In the interest of being honest, my predictions here are mainly just stabs in the dark. I follow the Oscars and the awards season leading up to them fairly closely. I get an idea what has groundswell, what history says the Academy votes for, and just a general gut feeling regarding certain films. But there’s nothing close to science behind my picks. I mainly like to put them out there as a challenge to myself. As each year passes, I feel I get a little more in tune with the Oscar predicting game and to get better, I must put out some predictions and thoughts.
In the coming weeks, the International Feature category will get shortlisted from 93 films to 15. So here’s a shot in the dark at which films might make the cut.
SHORTLIST PREDICTIONS
“Drive My Car”
Japan
“Prayers for the Stolen”
Mexico
“Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn”
Romania
“The Worst Person in the World”
Norway
“Titane”
France
“I’m Your Man”
Germany
“A Hero”
Iran
“Lamb”
Iceland
“Dying to Divorce”
United Kingdom
“Flee”
Denmark
“Compartment No. 6”
Finland
“Brighton 4th”
Georgia
“The Hand of God”
Italy
“Do Not Hesitate”
Netherlands
“Escape from Mogadishu”
South Korea
ELIGIBLE INTERNATIONAL feature entries:
| Albania — “Two Lions to Venice” |
| Algeria — “Heliopolis” |
| Argentina — “The Intruder” |
| Armenia — “Should the Wind Drop” |
| Australia — “When Pomegranates Howl” |
| Austria — “Great Freedom” |
| Azerbaijan — “The Island Within” |
| Bangladesh — “Rehana” |
| Belgium — “Playground” |
| Bhutan — “Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom” |
| Bolivia — “The Great Movement” |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina — “The White Fortress” |
| Brazil — “Private Desert” |
| Bulgaria — “Fear” |
| Cambodia — “White Building” |
| Cameroon — “Hidden Dreams” |
| Canada — “Drunken Birds” |
| Chad — “Lingui, The Sacred Bonds” |
| Chile — “White on White” |
| China — “Cliff Walkers” |
| Colombia — “Memoria” |
| Costa Rica — “Clara Sola” |
| Croatia — “Tereza37” |
| Czech Republic — “Zátopek” |
| Denmark — “Flee” |
| Dominican Republic — “Holy Beasts” |
| Ecuador — “Submersible” |
| Egypt — “Souad” |
| Estonia — “On the Water” |
| Finland — “Compartment No. 6” |
| France — “Titane” |
| Georgia — “Brighton 4th” |
| Germany — “I’m Your Man” |
| Greece — “Digger” |
| Haiti — “Freda” |
| Hong Kong — “Zero to Hero” |
| Hungary — “Post Mortem” |
| Iceland — “Lamb” |
| India — “Pebbles” |
| Indonesia — “Yuni” |
| Iran — “A Hero” |
| Iraq — “Europa” |
| Ireland — “Shelter” |
| Israel — “Let It Be Morning” |
| Italy — “The Hand of God” |
| Japan — “Drive My Car” |
| Jordan — “Amira” |
| Kazakhstan — “Yellow Cat” |
| Kenya — “Mission to Rescue” |
| Kosovo — “Hive” |
| Kyrgyzstan — “Shambala” |
| Latvia — “The Pit” |
| Lebanon — “Costa Brava, Lebanon” |
| Lithuania — “Isaac” |
| Luxembourg — “Io Sto Bene” |
| Malawi — “Fatsani: A Tale of Survival” |
| Malaysia — “Hail, Driver!” |
| Malta — “Luzzu” |
| Mexico — “Prayers for the Stolen” |
| Montenegro — “After the Winter” |
| Morocco — “Casablanca Beats” |
| Netherlands — “Do Not Hesitate” |
| North Macedonia — “Sisterhood” |
| Norway — “The Worst Person in the World” |
| Palestine — “The Stranger” |
| Panama — “Plaza Catedral” |
| Paraguay — “Nothing but the Sun” |
| Peru — “Powerful Chief” |
| Poland — “Leave No Traces” |
| Portugal — “The Metamorphosis of Birds” |
| Romania — “Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn” |
| Russia — “Unclenching the Fists” |
| Saudi Arabia — “The Tambour of Retribution” |
| Serbia — “Oasis” |
| Singapore — “Precious Is the Night” |
| Slovakia — “107 Mothers” |
| Slovenia — “Sanremo” |
| Somalia — “The Gravedigger’s Wife” |
| South Africa — “Barakat” |
| South Korea — “Escape from Mogadishu” |
| Spain — “The Good Boss” |
| Sweden — “Tigers” |
| Switzerland — “Olga” |
| Taiwan — “The Falls” |
| Thailand — “The Medium” |
| Tunisia — “Golden Butterfly” |
| Turkey — “Commitment Hasan” |
| Ukraine — “Bad Roads” |
| United Kingdom — “Dying to Divorce” |
| Uruguay — “The Broken Glass Theory” |
| Uzbekistan — “2000 Songs of Farida” |
| Venezuela — “The Inner Glow” |
| Vietnam — “Dad, I’m Sorry” |
