Golden Globe Musings: Best Foreign Film

Golden Globe Musings: Best Foreign Film

The following represents some preliminary thoughts on Golden Globe contenders for the given category. Predictions will be narrowed and revised towards the end of November or the beginning of December. A reminder that the Globes are wildly unpredictable and that it is way to early to gauge the reception or awards potential of a number of the so-called “contenders” at this point. Rules of eligibility in this category are often weird and not as stringent as at the Oscars. Some of the films I list as contenders may not ultimately be eligible. At this point it is just guesswork and advance buzz. There will be little commentary for each contender simply because I know very little about each of the films.

The top contenders:
THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY (France)
This film was deemed ineligible for the Best Picture prize and relegated to this category. A Cannes favorite written by Oscar-winner Ronald Harwood and starring Max von Sydow.

THE EDGE OF HEAVEN (Germany)
Germany tends to do well in this category, and the film picked up a Screenplay award at Cannes.

4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS, AND 2 DAYS (Romania)
This film was all over Cannes and is supposed to be fantastic. The one near-universal prediction for this category that I have seen.

THE KITE RUNNER (USA)
Well, it’s directed by Marc Forster (“Finding Neverland”), but like “Letters from Iwo Jima”, it is in a foreign language so it is therefore considered a foreign film. Unless it really sucks, the film should have no problem slipping in here.

LUST, CAUTION (TAIWAN)
Ang Lee’s newest film was recently decreed ineligible for this prize at the Oscars, so this will have to be its best shot. Lee’s film is very artfully done, and its extreme sexuality is best suited in this category, which is not as concerned with that kind of thing.

THE ORPHANAGE (SPAIN)
It is being marketed with producer Guillermo Del Toro’s name attached at the hip, and the poster even looks a bit like “Pan’s Labyrinth.”

PERSEPOLIS (FRANCE)
This one is supposed to be terrific, plus it has the country’s backing for its official Academy Awards submission.

LA VIE EN ROSE (FRANCE)
This film faces much internal national competition, but Marion Cotillard so well embodies Edith Piaf that the slightly underwhelming film might be carried to a nomination.

XXY (ARGENTINA)
It sounds absolutely interesting, and Argentina is a good source country.

THE YEAR MY PARENTS WENT ON VACATION (Brazil)
This one I actually heard great things about from a friend. The plot sounds great.

Current predictions:
4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS, AND 2 DAYS
THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY
THE KITE RUNNER
LUST, CAUTION
THE YEAR MY PARENTS WENT ON VACATION