Switzerland is eliminated in the Oscar preliminary round
Published: Thursday, Dec 21st 2023, 21:20
Updated At: Thursday, Dec 21st 2023, 21:20
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Switzerland has been eliminated early from the race for a foreign Oscar. The feature film debut "Foudre" by Geneva director Carmen Jaquier did not make it onto the shortlist in the "Best International Film" category.
88 countries had applied for the Oscar in this category for 2024, as the Oscar Academy in Beverly Hills, California, announced on Thursday (local time).
However, the German film "Das Lehrerzimmer" by director Ilker Çatak made it onto the shortlist of fifteen candidates. German director Wim Wenders also made the shortlist with "Perfect Days". His film, shot in Tokyo, is in the running for the foreign Oscar for Japan.
Other countries represented include Finland ("Falling Leaves"), France ("Beloved Cook"), Italy ("Io capitano"), Great Britain ("The Zone of Interest"), Spain ("The Snow Society") and Ukraine ("20 Days in Mariupol").
Award ceremony on March 10
From the shortlist of 15 candidates, five films will be nominated for the final round on January 23. The Oscars ceremony is scheduled for March 10, 2024.
The Swiss entry "Foudre" (English: "Thunder") was submitted in the summer, as announced by the Federal Office of Culture (BAK) at the time. The first feature film by Swiss filmmaker Jaquier, who was born in 1985, tells the story of seventeen-year-old Elisabeth, who is about to take her vows as a nun in a valley in the south of Switzerland in the summer of 1900. However, the sudden death of her older sister changes everything.
The film, produced by Geneva-based Close Up Films, celebrated its world premiere at the renowned Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2022. It has been shown at almost 20 festivals around the globe.
At the Zurich Film Festival (ZFF), "Foudre" received a mention in the Focus competition as well as the "Emerging Swiss Talent Award". At the Solothurn Film Festival, the work received the prize for the best "Opera Prima". The film was honored at this year's Swiss Film Awards in the categories "Best Film Music" and "Best Sound".
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