Oscar News - Foreign Language Film

Today I started to read Oscar predictions from some of my favorite sites and to my surprise some sources that I consider with Hollywood insight are predicting that El Secreto de tus Ojos (The Secret of Her Eyes) from Argentina is going to win. Close by is Haneke's The White Ribbon and a far away third place Audiard's A Prophet. I lost my breath when I read the news.

The Argentinean submission is an excellent movie that as I mention in my review has many -if not all- elements that the Academy likes -including being mostly mainstream; but, in my humble opinion the film is not as complete cinematic experience as Haneke's or Audiard films are.

I'm really glad that two films from Latin America cinema got honored with a nomination as high honors do not come often to the region; also please recall that I liked both films quite a lot. But they are not at the same flawless cinematic level of The White Ribbon and A Prophet. No way.

I would simply love to have an Oscar recognition this year to Latin American cinema, as this region cinema has really evolved. But in a fair competition awards should be given to the best and yes, again, the two European films are clearly superior.

I hope the predictions are wrong for the sake of the Academy not loosing (again) credibility in my passionate love for GREAT cinema and my enjoyment of this "Mother of All Awards" event.

Sigh.