Golden Globe Musings: Best Foreign Film

Golden Globe nominations for this year will be announced in just a few weeks, so here’s a survey of the contenders and the most likely predictions at this time. Weigh in with your thoughts, and let me know if I’ve left off anything important. A reminder that the Globes are wildly unpredictable and that it is still a bit early to gauge the reception or awards potential of a number of the so-called “contenders” at this point.

Last year’s nominees:
Divines (France)
Elle (France)
Neruda (Chile)
The Salesman (Iran)
Toni Erdmann (Germany)

I’m not too up to date on this race as of yet, but I always find it extremely useful to peruse Nathaniel’s foreign film charts over at The Film Experience to get a sense of the frontrunners. The Oscar eligibility list isn’t the same as the HFPA’s, but it’s the best place to start. The only one on the list that I’ve seen is The Square (Sweden), which is sure to place here even though I can’t comprehend how it’s Oscar-eligible given the amount of English spoken, which isn’t a problem for Globe voters. First They Killed My Father (Cambodia), from director Angelina Jolie, whose last foreign-language film earned a mention in this race, is a good bet. Other top contenders include BPM (France) and In the Fade (Germany), as well as LovelessA Fantastic Woman (Chile), On Body and Soul (Hungary), Thelma (Norway), and Summer 1993(Spain). I’m sure I’m missing some – we’ll have to see what the list turns out to be.

Current predictions:
BPM (France)
First They Killed My Father (Cambodia)
In the Fade (Germany)
The Square (Sweden)
Thelma (Norway)