For those of you keeping track of the Best Foreign Language Film race, Screen Daily carries details of submissions from two countries with good previous form in the category.
After fouling foul of the Academy’s arcane rules last year — their entry “Lust, Caution” was disqualified for not being sufficiently Taiwanese — Taiwan is hoping for better luck this time with “Cape No. 7,” a romantic comedy about a group of coastal townspeople who form a support band for a visiting pop star.
The Netherlands, meanwhile, has selected “Dunya and Desie,” a youth-oriented road comedy about two best friends travelling through Morocco. I find it a surprising choice — the sweeping period weepie “Bride Flight” seemed more Oscar-friendly to me — but the film’s topical theme of Muslim-Western relations might resonate with voters.
Variety, reviewing it at the Berlin fest in February, loved the film, saying it “positively sings with upbeat energy and humor,” drawing favourable comparisons to “Bend It Like Beckham,” and finally citing “enormous remake potential.”
For a country with such a small industry, the Dutch have an enviable track record in this category, having won three times, as well as managing nominations for such minor works as “Zus en Zo” and “Twin Sisters.” They are always ones to watch.
Comments
4 responses to “Foreign film watch: Holland and Taiwan pick their horses”
I wanted to write an article about the Dutch choice but haven’t gotten around to posting it yet on my Blog. It was one of the genuine surprises to me this year. The emotional core of the film, the friendship of the girls, is amazing. But indeed, while this may seem less ambitious than Bride Flight, it has a lot of feelgood emotion going for it and it’s also a typically Dutch subject, which could make it go either way.
Thanks, Jonathan – I was kind of baiting you with this post, as I knew you’d have a useful perspective on the issue.
D&D sounds very interesting indeed – I look forward to seeing it.
Oh also, it was my girlfriend who kinda dragged me to see it. I was expecting just another teenage film but it is so much more. Also don’t forget that Hassouni won an international Emmy 2 years ago or something.
Bride Flight is opening here within a month orso, but it looks very baity awards wise.
Here we are:
http://moviehobbyist.blog.com/3806793/