CMFH Massive Missives

Check out the following flicks that 63 countries have submitted for 2008 Oscar consideration in the foreign language category (to be narrowed to 5 on Jan. 22). 61 (some overlap) qualified for the Golden Globes (nominations announced Dec. 13).

Maybe someday the U.S. will be brave enough to compete on an international level, instead of barring by subtitles. In the meantime, head to the Palm Springs International Film Fest Jan. 3-14, as they have been known to show international nominees.

Argentina: XXY, Lucia Puenzo (directing debut) + GG
Australia: The Home Song Stories, Tony Ayres
Austria: The Counterfeiters (Die Fälscher), Stefan Ruzowitzky + GG
Azerbaijan: Caucasia, Farid Gumbatov

Bangladesh: On the Wings of Dreams (Swopnodanay), Golam Rabbany Biplob (first-time anything)
Belgium: Ben X, Nic Balthazar (directing debut) + GG
Bosnia and Herzegovina: It’s Hard to Be Nice (Tesko je biti fin), Srdan Vuletic
Brazil: The Year My Parents Went on Vacation (O Ano em Que Meus Pais Saíram de Férias), Cao Hamburger + GG
GG: A Casa de Alice (Alice's House); Happy Desert
Bulgaria: Warden of the Dead (Pazachyt na myrtvite), Ilian Simeonov

Canada: Days of Darkness (L' Âge des ténèbres), Denys Arcand (The Decline of the American Empire) + GG
Chile: Padre Nuestro, Rodrigo Sepulveda
China: The Knot (Yun shui yao), Yin Li (2nd film since 1994)
Colombia: Satanás, Andi/Andrés Baiz
Croatia: Armin, Ognjen Svilicic + GG
Cuba: The Silly Age (La Edad de la peseta), Pavel Giroud + GG
Czech Republic: I Served the King of England (Obsluhoval jsem anglického krále), Jirí Menzel (1966 Oscar winner, Closely Watched Trains) + GG
Czech Republic & Romania & Slovakia GG: Roming

Denmark: The Art of Crying (Kunsten at græde i kor), Peter Schønau Fog + GG
Dominican Republic GG: Yuniol
Egypt: In the Heliopolis Flat (Fi shaket Masr El Gedeeda), Mohamed Khan
Estonia: The Class (Klass), Ilmar Raag

Finland: A Man’s Job (Miehen työ), Aleksi Salmenpera
France: Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi (directing debut) & Vincent Paronnaud + GG
GG: Blame It on Fidel (La Faute a Fidel); La Vie En Rose; Lady Chatterley; Moliere; My Best Friend; Roman De Gare
France & USA GG: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Georgia: The Russian Triangle (Rusuli samkudhedi), Aleko Tsabadze
Germany: The Edge of Heaven (Auf der anderen Seite), Fatih Akin (In July)
GG: Strike (Strajk - Die Heldin von Danzig); Vanaja Vier Minuten
Greece: Eduart, Angeliki Antoniou
Hong Kong: Exiled (Fong juk), Johnnie To (prolific with 46 directing credits) [DVD on Dec.4]
Hungary: Taxidermia, György Pálfi
GG: 56 Drops of Blood; Nosedive

Iceland: Jar City (Mýrin), Baltasar Kormákur
India: Eklavya: The Royal Guard (Yagna), Vidhu Vinod Chopra + GG
GG: Chakde! India; Saawariya
Indonesia: Denias, Singing on the Cloud (Denias, Senandung di atas awan), John De Rantau (first-time anything)
Iran: M for Mother (Mim mesle madar), Rasoul Mollagholipour
Iraq: The Agony of a People (Jani Gal), Jamil Rostami
Ireland: Kings, Tom Collins + GG
Israel: Beaufort, Joseph Cedar + GG
Italy: The Unknown (La Sconosciuta), Giuseppe Tornatore (1990 Oscar winner, Cinéma Paradiso; 2000 nom, Malèna)
GG: A Casa Nostra (Our Country); La cena per farli conoscere (Dinner for their First Date); L'aria salata (Salty Air); Lezioni di volo (Flying Lessons); Mio fratello e figlio unico (My Brother is an Only Child); Uno Su Due (One out of Two)

Japan: I Just Didn’t Do It (Soredemo boku wa yattenai), Masayuki Suo (last film was 1996's Shall We Dance?)
Kazakhstan: Mongol, Sergei Bodrov (1997 Oscar nom, Prisoner of the Mountains) + GG
Korea: Secret Sunshine (Milyang), Chang-dong Lee + GG
Lebanon: Caramel, Nadine Labaki + GG
Luxembourg: Little Secrets (Perl oder Pica), Pol Cruchten

Macedonia: Shadows (Senki), Milcho Manchevski (1995 Oscar nom, Before the Rain)
Mexico: Silent Light (Stellet licht), Carlos Reygadas (2002's Japón) + GG
GG: El Viaje de la Nonna (Nonna's Trip); Malos Habitos; Ninas Mal; Parpados Azules; Partes Usadas; Under the Same Moon (La Misma Luna)
The Netherlands: Duska, Jos Stelling
Norway: Gone with the Woman (Tatt av kvinnen), Petter Næss (2001 Oscar nom, Elling) + GG

Peru: Crossing a Shadow (Una Sombra al frente), Augusto Tamayo San Román
Philippines: Donsol, Adolfo Alix, Jr.
Poland: Katyn (Post mortem. Opowiesc katynska), Andrzej Wajda (1981 Oscar nom, Man of Iron; 1975 nom, The Promised Land) + GG
Portugal: Belle Toujours, Manoel de Oliveira (99 years old, director since 1931; follow up to Luis Buñuel's 1967 Belle de Jour)
Puerto Rico: Love Sickness (Maldeamores), Carlitos Ruiz (directing debut) & Mariem Perez + GG
GG: Angel

Romania: 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (4 luni, 3 saptamani si 2 zile), Cristian Mungiu (buzz buzz buzz) + GG
Russia: 12, Nikita Mikhalkov (1995 Oscar winner, Burnt by the Sun; 1993 nom, Close to Eden)
GG: Alexandra

Serbia: The Trap (Klopka), Srdjan Golubovic
Singapore: 881, Royston Tan
GG: Just Follow Law
Slovakia: Return of the Storks (Návrat bocianov), Martin Repka
Slovenia: Short Circuits (Kratki stiki), Janez Lapajne
Spain: The Orphanage (El Orfanato), Juan Antonio Bayona (feature debut; Guillermo del Toro produced) + GG
Sweden: You, the Living (Du levande), Roy Andersson
Switzerland: Late Bloomers (Die Herbstzeitlosen), Bettina Oberli

Taiwan: Island Etude (Lian xi qu), Chen Huai-En
GG: Lust, Caution
Thailand: King of Fire (The Legend of Naresuan: Declaration in Independence / Tamnaan somdet phra Naresuan maharat: Phaak prakaat itsaraphaap), Chatrichalerm Yukol
Turkey: A Man’s Fear of God (Takva), Özer Kiziltan (featre debut) + GG
GG: Bliss

Uruguay: The Pope’s Toilet (El Baño del Papa), Enrique Fernández (directoring debut) & César Charlone (cinematographer for The Constant Gardener, City of God)
USA GG: The Kite Runner; Ladron Que Roba a Ladron
Venezuela: Postcards from Leningrad (Postales de Leningrado), Mariana Rondón
Vietnam: The White Silk Dress (Ao lua ha dong), Luu Huynh
GG: The Owl and the Sparrow (Cu Va Chim Se Se)