Ten Shortlisted Films for Best International Feature Oscars 2020

By José Alberto Hermosillo

Ten Shortlisted Films for Best International Feature Film for the Oscars 2020. Festival in LA

TEN SHORTLISTED INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILMS PRE-SELECTED IN THE CATEGORY OF BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM:

The Czech Republic, “The Painted Bird”
Estonia, “Truth and Justice”
France, “Les Misérables”
Hungary, “Those Who Remained”
North Macedonia, “Honeyland”
Poland, “Corpus Christi”
Russia, “Beanpole”
Senegal, “Atlantics”
South Korea, “Parasite”
Spain, “Pain and Glory”

A record number of 94 countries submitted their films to the 92^nd Academy Awards for the Best International Feature Film, previously known as the Best Foreign Language category. 

Out of those 94 submissions, the one from Afghanistan was ineligible. Austria and Nigeria were disqualified because more than fifty percent of the dialog is in English. 

From that long list, ten films are shortlisted now, before the nominations announcement mid-January.  

Not many surprises as the frontrunner and top foreign box-office, Cannes winner “Parasite,” seem to be ahead of the other preselected films.

Not that fast, the favorite film not always wins the Oscar. It happened in 2009 with Michael Haneke's Palme d'Or winner “The White Ribbon” loosing against the undiscovered Argentinian political-thriller “The Secret in their Eyes,” both films are equally meaningful with extraordinary beauty.

Last year, the Venice Film Festival winner “Roma” from Mexico won the Oscar over Cannes winner Japanse social drama “Shoplifters.” And a year before the transgender Chilean love story “A Fantastic Woman” beat Cannes winner “The Square” from Sweden.

In history, very few films won the Palme d’Or and the Oscar as well. The last movie to do so was “Amour” in 2012. “Pele the Conqueror” won both in 1987, “The Thin Drum” in 1979. “A Man and a Woman” in 1966, “La Dolce Vita” from Italy won in 1960, and “Black Orpheus” made in Brazil, represented France in 1959, won Cannes and the Oscar.

Measuring art is subjective, but not for the Academy members who prefer a wide variety of topics than the ones that have won in the influential European Film Festivals.

The films from Latin America are out of the competition after winning the Oscar for two consecutive years, "A Fantastic Woman" from Chile, and "Roma" from Mexico. "Invisible Life," the masterwork from Brazil and "Retablo" from Peru, both films were nominated for Independent Spirit Awards, but after the shortlist announcement have no chance for an Oscar nomination.

This award season, anything can happen because the most controversial film of the year, "The Painted Bird" from the Czech Republic, made the cut. The eco-friendly documentary from North Macedonia's "Honeyland," or even "Beanpole" from Russia, can win over the three favorites, "Parasite" from South Korea, "Pain and Glory" from Spain, and "Les Misérables" from France. 

The Painted Bird, Czech Republic

Directed by Václav Marhoul.

Language: Interslavic. 

Truth and Justice, Estonia

Directed by Tanel Toon

Language: Estonia

Les Misérables, France

Directed by Ladj Ly

Language: French.

Those Who Remained, Hungary

Directed by Barnabás Tóth

Language: Hungarian.

Honeyland, North Macedonia

Directed by Ljubomir Stefanov and Tamara Kotovska

Language: Turkish, Macedonian, Bosnian.

Corpus Christi, Poland

Directed by Jean Komasa 
Language: Polish

Beanpole, Russia
Directed by Kantermir Balagov

Language: Russian

Atlantics, Senegal

Directed by Mati Diop

Language: Wolof, French, English.

Parasite, South Korea

Directed by Bong Joon-ho

Language: Korean.

Pain and Glory, Spain

Directed by Pedro Almodovar

Language: Spanish.

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Honeyland: The Last Beekeeper of North Macedonia

By José Alberto Hermosillo

“Honeyland” is one of the year's most outstanding achievements in filmmaking. This realistic and dramatic documentary portrays the living conditions of a beekeeper in a rural area of North Macedonia, conditions that no one can ignore. Remarkable, environmentally opportune, and unmissable.

“Honeyland” chronicles the life of a determined provincial woman who stoically defies both other humans and nature to save the world.

In the mountains of North Macedonia, we follow Hatidze’s journey, a forgotten native and bearer of an ancient secret about bees - where they are located and how to take care of them. 

As she collects half of the honey, she shares the other half with the bees. She knows the ancestral s: that the bees also need nectar to survive through the seasons.

Honeyland photo courtesy of Neon

Hatidze also takes care of her 85-year-old mother. Their connection is symbiotic, and their codependency is profound. They are emotionally supportive of each other.

In their humble hut, the mother hopes for her middle-aged daughter to marry a suitable prospect. Something more than impossible for being the only two living souls up in the mountains of the Balkans peninsula.  

We see her happily walking miles to the city market, where she interacts with other vendors, mostly Albanians and Bosnians, who tell her how much she can sell her honey for. In exchange, she can buy goods such as bananas for her beloved mother.

Honeyland photo courtesy of Neon

When she returned, new neighbors arrived. A family of Turkish nomads in their mobile home, with cattle and eight children. All survivors are hungry and ready to take over. That also includes the bee business and merchandising the honey for a higher price.

Honeyland photo courtesy of Neon

“Honeyland” is enthralling and exciting. The humor centers on the free-spirited children pushing their luck as they interact with the animals.

A few weeks pass before greed alters the natural balance. Without any environmental action, biblical repercussions unfold in this tiny part of the wealthiest continent, Europe. 

Ljubomir Stefanov and Tamara Kotevska, filmmakers of Honeyland.
Photo José A. Hermosillo, Festival in LA ©2019

The talented filmmakers Ljubomir Stefanov and Tamara Kotevska worked for three years, shooting this endearing documentary in a rural location where filming conditions were challenging.

 

Their small crew had no shelter or showers; they camped in tents. For that reason, they shot only four to five consecutive days a week, then returned to civilization to recharge batteries. 

 

They took one full year to edit more than 400 hours of footage and to follow three storylines harmoniously: the beekeeper, the restless family, and the land. 

Honeyland photo courtesy of Neon

The editing runs flawlessly and is entertaining. The linear structure is so good that it is hard to tell whether we are watching a documentary or a narrative. 

In making this film, the children helped convince the adults to participate in the documentary. Initially, it was difficult for the filmmakers to approach the family, who were a fundamental part of the story.

Their eco-friendly documentary delivers a compelling message – if we use all the natural resources at once, we will have nothing left to continue living. We must conserve some supplies for the future, and users and providers must keep a balance on Earth, or everything will be lost.

Ljubomir Stefanov and Tamara Kotevska, filmmakers of HoneyLand.
Photo José A. Hermosillo Festival in LA ©2019

The American environmentalist documentary “The Biggest Little Farm” has a much more sophisticated approach to how climate change affects how we produce and consume natural products.

Also, the Swedish documentary “More than Honey” states: “If the bees disappear, humans will follow within three years.” The epic European production takes a global approach and an ambitious solution. At the same time, the North Macedonian work focuses on a microcosm, their land, and how the last remaining beekeeper fights for the bees’ preservation.

Ljubomir Stefanov and Tamara Kotevska, filmmakers of Honeyland.
Photo José Alberto Hermosillo Festival in LA ©2019

Coincidentally, the documentary juxtaposes parallel universes: Hatidze and her mother in their hut mirror the bees in their hive. The mother is the queen who never leaves the house, and the bees are organized hierarchically.

 

For Hatidze, dyeing her hair symbolizes beauty, an aspiration to be beautiful even in the hills, without realizing that the bloom lies within her noble heart. 

 

According to the filmmakers, “This story has no villains, only victims of consumerism. The inhabitants must be more persistent and immune to the capitalist system that devours everything.”

 

For many, including me, “Honeyland” is a masterpiece; it has won more than 11 awards at festivals worldwide, including this year’s Grand Jury Prize and Best Cinematography at the World Cinema Docs in Sundance. The film also won the Special Jury Prize for Impact & Change at Sundance. It won Best Documentary at the Montclair Film Festival and Best at Docs Barcelona, Spain. 

 

I hope to have the filmmakers back in Los Angeles for the Award Season because “Honeyland” is a documentary worthy of Oscar and Spirit Award nominations.

Hatidze in Honeyland photo courtesy of Neon

Hatidze, the beekeeper, realized her dream when she could tell her unbelievable story so generously in the film, creating an environmental conscience and vividly conveying her love for the bees, making the audience part of her fascinating universe named “Honeyland.”

Honeyland [Official Trailer].  

Ljubomir Stefanov and Tamara Kotevska, filmmakers of Honeyland. 
Film critic José Alberto Hermosillo. Photo: Gabriel Romero, Festival in LA ©2019

Ljubomir Stefanov and Tamara Kotevska, filmmakers of Honeyland. 
Film critic José Alberto Hermosillo, at the Academy Awards Festival in LA, ©2020

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