Nine Foreign Language Films Set To Compete For Oscar

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced the list of nine films that are still in contention for the Best Foreign Film Oscar:

Austria, Revanche, Gotz Spielmann, director;
Canada, The Necessities of Life, Benoit Pilon, director;
France, The Class, Laurent Cantet, director;
Germany, The Baader Meinhof Complex, Uli Edel, director;
Israel, Waltz with Bashir, Ari Folman, director;
Japan, Departures, Yojiro Takita, director;
Mexico, Tear This Heart Out, Roberto Sneider, director;
Sweden, Everlasting Moments, Jan Troell, director;
Turkey, 3 Monkeys, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, director

The major snub is the Italian crime drama Gomorrah, from director Matteo Garrone. Gomorrah recently won the endorsement of Martin Scorsese, which means that it will carry "Martin Scorsese Presents" in its title when it's released in America on February 13. Garrone's film has been internationally praised and it has won many awards, including Best Picture and Best Director at the 2008 Eurpoean Film Awards.

The Gomorrah snub is bound to anger passionate film buffs. Many critics and industry types cried fowl last year as well when 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days was snubbed despite receiving some of the best reviews of the year.

Since it recently won the Golden Globe for Best Foreign film, Waltz with Bashir should be seen as the current favorite to walk away with the Oscar. Early on, many wondered whether or not the film would land in the Best Animated, Best Documentary or the Best Foreign Film category, since it technically qualifies as all three.

Even though Bashir may be the favorie, Laurent Cantet's The Class should not be underestimated. The film had to muscle past a competitive French slate this year in order to snag the nod. Check out B OXOFFICE's interview with Cantet here .