. From this long list after preview of the short list selected nine films.

The nine included “Newest Testament” (Belgium), “Mustang” (France), “The Son Saul “(Hungary)” Embrace the snake “(Columbia),” War “(Denmark),” The Labyrinth of Lies “(Germany),” Pride “(Jordan),” Viva “(Ireland) and” Swordsman “(Finland).

A black comedy about living in Brussels god ‘newest covenant “and” Embrace the snake “of the journey of scientists in the Amazon jungle was shown at Cannes’ Directors Fortnight.” “War” tells the Danish military involvement in the war in Afghanistan and how it affects their families. French “Mustang” (the debut of director of Turkish origin Deniz Gamze Ergyuven) filmed in the Turkish language, and tells the story of five sisters who are trying to make parents live according to traditional values; he, too, was presented at Cannes and has recently hit the short-list of another prestigious award – “Golden Globe».

The Hungarian war drama Laszlo Nemes’ son Saul, “which shows two days in the life of a prisoner in Auschwitz Jews participated in the main competition at the Cannes Film Festival and won the Grand Jury Prize. A Jordanian “Pride” was selected for Venice “Horizon” and brought Naji Naboo Avar prize for Best Director.

Well, the Finnish “Swordsman” Klaus Hyarё easy to detect and Russian trail .

The picture offers a very free (even more free than the adaptation of Bunin Mikhalkov) retelling biography Estonian fencer and coach Endel Nelis, who after World War II was engaged in the creation of a fencing school in Estonia. According to the script, he moved to the small town of Haapsalu in Western Estonia, hiding from the persecution of the almighty KGB – looking for him because of the fact that during the war he was drafted into the German army. The reality is not so tragic: Nelis quietly graduated from the Leningrad Institute Lesgaft, then worked as a physical education teacher (just in Haapsalu), he was the champion (he was the best swordsman in Estonia in 1955), and mentor champions – both the USSR and the world. That is no secret services of the USSR did not have to look for an athlete who does not hide nor Nelis does not need to be afraid of his pursuers.

One of the roles in the film played Cyril Kyaro, which this year came, it seems, almost all prominent Russian TV series.

Comment alignment and highlight favorite category “Times” asked the producer nominated a year ago, “Leviathan” Rodnyansky.

“The American Film Academy has this year demonstrated their traditional sequence in the selection of nominees for the “Oscar” in the category “Best Foreign Language Film.” It is above all the films that are different boldness, brightness, freshness cinematic language. This combination of innovation, breakthroughs in artistic decisions with very sharp provocative themes. I was suddenly very impressed by the film “Son of Saul,” won the Grand Prix at Cannes. In my opinion, this is the strongest contender for the “Oscar”. I looked for his life about 50 films about the Holocaust, and 51 minutes did not want to look, but it is a very strong pattern. Subjective camera follows the main character, who is trying to camp to find a rabbi in order to bury the dead son.

This technique produces a tremendous impression bordering on physical inability to see what is happening on the screen .

Also, I really liked the movie “Mustang” directed by Deniz Gamze Ergyuven. I believe that the main struggle can turn right between the two films. “Mustang” – the first picture of a Turkish woman living in France, launched respectively by France on competition “Oscar”. Amazing fact: despite the fact that this year in Cannes’ Palme d’Or “received” Deepa “Jacques Odiyara – in the Oscar race, he left behind. The story of five sisters living in the north of Turkey, shown in the “Mustang” – one of the main themes of today. We see how successful life, zhovialnogo family pressure restrictions dictated by religion turns into a disaster for these girls as his home is converted rapidly into prison. And I note, of course, “Newest Testament” Jaco Van Dormael about living in the land of God, and lives in Brussels with his wife and two children. In my opinion, these three films represent what today are interested in the American Academy – radical artistic thinking and meaningful statements ».

The final choice of American kinoakademikov will be known on January 14. And the winners of the 88th season of “Oscar” will be announced at a ceremony which will be held February 28 at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre.