Twelve films directed or co-directed by women have been submitted by their respective countries for the 2016 Oscars’ Best Foreign Language Film category.
Those dozen works make up about 15% of the 81 films that have been submitted for that category.
Among the highest-profile submissions are Deniz Gamze Ergüven’s “Mustang” (France), Anna Muylaert’s “The Second Mother” (Brazil), Alanté Kavaïté’s “The Summer of Sangaile” (Lithuania), Kulikar Sotho’s “The Last Reel” and Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz’s “Goodnight Mommy” (Austria).
Half of the female-helmed submissions came from Europe and a quarter from Latin America. Two came from Asia and one from the Middle East.
The five official Best Foreign Language Film nominees will be announced on January 14, 2016. The Academy Awards will take place on February 28, 2016.
Here are the female-directed/co-directed submissions :
Austria, “Goodnight Mommy,” Veronika Franz, Severin Fiala, directors
Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Our Everyday Story,” Ines Tanović, director
Brazil, “The Second Mother,” Anna Muylaert, director
Cambodia, “The Last Reel,” Sotho Kulikar, director
Dominican Republic, “Sand Dollars,” Laura Amelia Guzmán, Israel Cárdenas, directors
France, “Mustang,” Deniz Gamze Ergüven, director
Lebanon, “Void,” Naji Bechara, Jad Beyrouthy, Zeina Makki, Tarek Korkomaz, Christelle Ighniades, Maria Abdel Karim, Salim Haber, directors
Lithuania, “The Summer of Sangaile,” Alanté Kavaïté, director
Montenegro, “You Carry Me,” Ivona Juka, director
Paraguay, “Cloudy Times,” Arami Ullón, director
Singapore, “7 Letters,” Royston Tan, Kelvin Tong, Eric Khoo, Jack Neo, Tan Pin Pin, Boo Junfeng, K. Rajagopal, directors
Slovenia, “The Tree,” Sonja Prosenc, director