Oscar season is about to kick into high gear with fall festival season just around the corner. The deadline to submit international feature selections is Oct. 1, so look for a flurry of announcements in the next two months. The Oscars shortlists are revealed on Dec. 16, with 15 international films selected to be voted on by Academy members in all branches who commit to watch all 15 films. Oscar nominations will be revealed on Jan. 22.
Turkey was the first country out of the gate, selecting “One of Those Days When Hemme Dies,” which premiered at last year’s Venice Film Festival. The Czech Republic chose “I’m Not Everything I Want to Be” after a controversial process, while Switzerland selected medical drama “Late Shift.”
From France, possible submissions could include Richard Linklater’s “Nouvelle Vague” or Jafar Panahi’s “It Was Just an Accident.” Stay tuned for many more selections in the coming weeks and watch the trailers below.
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I’m Not Everything I Want to Be (Czech Republic)
The Czech Republic has selected Klára Tasovská’s documentary feature “I’m Not Everything I Want to Be” as its submission for the International Feature Film category of the Oscars following a controversial contest.
The documentary follows the life of photographer Libuše Jarcovjáková, drawing on her diaries and thousands of photographs. It depicts the underground movement in Czechoslovakia in the 1980s as well as her dramatic escape to West Berlin, and fashion shoots in Tokyo. The film had its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival last year and was awarded the Czech Lion for the best documentary feature this year.
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Late Shift (Switzerland)
Image Credit: Courtesy of Keystone Petra Volpe’s “Late Shift” is Switzerland’s official entry for the International Feature Film category for the Academy Awards.
TrustNordisk is handling international rights on the film, which stars Leonie Benesch, who previously appeared in the Oscar-nominated drama “The Teachers’ Lounge” in 2023, and Oscar-nominated drama “September 5” last year. Music Box has acquired North American rights.
“Late Shift” follows a nurse, Floria, as she navigates the relentless pace on a surgical ward with unwavering dedication, infusing humanity and warmth into her patient care even though the shift is understaffed. As the day intensifies, the film transforms into a gripping race against time, culminating in a riveting climax.
Read Variety‘s review here.
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One of Those Days When Hemme Dies (Turkey)
Image Credit: Courtesy of Luxbox Turkey has announced that first-time director Murat Firatoğlu’s “One of Those Days When Hemme Dies” has been selected as the country’s entry for the Academy Awards’ international feature film category.
“One of Those Days When Hemme Dies” was selected from 14 submissions by Turkey’s Oscar committee, comprising representatives from professional associations in the country’s film industry that operates under the Directorate General of Cinema.
The film is a tale of class-based rage and rebellion through the justice-seeking journey of a farmworker named Eyüp who works relentlessly under the blazing sun during a tomato harvest in southeastern Turkey, driven by the urgent need to settle an impending debt. After a clash with his supervisor, he roams the city in search of a radical solution.
“One of Those Days When Hemme Dies” world premiered last year at the Venice Film Festival, where it won the special jury prize in the event’s Orizzonti (Horizons) section.