Two more women-directed films have joined the foreign-language Oscar race. Colombia named Cristina Gallego — and Ciro Guerra’s — “Birds of Passage” as their entry, and Estonia is submitting Liina Trishkina-Vanhatalo’s “Take It or Leave It.”
Recently announced as a Competition title at the upcoming the BFI London Film Festival, “Birds of Passage” premiered in Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight section. The drama follows an indigenous family involved in drug trafficking in Colombia. Described as “a sprawling epic about the erosion of tradition in pursuit of material wealth,” the pic stars Wayúu descendants Carmiña Martínez (“La captura”) and Jose Acosta as well as Natalia Reye (“2091,” upcoming “Terminator” reboot).
“We are incredibly humbled and honored to again be the Colombian selection for entry to the Academy Awards, especially with a film that is so personal to our country’s history and narrative,” said Gallego and Guerra in a press release detailing the news. “We are very grateful to La Academia Colombiana de Artes y Ciencias Cinematorgraficas, who have supported us throughout our careers. It is with great pride that we bring this film to a global audience.”
“Take It or Leave It” centers on Erik (Reimo Sagor), a 30-year-old construction worker whose world is upended when he receives shocking news: his ex who he hasn’t seen in six months is going into labor. Not ready for motherhood, the woman tells Erik that if he is unwilling to care for the baby girl, she will put her up for adoption.
According to Variety, which reported on Estonia selecting “Take It or Leave It,” the shortlist for the foreign-language Oscar category will be announced January 22. The Oscars will take place February 24. Other foreign-language titles in the running include “I Am Not a Witch,” Rungano Nyoni’s satire about girl accused of witchcraft, and Darya Zhuk’s “Crystal Swan,” a comedy about a DJ struggling to get a visa.
