The Rundown 2015: Foreign Language Film

For our first Rundown article, we look one of the few categories that have no precursor directly associated with it. After the jump, you’ll find our winner and runner-up predictions for Best Foreign Language Film as well as general commentary about the race. Tuesday, we’ll cover two categories associated with short-form entertainment and education.

Best Foreign Language Film

Winner Predictions

Embrace of the Serpent
Mustang
Son of Saul (WL O) (PP O) (TB O) (TL O)
Theeb
A War

Runner-Up Predictions

Mustang (WL O) (PP O) (TB O) (TL O)

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Wesley Lovell: The film that’s won nearly every award that wasn’t tacked down is poised to win the Oscar this year. One of the key reasons the Academy won’t turn away from it is its handling of the Holocaust. That’s not always a guarantee, but among this group, it would be surprising if it didn’t win. Mustang could be a runner-up candidate, simply because of its acclaim, but if there’s an upset, it could easily be any of the others.
Peter J. Patrick: I really don’t see anything other than the acclaimed Hungarian Holocaust film Son of Saul winning this. If there is an upset, only France’s feminist, Turkey-set drama, Mustang seems likely to prevail.
Tripp Burton: Son of Saul has racked up more awards this season than any other foreign film, starting with a strong showing at the Cannes Film Festival, and I don’t imagine that the Holocaust drama won’t repeat with the Academy. This should be Hungary’s first Oscar win since 1981. If it does lose, I would imagine it would be to perennial favorite France for Mustang. Jordan and Colombia should both be happy to have picked up their first nominations ever.
Thomas La Tourrette: The word of mouth on Son of Saul has been tremendous. The life of a concentration camp inmate is said to be difficult to watch, but haunting and riveting, almost entirely focused on him and his experiences there. It has not played in Denver yet, but I think it should easily win. The Academy tends to like Holocaust-themed movies and this one sounds exceptional. In a different year, I would expect Mustang to be a serious contender if not a winner, but I think it will have trouble beating Son of Saul. The story of five orphaned sisters trying to define their lives while their rigid grandmother, and especially uncle, try to keep them in check was deeply moving. Even the most lighthearted parts had a sense of dread knowing how their lives were going to change. It was extremely well done. Theeb is the only other nominee I have seen so far, but I cannot really imagine it winning. I thoroughly expect the harsh and devastating Son of Saul to win.