Soon this year’s Oscars will be held again, although this year Hollywood’s famous Academy Awards will only be held in a possible hybrid format two months later than normal due to Covid 19 restrictions.
These awards showcase the best of the U.S. and international film industry each year, awarding the coveted prizes for best acting performances, best soundtracks, and most impressive special effects, among others. Of course, many other awards are given out, including in that category that is unfortunately very often overlooked. The award for the best international feature film, that is, that production that was made outside the United States. “Parasite”, “Roma” and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” are some of the most famous films of the last decade that managed to collect the “Foreign Oscar” award, but, we are sure, there are lesser known titles that you have probably never read about or seen!
We now present to you five international Oscar winners that are definitely worth watching in quiet hours.
“The Official Story”, (1985) – Argentina.
This drama focuses on a mother’s relationship with her adopted daughter during the severe political turmoil in 1980s Argentina. Alicia, embodied by Norma Aleandro, plays a mother who one day begins to wonder where her adopted daughter might actually come from: Was she even stolen from her birth mother, who may have been a political prisoner of the Argentine military junta? The more she investigates her child’s origins, the more she comes to believe that her fears may be true, especially because she must assume that her own husband is part of the military regime behind these monstrosities.
As Alicia tries to unravel the mystery in this award-winning film, this flick takes us on a roller coaster ride of emotions, immersing us in a mix of thriller, tragedy and moral drama. The lead actress, Aleandro, also won the Best Actress award at the Cannes International Film Festival that same year for her outstanding performance, and the film’s gripping plot led to many other successes – all outside of Argentina, of course, culminating in the coveted Academy Awards.
“All About My Mother,” (1999) – Spain.
Pedro Almodóvar’s black comedy is actually a film dedicated to all the women of the world, focusing, according to the director, on a variety of human emotions, primarily love, the loss of a personal relationship and the reawakening of the joy of life that was thought lost. The plot of the film revolves around the story of Manuela, who, facing the tragic death of her son, tries to find solace with old friends she knows from previous years. Her journey takes her to Barcelona, the site of her failed relationship with ex-husband Esteban, who over the years has become a transsexual, and who now leads a completely different life.
During her stay in the Catalan capital, she finds support from her strong friends, first from an old acquaintance – the transsexual prostitute “La Agrada” – and later from a well-known actress who idolized her son. And finally she finds encouragement from a young nun, ably portrayed by Penelope Cruz.
Almodóvar skillfully weaves together all these challenging themes to paint powerful images of strong women. For his cinematic realization, he received both the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival but also the prestigious Oscar that same year, exactly eleven years after he had already created a well-received tragicomedy with the flick “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.”
“Dangerous Trains”, (1984) – France.
The “Ladies’ Gabit” was the cinematic talking point of the past year, as this mini-series on Netflix captivated the television world mainly due to the incredible story of a child prodigy who managed to win one chess tournament after another, eventually becoming the best in the game. But “Dangerous Moves” from 1984 also dealt with a very similar theme. The young rebel Fromm competed against the established chess grandmaster Liebskind, who was also his former chess teacher.
Fromm excels in this strip because he can always fall back on his ability to memorize complicated chess sequences. This fact gives him an enormous advantage in the game, which can be compared to counting cards in blackjack. The rivalry between the two opponents increases as the film progresses, which at the same time leads to moments of great tension, but also to some humorous sections.
For those who appreciate a different kind of gaming experience, you might want to check out the exciting offerings at https://rateitcasino.com/ to add some entertainment to your leisure time. While the many scenes dealing with the art of chess might not be to everyone’s taste, they should definitely pay attention to the outdated 80s outfits in this movie, quite remarkable.
“The Lives of Others”, (2006) – Germany.
“Big Brother is watching you”, but not only by means of public surveillance cameras or digital traces on the net. Because what happens when “Big Brother” snoops and controls you in your own home?
“The Lives of Others” shows the horrors and fears in the Stasi surveillance state of the GDR shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall. A successful playwright, played by Sebastian Koch, enters into a love affair with one of his leading ladies, portrayed by Martina Gedeck, who happens to be working with a high-ranking Stasi official named Wiesler. Consumed by jealousy, Wiesler spies on the playwright’s apartment, where the lovers have frequent trysts. The Stasi official is determined to take revenge on his rival, but what is the best way to do it?
One of the main reasons why this thriller rightfully won the Oscar for the best foreign film was certainly that the repressive regime of the Stasi was so impressively conveyed in this film and thus the audience could be captivated, especially those who had no idea about the times and conditions in East Germany at that time.
“A Fantastic Woman”, (2017) – Chile.
This international co-production is based on the original screenplay by Chilean director Sebastián Lelio, who in this film also managed to skillfully hold a mirror up to his own society and reveal those typical prejudices that arise in the life of a transwoman. In this moving drama, the human need to grieve is denied and the many obstacles that arise for a transgender person are addressed.
When her lover Orlando, played by Francisco Reyes, suddenly dies of an aneurysm, Marina, portrayed by Daniela Vega, must deal with the all-encompassing hostility of her own family and that of the authorities, all of whom react to their relationship with suspicion and rejection. Not only is she made a laughing stock in public because of her gender, but she also has to undergo humiliating physical examinations.
The film is unique in many ways and makes an emphatic attempt to skillfully convey Marina’s grief. A fascinating dance scene and an impulsive struggle against extreme weather are just two ways Marina embodies this struggle. In the end, we are presented with an exciting film that truly more than deserves this foreign Oscar.
