Oscars 2020 Nordic Submissions
OVERVIEW | DENMARK | FINLAND | ICELAND | NORWAY | SWEDEN
The 92nd Academy Awards will be held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on 9th February 2020. A shortlist of ten films to be considered for Best International Feature Film will be revealed in December, with the final five nominations to be announced on 13th January.
Submissions for Best International Feature Film, previously known as Best Foreign Language Film, must have a running time of over 40 minutes and be produced outside the United States of America with a predominantly non-English dialogue track. Animated and documentary feature films are permitted.
Films that, in any version, receive a non-theatrical public exhibition or distribution before their first qualifying theatrical release are not eligible for Academy Awards consideration. Such a release includes: broadcast and cable television, PPV/VOD, DVD distribution, inflight entertainment, and over the internet.
Whilst none were shortlisted for Best International Feature Film at the 92nd Academy Awards, the Nordic entries were as follows:
DENMARK
Queen Of Hearts | Dronningen
Directed by May el-Toukhy
Anne, a brilliant lawyer specialising in vulnerable children and young adults, lives an idyllic life with her husband their twin daughters. But when her estranged teenage stepson moves in with them, Anne’s escalating desire leads her down a dangerous rabbit hole which unleashes a series of events that destroy her world.
FINLAND
Stupid Young Heart | Hölmö nuori sydän
Directed by Selma Vilhunen
When carefree teenagers Lenni and his girlfriend Kiira find themselves expecting a child, he ends up looking for a role model in all the wrong places as he becomes involved with local right-wing activists. It won the Crystal Bear for Best Film in the Generations sidebar of the Berlin International Film Festival, and Best Screenplay at the Jussi Awards.
ICELAND
A White, White Day | Hvítur, Hvítur Dagur
Directed by Hlynur Pálmason
In this story of mourning, revenge and unconditional love, an off-duty police chief in a remote Icelandic town suspects a local man of having had an affair with his wife who died in a tragic accident. But his search for the truth turns into an obsession and inevitably leads to danger for both himself and his loved ones.
NORWAY
Out Stealing Horses | Ut og stjæle hester
Directed by Hans Petter Moland
Widower Trond moves to a small rural community after losing his second wife and plans to celebrate the millennium alone. But he discovers that his neighbour knew him back in the summer of 1948 when he was 15 years old. It was the summer his father disappeared for good and the first time he felt close to a woman. This film won five Amanda awards, including Best Film and Best Director.
SWEDEN
And Then We Danced
Directed by Levan Akin
Merab has been training from a young age at the National Georgian Ensemble with his dance partner Mary, but his world is turned upside down when carefree Irakli arrives and becomes both his strongest rival and desire. It was selected for Director’s Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival and nominated for the Queer Palm.