Show summary Hide summary
France has narrowed its choices to five contenders vying to become the country’s entry for Best International Feature at the Oscars. The list mixes festival darlings, a political drama with international controversy, a bold animation, and a coming-of-age film that rode a Critics’ Week victory to the short list.
Five finalists: the films competing for France’s Oscar slot
- Minotaur — Andrey Zvyagintsev’s latest, a harsh examination of corruption in contemporary Russia that won the Grand Prize at Cannes. The director lives in France under asylum and used Cannes to denounce the war. Mubi holds U.S. rights.
- The Battle of De Gaulle: The Iron Age — Antonin Baudry’s sprawling WWII chapter about Charles de Gaulle. Backed by Pathé, the film is part of an epic saga and has already drawn strong box office returns in France.
- The Unknown — Arthur Harari returned to features with a body-swapping drama starring Léa Seydoux and Niels Schneider. The film screened at Cannes and is represented in the U.S. by Neon.
- La Gradiva — Marine Atlan’s coming-of-age story, which won the Grand Prize at Critics’ Week. The narrative follows a school trip to Pompeii and is being handled internationally by MK2; 1-2 Special secured distribution.
- Iron Boy — Louis Clichy’s hand-painted animated film, which premiered in Un Certain Regard and received the Special Jury Prize. Sony Pictures Classics acquired it after the film earned multiple awards at Annecy.
Nas slams music industry over disrespect: teases new music, vows to address it
1992 vocal performances: 3 jaw-dropping moments that still amaze
Festival momentum and awards that matter
Each title arrives with distinct festival credentials. Cannes and Annecy laurels boost visibility.
- “Minotaur” — Cannes Grand Prize, high-profile political backstory.
- “La Gradiva” — Critics’ Week top honor and strong festival buzz.
- “Iron Boy” — Un Certain Regard prize and Annecy trophies for animation.
- “The Unknown” and “De Gaulle” — Cannes exposure and commercial traction.
Distribution moves and international reach
Early distribution partnerships could shape Oscar momentum. U.S. deals bring films to Academy voters.
- Mubi is lined up for U.S. release of Minotaur.
- The Unknown has Neon as its U.S. partner.
- Iron Boy was picked up by Sony Pictures Classics.
- La Gradiva and De Gaulle have international reps working on deals, with a U.S. announcement expected soon.
What the selection committee will weigh
The National Film Board will reopen deliberations on Sept. 16. Producers and international sales agents will present their cases.
- The committee’s membership is now confidential.
- Members will assess awards, box office, festival acclaim, and distribution prospects.
- Language and national identity are likely to be debated. Some members resist choosing a film by a non-French director.
Why language and nationality matter
Tension surfaced last year when France chose a film by Iran’s Jafar Panahi over a French-language picture. That pick later earned an Oscar nomination, but it stirred debate.
Box office and historical context
Two of the shortlisted films have already amassed strong admissions in France, together surpassing five million viewers.
France has a solid record at the Academy but has not taken the international feature Oscar since 1993, when Indochine won.
Behind the directors: profiles to watch
- Andrey Zvyagintsev — Renowned for “Leviathan,” now living in France and outspoken about the war.
- Antonin Baudry — Building a multi-part epic about de Gaulle’s rise.
- Arthur Harari — Fresh from co-writing an Oscar-winning screenplay and returning to directing.
- Marine Atlan — Emerging voice after Critics’ Week success.
- Louis Clichy — Animation veteran with roots in popular French franchises.
