9 films move ahead in Foreign Language Oscar race

Jan 19, 2011 by Ian Evans

Nine films have advanced to the next round of voting in the Foreign Language Film category for the 83rd Academy Awards®. Sixty-six films had originally qualified in the category.

The films, listed in alphabetical order by country, are:

  • Algeria, Hors la Loi (Outside the Law), Rachid Bouchareb, director;
  • Canada, Incendies, Denis Villeneuve, director;
  • Denmark, In a Better World, Susanne Bier, director;
  • Greece, Dogtooth, Yorgos Lanthimos, director;
  • Japan, Confessions, Tetsuya Nakashima, director;
  • Mexico, Biutiful, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, director;
  • South Africa, Life, above All, Oliver Schmitz, director;
  • Spain, Tambien la Lluvia (Even the Rain), Iciar Bollain, director;
  • Sweden, Simple Simon, Andreas Ohman, director.

The Foreign Language Film nominations for 2010 are again being determined in two phases.

The Phase I committee, consisting of several hundred Los Angeles-based members, screened the 66 eligible films between mid-October and January 13. The group’s top six choices, augmented by three additional selections voted by the Academy’s Foreign Language Film Award Executive Committee, constitute the shortlist.

The shortlist will be winnowed down to the five nominees by specially invited committees in New York and Los Angeles. They will spend Friday, January 21, through Sunday, January 23, viewing three films each day and then casting their ballots.

The 83rd Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Tuesday, January 25, 2011, while the
Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2010 will be presented on Sunday, February 27, 2011, at the Kodak Theatre. Stick with DigitalHit.com for your 83rd Academy Awards coverage.