Gilles Bourdos' Renoir has been selected by France as its contender for Best Foreign Language Oscar consideration this year. The film debuted in Cannes in the Un Certain Regard section in 2012.
The selection comes in the wake that this year's French-language Cannes Palme d'Or winner Blue Is the Warmest Color was deemed ineligible for the Foreign Language Oscar race due to a quirk in the category's rules, according to Deadline. The film is being released October 9 in France, just missing the September 30 cut off date as stipulated by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. Renoir, which was released by Stateside by Samuel Goldwyn Films in March, fell into the specified timeframe for release in its home country. It opened there January 2.
Set in the French Riviera in 1915, the film revolves around Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Jean Renoir and the woman who became the painters model and lover and tars Vincent Rottiers and Christa Theret. French selection committee members include two permanent judges, Cannes head Thierry Frémaux and CNC's Paul Otchakovsky-Laurens as well as actress Isabelle Adjani, screenwriter Sylvette Baudrot, director Laurent Cantet, producer Estelle Fialon and César Academy president Alain Terzian.
Most recently, Saudi Arabia submitted its first film for consideration in the category. Wadjda by Haifaa Al Mansour, which paints an oppressive picture for women in the deeply conservative Muslim Kingdom, will vie for a nomination in January. The film opened in three theaters over the weekend in the U.S. to strong audiences.
“We are proud of the film as as authentic representation of our country and culture and are pleased to see the themes of the film resonate with audiences well beyond out borders,” said Sultan Al Bazie, the head of the Saudi nominating committee in The Guardian. Set in the homes and madrasas of Riyadh, Wadjda follows a 10-year-old girl who enters a Qur'an reading competition in order to raise money to buy a bicycle. Her teacher is subsequently appalled and her mother is fearful. “You won't be able to have children if you ride a bike,” the girl is informed.
Current entries for Best Foregin Language Oscar consideration:
Australia, The Rocket, Kim Mordaunt


Austria, The Wall, Julian Pölsler

Bulgaria, Colour of the Chameleon, Emil Hristov

Chile, Gloria, Sebastián Lelio


Croatia, Halima’s Path, Arsen Anton Ostojić

Dominican Republic, Who’s the Boss?, Ronni Castillo
Finland, Disciple, Ulrika Bengts
France, Renoir, Gilles Bourdos

Georgia, In Bloom, Nana Ekvtimishvili, Simon Groß


Germany, Two Lives, Georg Maas


Greece, Boy Eating The Bird’s Food, Ektoras Lygizos

Hungary, The Notebook, Janosz Szasz

Japan, The Great Passage, Yuya Ishii

Latvia, Mother, I Love You, Janis Nords
Luxembourg, Blind Spot, Christophe Wagner

Montenegro, Bad Destiny, Draško Đurović


Morocco, God’s Horses, Nabil Ayouch

Nepal, Soongava: Dance of the Orchids, Subarna Thapa


The Netherlands, Borgman, Alex van Warmerdam


New Zealand, White Lies, Dana Rotberg

Pakistan, Zinda Bhaag, Meenu Gaur, Farjad Nabi

Romania, Child’s Pose, Calin Peter Netzer

Saudi Arabia, Wadjda, Haifaa Al Mansour
Serbia, Circles, Srdan Golubovic

Singapore, Ilo Ilo, Anthony Chen


South Korea, Juvenile Offender, Kang Yi-kwan


Sweden, Eat Sleep Die, Gabriela Pichler

Turkey, The Butterfly’s Dream, Yılmaz Erdoğan

Venezuela, Breach in the Silence, Luis RodrĂguez, AndrĂ©s RodrĂguez
