By Lulu Kohler / Columnist
Chris Rock Presenting at the 2024 Oscars. Credit: Getty Images
Movies are spectacular. For as long as they have been around, they have offered an escape for the audience to become immersed in some other world, no matter how elaborate or relatable. There is something so captivating about seeing the world we live in portrayed so artfully by others.
Naturally, there is quite a bit of noise surrounding the most acclaimed and prestigious film awards, the Oscars. Whether you are a casual viewer or on top of every new release, nobody can avoid the drama and anticipation of award season. Barbie and Oppenheimer definitely gained a lot of attention going into the Oscars, but there were also a number of superb international films – outside of America – that deserve the same recognition. So, how did these foreign directors give the audience some insight into culture, language, and history through their art?
The first place to look is the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. The five nominees told stories ranging from Perfect Days’ little moments to the relatable struggles of The Teacher’s Lounge to Io Capitano’s harrowing journey across Africa, each with a unique flair regardless of scale. Society of the Snow did a fantastic job retelling the story of the 1972 rugby team who crashed on Flight 571 in the Andes. Not only did the Spanish director consult with remaining survivors of the event to portray a more accurate depiction, but he also highlighted the personality of the cast by using primarily unknown, Uruguayan-Spanish actors.
Ultimately, The Zone of Interest, an A24 film directed by Englishman Jonathan Glazer, won the award in this category. The film depicts the true story of Rudolph Hoss, a commander at Auschwitz during the Nazi occupation, and his family who live directly next to the camp, only separated by a wall and a fence. It is uncomfortable to watch, as it feels incredibly real and invasive into the family’s life, but it is through its unsettling nature that its accuracy thrives.
Also detailing the horrors of war, 20 Days in Mariupol is a documentary focusing on Mariupol in western Ukraine as the Russian invasion began in 2022. A team of journalists under the Associated Press, including director Mstyslav Chernov, documented the atrocities that occurred in the early days of the invasion, including bombings, the roll in of tanks, fleeing, and some mass graves. As a first hand account of the event, it is one of the most accurate and useful resources to tell the story of those in Ukraine. After being recognised globally at Sundance, the BAFTAs, and the Director’s Guild of America, it finally won the Academy Award for Best Documentary this past March.
Outside of these two categories, both Past Lives and Anatomy of a Fall were nominated for Best Picture.
Directed by Korean-Canadian Celine Song, Past Lives tells the story of two childhood friends who reunite many times over the course of their adulthood. It specifically focuses on the Korean Buddhist belief of Inyun, which is the fate that ties any person one ever meets in one life to them again in their next life. This incorporation of Korean culture adds a depth to contrasting characters as one explores life in America while the other stays more traditional in Seoul.
Anatomy of a Fall, meanwhile, focuses less on culture and heritage and more on the blunt story telling of her protagonist’s dilemma. Even so, Triet uses language to build upon her characters. While most of the film is spoken in English, the son speaks entirely in French and there is a unique power dynamic in the court between Sandra and the lawyers as they ask her questions in French and she responds in English. It gives her character more emotion, and arguably isolates her from her French peers.
Every year, the assortment of international films from foreign directors increases, and there are more and more magnificent motion pictures. The Oscars provide a great but limited scope of all that is out there, so never hesitate to look beyond and further into this art form to see more of the world from your own seat.
