A Guide to This Year’s Oscar-Nominated Foreign Films Inline
Photo: Courtesy of © Sony Pictures Classics1/5Leviathan
Ever since it debuted at Cannes last year, Leviathan has met with worldwide critical acclaim, and it just took home the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film. Directed by Andrey Zvyagintsev, the movie tells the story of Kolya, a modest mechanic living in a small fishing village, and his fight against a corrupt mayor who is trying to seize his house. Zvyagintsev says the film is a reimagining of the Book of Job, but many consider Leviathan a criticism of Putin’s government.
Now playing in select New York theaters
Photo: Courtesy of © Cohen Media Group2/5Timbuktu
It’s unfortunate, but Timbuktu feels as timely as ever. This Mauritanian film directed by Abderrahmane Sissako follows the fundamentalist Islamic takeover of the city in Mali. The heart of this devastating, at times satirical narrative is in the charismatic cattle herder Kidane, who refuses to let a culture of violence and fear destroy his humanity.
Premieres in select theaters today
Photo: Courtesy of © Warner Bros.3/5Wild Tales
A devilishly dark comedy, Wild Tales weaves together six loosely connected stories of revenge that begin and end with a sharp twist, including the tale of a new bride who learns of her husband’s infidelities during their wedding reception, and the vignette of a jerk in a sports car who gives the finger to a man in a slower, cheaper car, only to need the man’s help later when a tire goes flat. Spectacularly absurd, this Argentinian film dramatizes what can happen when someone is pushed over the edge.
Coming to select theaters on February 20
Photo: Courtesy of © Soloban4/5Ida
With its stunning black and white images, this Polish drama is not only up for Best Foreign Language Film, but also Best Cinematography. But _Ida’_s plot is just as compelling as its visuals. Set in Communist Poland, the film follows a young Catholic nun who is about to take her vows when she learns from a long-lost aunt that she’s actually of Jewish descent. Following the revelation, Ida and her aunt, Wanda, embark on a trip to find out the truth about Ida’s parents’ fate.
Available on Netflix
Photo: Courtesy of © Allfilm5/5Tangerines
Forget American Sniper—this year’s most effective anti-war movie is actually Tangerines. Written and directed by Zaza Urushadze, the film tells the story of two Estonian tangerine farmers living in war-torn Abkhazia who stumble upon two wounded soldiers from opposing factions (one Chechen and one Georgian). The farmers decide to save the soldiers’ lives and nurse them back to health in their home, even though the soldiers have vowed to kill each other once they’ve healed.
