Mohamed Anis

After a long journey that began with the Venice Grand Prix, the Mexican movie Roma is approaching its final stop by nominating the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film in 2018, joining a short list of non-American films nominated for the Grand Prix.

In this report we learn about the most non-American films that were nominated for Oscar as Best Film of the Year.

1937 - La Grande Illusion
A French film directed by John Renoir, the first non-American film to be nominated for the Grand Academy Award, the Academy of Science and the Arts of Motion created a special award for non-English-speaking films, which began in 1945.

The film takes place during the First World War, when two French soldiers are arrested and imprisoned in a camp for German forces. The film follows several attempts to escape, so that the two soldiers are sent to a castle that appears to be impenetrable and impossible to escape.

1969 - "Z" (Z)
A joint Algerian-French film, the first film to bring together two Oscar nominees for the best film of the year, and the best non-English speaking film, which won the film to be the only Arab film to win the award, but lost the Academy Award, Best Editorial, nominated for two awards: Best Director, Best Adapted Text.

The film revolves around the story of the investigation into the killing of a leader of the French leftist party. Once the investigations begin, a strong campaign to hide the evidence of crime begins by senior figures in the regime, as chief of police and several senior officers. Plotters are all at risk of revealing the truth.

1971 - The Emigrants
The Swedish film, directed by Jean Truell, received four nominations for the Academy Award, among them nominations for Best Film of the Year, which he lost to the first part of The Godfather, and the other three were Best Actresses Key role, best director, best quoted text.

In the middle of the 19th century, Christina and Carl Oscar live in a small rural village in Smaland, southern Sweden. The couple try to make a living from a small patch of land, but sterile soil and poor crops make life harder. They decide to migrate to the United States. Long journey aboard a glider in the hope of reaching the New World.

1972 - Cries & Whispers
Another Swedish film the following year, directed by Ingmar BurJuman, was nominated for the Best Film of the Year, and was nominated for four other awards: Best Director, Best Adapted Text, Best Fashion Design and Best Cinematography, but only the last.

The film revolves around the character of Agnes, a Swedish woman suffering from cancer. Her sister visits her isolated rural palace and fears and dislikes the two sisters who seem unable to empathize. Agnes's comfort comes from her servant Ana. As the end approaches, Repressed of resentment and mistrust of jealousy, selfishness and bitterness among the sisters on the roof.

1994 Postmaster (Il Postino: The Postman)
The film was Italian-speaking and produced by an Italian-French-Belgian joint. The film lost the Grand Oscars, but won the Best Soundtrack and was nominated for three other awards: Best Director, Best Actor in a Leading Role and Best Adapted Text.

After the famous Chilean poet Pablo Neruda was banished to a small island for political reasons, a poor fisherman's son is employed on the island as a postman because of the massive increase in mail caused by the famous poet's exile. Despite his humble education, the postman learns to love poetry and endorses Neruda, In love, Neruda needs help and guidance.

1997 - Life Is Beautiful
Another Italian film in the next world, the second best-selling film of the year, and the best non-English film by Italian director Roberto Benigni, but lost the best film of the year, while he won three awards: Best Non-English, Best Actor in a major role, Best Soundtrack, Nominated for three other awards: Best Director Award, Best Original Text, Best Editorial.

In Italy in the 1930s, a young Jew falls in love with a beautiful girl, marries her, has a child, is arrested and deported to a Nazi camp. The father harnesses all his strength to convince his young child that they are in a play camp, Families in the Nazi camps, and his son Ehham is already thrilled that they are playing and not prisoners.

2000 - Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
The three films nominated for the two big prizes, produced by a Sino-Taiwanese joint, nominated the film for ten Oscars in one run, winning only four: Best Non-English Speaking Film, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design and Best Soundtrack.

The film revolves around the 19th century in the Chinese Ching Dynasty, where a warrior gives his sword to his friend to keep him in a safe place, but is stolen, and is hunted to find the sword.

2012 - Love (Amour)
The four films that brought together the two great Oscars, the famous Austrian director Michael Hanneke and the Cannes film festival in Cannes, were nominated for four Oscar Awards: Best Film of the Year, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Director, Non-English.

The film revolves around a retired couple: George and Anne, Anne gets a stroke one day, their lives turn radically, and George tries to take care of his wife at home as she wishes, but the conflict rages as their daughter enters the picture, forcing George to make some crucial decisions on behalf of his wife .