Foreign Language Film shortlist announced

(thanks to ‘Someone’ for reminding us to keep an eye out.)

Austria, “Revanche” (Gotz Spielmann, director)
Canada, “The Necessities of Life” (Benoit Pilon, director)
France, “The Class” (Laurent Cantet, director)
Germany, “The Baader Meinhof Complex” (Uli Edel, director)
Israel, “Waltz with Bashir” (Ari Folman, director)
Japan, “Departures” (Yojiro Takita, director)
Mexico, “Tear This Heart Out” (Roberto Sneider, director)
Sweden, “Everlasting Moments” (Jan Troell, director)
Turkey, “3 Monkeys” (Nuri Bilge Ceylan, director)

Sasha and I never know how to handle promoting foreign language films we love, because it almost seems as if this AMPAS Phase I “committee” takes perverse pleasure in thwarting recognition of some of the best international films every year. Once again, this convoluted and arcane system has snubbed much of the best of global cinema.

There are some powerful movies here. But, speaking for myself, sometimes I think the AMPAS committee might feel embarrassed and humiliated by the riches found in other countries. It makes the usual suspects look a lot more important when Gomorra, A Christmas Tale, Edge of Heaven, and Let the Right One In don’t even get invited to the party. (Yes, I know Let the Right One In isn’t eligible. But the eligibility rules are part of the reason the AMPAS system is so broken.)