Oscars 2024: The 96th Academy Awards Extravaganza
The 96th Academy Award has returned with a vengeance with a spectacular selection of films battling it out on the red carpet for the prestigious Oscars awards. After the last couple years of downtime during the pandemic, and 2023 being a slow but promising comeback for the esteemed annual gala.
In spurs of fiery debates, social media has also been split between Barbie (played by the talented Margot Robbie) and Ken (brought to life by the charismatic Ryan Gosling), after Gosling was nominated for Best Actor In A Supporting Role whilst the film’s lead actress Robbie was denied a spot on the Best Actress nomination list. Not to mention, Gosling’s passionate performance of “I’m Just Ken” alongside Ludwig Göransson's otherworldly score for Oppenheimer, “Can You Hear The Music”, both which earned the raucous – or wide-eyed – support of their respective fanbases. With films such as Barbie, Oppenheimer, Past Lives and Poor Things competing for Best Picture, the 2024 Oscars has never been more exhilarating.
In commemoration of the 96th Academy Awards, CinemaWorld is spotlighting 5 spectacular stories from our trove of international award-winning films that are some of the lesser known cinematic gems from the Oscars.
From official submissions to Oscars shortlists, these films undoubtedly have important and beautifully crafted stories to tell.
THE DEEP
ICELAND
A tremendous display of human strength against the odds, The Deep is based on a true story of an Icelandic fisherman, Gulli, who tries to survive in the freezing ocean after his boat capsizes off the south coast of Iceland. Battling the turbulent currents, frigid waters and his own innate fears, Gulli eventually saves himself from the same tragic and lonesome end that consumed his friends out in the ocean.
In 2001, the film’s director Baltasar Kormákur was picked among ‘10 Directors to Watch’, alongside Christopher Nolan and Alejandro Inárritu by Variety. The Deep’s vivid portrayal of Gulli’s traumatic incident illuminates how this event in 1984 has remained etched in the Icelandic nation's collective memory.
HUMAN CAPITAL
ITALY / FRANCE
Italy’s penchant for high tension conflicts, infidelity and corruption in their dramas is mirrored in Human Capital as two families, Ossola and Bernaschi, collide after a mysterious car accident. However, Human Capital transcends the typical dramatic plot with a sociopolitical critique. The film is split into four chapters, each portraying a different character’s perspective that deepens the story. At its core, the film demonstrates the entrenched social class divide through society's immoral treatment of people based on their financial value.
Human Capital garnered high regard in Italy and was selected as the Italian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 87th Academy Awards. Further, the film clinched the Best Film award at the 2014 Golden Globes, as well as attained 12 nominations and 7 wins that include Best Film and Best Actress (Valeria Bruni Tedeschi) at the David di Donatello Awards, 2014.
TRUTH AND JUSTICE
ESTONIA
In this spectacular parochial epic set in the rural lands of Estonia in the late 1800s, newly wed couple, Andres and Kroot, settle in their new farm. With rose-tinted lenses, they set out to transform the farm into a prosperous paradise but this dream soon dissipates when the odds turn against them – their neighbor is a vengeful alcoholic, the harvest is poor, and their quest for a male heir fruitless. Yet, the young and idealistic Andres continues to pursue his dream for prosperity, regardless of the consequences.
'"A respectful, well-made literary adaptation,'' as Variety describes, Truth and Justice once topped Estonia’s chart as the country's most watched film since it regained its independence in 1991 upon its release in 2019. It also made its way onto the shortlist for the Best International Feature Film Oscar category in 2020.
THE BROKEN GLASS THEORY
URUGUAY / ARGENTINA / BRAZIL
As intentional car-fires surge through a remote town on the border of Brazil, newly promoted insurance claims investigator, Claudio, has to hunt down the serial arsonist.
The film title refers to the theory that an outbreak of crime and civil unrest in a community encourages further violence and disorder. With a “... playfully light touch to a fish-out-of-water tale' (Variety), this 2021 black comedy was Uruguay’s submission for the Best international Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards. Its tongue-in-cheek soundtrack also includes a series of mock traditional ballads that poke fun at the plot and its characters.
VEINS OF THE WORLD
MONGOLIA / GERMANY
Mongolia's Official Submission for the Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards artfully intertwines tradition and modernity to create an “arresting portrait of nomadic life” (The Guardian).
The film features the traditional nomadic life of 11-year-old Amra, who lives amidst the vast Mongolian steppes. Other than attending school and tending to the family’s livestock, Amra also immerses in videos of singers on Youtube with dreams of competing in ’Mongolia’s Got Talent’.
However, his dreams come to a halt when he loses his father in a tragic car accident. Left to his own devices, Amra aspires to pursue his father’s vision of the nomadic way of life and to continue his fight against global mining companies which threaten to destroy his family’s traditions and roots.
VICTIM
SLOVAK REPUBLIC /CZECH REPUBLIC / GERMANY
Slovak Republic’s submission for the Best International Feature Film at the 95th Academy Awards 2023, Victim, reveals the political unrest and xenophobia that plagues a small town in Czech.
Ukrainian immigrant Irina, and her son are victims of such discrimination but receive the support of many of their townspeople. When Irina’s son is brutally assaulted one day, the town stands in solidarity with them by condemning their Roma neighbours for the crime. However, as political campaigns and the prejudiced local media continually distort reality, the real “victim” of this conflict becomes increasingly uncertain.
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With the aim of spotlighting a diversity of acclaimed international movies on CinemaWorld, this curation of films have been thoughtfully chosen in honour of the diverse cultures and lesser known narratives they feature.
All 6 movies are available now on CinemaWorld Channel – all showtimes can be found on our March 2024 Schedule.
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