Cuba, Vietnam, Venezuela, Bangladesh Pick Oscar Entries
Four countries have named their submissions for Best International Feature at the 99th Academy Awards, including Cuba's 'Malecón' and Vietnam's box-office hit.
Cuba, Vietnam, Venezuela and Bangladesh have each selected their official submission for Best International Feature Film at the 99th Academy Awards, according to Variety.
Cuba is backing Carlos Larrazabal's Malecón. Vietnam has chosen Nguyễn Phan Quang Bình's Spirit Guardians: The Last Secret of the First Emperor, which grossed more than VND38 billion ($1.5 million) at the local box office after its August release.
Venezuela's pick is Jorge Thielen Armand's Death Has No Master, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in the Directors' Fortnight section. It went on to screen at the Locarno Film Festival, where Asia Argento received a lifetime achievement award, and at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas.
Bangladesh selected Mejbaur Rahman Sumon's Roid, which had its premiere as a Tiger Competition selection at the 55th International Film Festival Rotterdam and was also selected for the Seattle International Film Festival.
The announcements arrive in a season shaped by a new Academy rule allowing any film that wins the top prize at one of the six biggest festivals — Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Sundance, Busan and Toronto — to enter the international feature race even without a national committee's backing. At Cannes, Romania's Fjord took the Palme d'Or, Germany's Everytime won Un Certain Regard, France's Minotaur claimed the Grand Prix and Poland's Fatherland took best director.
Quick answers
Which films are Cuba, Vietnam, Venezuela and Bangladesh submitting to the Oscars?
Cuba picked 'Malecón,' Vietnam chose 'Spirit Guardians: The Last Secret of the First Emperor,' Venezuela selected 'Death Has No Master' and Bangladesh entered 'Roid' for Best International Feature Film at the 99th Academy Awards.
What is the new Academy rule for international feature submissions?
A film that wins the top prize at one of the six biggest festivals — Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Sundance, Busan and Toronto — can enter the international feature race even without a national committee's backing.
How did Vietnam's 'Spirit Guardians' perform at the box office?
It grossed over VND38 billion ($1.5 million) locally after its August release.