Film contributions from 88 countries are applying for the so-called Foreign Oscar in 2024. This was announced by the Oscar Academy in Beverly Hills, California. For Germany, the drama “The Teacher’s Room” by director Ilker Çatak is in the running in the “International Feature Film” category. The focus is on a teacher (Leonie Benesch) who secretly installs a camera in the teacher’s room to investigate a series of thefts.
Among the foreign candidates for the 96th Academy Awards next March, “Under the Hanging Tree” is the first entry from Namibia. Japan is represented with the drama “Perfect Days” directed by Wim Wenders, France with “Beloved Cook”, Finland with “Falling Leaves”, Ukraine with the documentary “20 Days in Mariupol”.
The war documentary “20 Days in Mariupol” by the Ukrainian journalist Mstyslav Chernov is also among the 167 films that qualified for the documentary Oscar race. In the “Documentary Feature Film” category, director Wenders is also represented with the film “Anselm – The Rushing of Time” about the German artist Anselm Kiefer.
“Nothing New in the West” won four Oscars
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences selects 15 films from each application. This “shortlist” is scheduled to be announced on December 21st. Five films will be nominated for the final round on January 23rd. The Oscars ceremony is scheduled for March 10, 2024.
The German literary adaptation “All Quiet in the West” by director Edward Berger won four Oscars last March – for cinematography, production design, film music and as best “international film”. Before that, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck last won the foreign Oscar in 2007 with the Stasi drama “The Lives of Others”.
