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2024 Foreign Film Oscar Analysis

2024 was a very good year for foreign films and thankfully the Academy’s slate reflected on that. This is a pretty good list of nominees with only two films that weren’t deserving of their inclusion. The other three are all excellent and I appreciated the diversity of genres and mediums represented here. The two best films of the year were nominated here and another one that was also in my top ten for the year, so I was ultimately quite happy with this slate.

My Ranking of the Nominees:

5. Emilia Perez

Emilia Perez gets the last spot on this list, but not for the things that perpetual online activists accused the film of being, but for just being so damn messy. This was a wild swing for Jacques Audiard that worked in its kinetic energy and solid acting performances, but it did not work tonally and structurally. I respect it for its originality, but sadly the musical and crime genres do not mash together well at all. The film is unpredictable, but I didn’t love where it went toward the end. It thankfully lost an Oscar to a much more deserved film.

4. The Seed of the Sacred Fig

Mohammad Rasoulof’s The Seed of the Sacred Fig is an inferior film to the director’s previous outing. This is a very well shot, edited and acted movie, but one that needed a better structure and a more confident tone. Both the political and the family drama elements worked, but they felt somewhat disconnected from each other at the end of the day. This film got in for the the director and the subject matter more so than the execution that is quite weak. Also, the movie representing Germany at the Oscars instead of Iran felt very wrong to me.

3. The Girl with the Needle

The Girl with the Needle gets the third spot on this list and deservedly so. This underrated movie is further proof that no fictional monster can ever be as scary as the worst human beings among us. This is a horror period piece done right – the atmosphere is incredibly menacing and bleak, the black-and-white cinematography is gorgeous, and its score is aptly suspenseful. Beautifully acted and wonderfully directed, this truly disturbing, horrifying movie is not for the faint of heart, but for those who appreciate artistic, refined and grounded horror, it will be an absolute treat.

2. I’m Still Here

Films that focus on story, characters and emotions instead of technical aspects and preachiness are rare these days, which is why the Brazilian drama I’m Still Here feels like an instant classic that is universal and timeless in its appeal. Fernanda Torres delivered a phenomenally rich and nuanced turn in the main role of Eunice Paiva and what a role this is. The film’s first half is filled with such warm and positive vibes that are perfectly contrasted with the eventual grief and turmoil that would define the second half. Beautifully directed and wonderfully written, the movie also features a genuinely touching ending that made me tear up. This is undeniably one of the best films of 2024 and a deserved Oscar winner this year even if it’s my number two.

1. Flow

The small movie that could, Flow wasn’t just nominated for best animated film, it was also nominated for best foreign film, which very rarely happens and it couldn’t have happened to a nicer movie. This Latvian masterpiece is entirely animal-centric and it has no spoken dialogue, but is deeper and more engaging than any mainstream animated fare out there. This diverse group of animal friends was easy to root for and the ending was so beautiful. Gints Zilbalodis wrote, directed and scored this film on his own, signaling a major talent arriving on the scene. A movie like no other, Flow isn’t just the best animated and foreign film of the year, but the best movie period.

Films That Should Have Been Nominated:

Laapataa Ladies – I preferred both ‘Meiyazhagan’ and ‘Girls Will Be Girls’ over this one, but Laapataa Ladies was sent by India and it genuinely could and should have been nominated given its feminist messaging and very well crafted screenplay and technical aspects. It’s a very sweet and grounded drama.

The Count of Monte Cristo – The Count of Monte Cristo is a sweeping French production that is a technical marvel and an exciting adventure. It’s also a very well made, smart drama that works in strong dialogue, characterization and memorable scenarios. It’s a very good, competent adaptation.

The Room Next Door – The Room Next Door is one of the most underappreciated films of the year. This Pedro Almodovar movie was attacked for being too cold and fake, but in actuality it’s a very touching tale of friendship that is propelled by strong acting performances from its two leads and a very realistic exploration of its subject matter.