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Paul Verhoeven’s Elle Didn’t Make the Oscars Foreign-Language-Film Short List

Photo: Sony Pictures Classic

Nine movies made the Academy’s short list for Best Foreign Language Film. Among those titles is Germany’s entry, Toni Erdmann, the race’s seeming front-runner. Xavier Dolan’s It’s Only the End of the World, which reps Canada, also made the list, giving those months of mixed critical reception some meaning. Since there were more than nine foreign-language films released this year, the list also comes with some snubs. The biggest and most surprising exclusion is Paul Verhoeven’s Elle. While the twisty rape thriller doesn’t fit among the Academy’s usual preferred fare, an Oscar nomination was considered likely for the film, especially as star Isabelle Huppert’s Best Actress campaign picks up steam. Pedro Almodóvar’s Julieta and Pablo Larrain’s Neruda also failed to make the cut, despite Larrain’s profile seeing a boost with Jackie. Update your ballots, and read the full short list below:

Australia, Tanna, Bentley Dean, Martin Butler

Canada, It’s Only the End of the World, Xavier Dolan

Denmark, Land of Mine, Martin Zandvliet

Germany, Toni Erdmann, Maren Ade

Iran, The Salesman, Asghar Farhadi

Norway, The King’s Choice, Erik Poppe

Russia, Paradise, Andrei Konchalovsky

Sweden, A Man Called Ove, Hannes Holm

Switzerland, My Life as a Zucchini, Claude Barras

Oscars Foreign-Language Short List Snubs Elle