Entertainment
France considers Andrey Zvyagintsev's 'Minotaur' for 2027 Oscar submission amid competition from local films
The French selection committee faces a choice between foreign-born exiled directors and homegrown productions for its international feature entry.
The short version
- France's Oscar committee is weighing whether to select 'Minotaur,' a Russian-language film by exiled director Andrey Zvyagintsev, as its entry for the 2027 Academy Awards.
- A 2025 rule update permits filmmakers with asylum status to represent their host nations, making Zvyagintsev eligible under France's banner.
- The selection committee is set to convene on Sept. 10 to establish a shortlist of up to five films before announcing its official submission on Sept. 16.
Key facts
- Andrey Zvyagintsev's 'Minotaur' won the Grand Prize at the Cannes Film Festival and was largely financed and produced out of France.[Variety]
- Co-producing nations Germany and Latvia chose other titles for their submission, while Russia is not expected to submit the film due to its political content and Zvyagintsev's anti-war statements.[Variety]
- An Academy rule adopted in 2025 permits filmmakers living under asylum status to represent their host countries in the international feature category.[Variety]
- The French selection committee will meet on Sept. 10 to name up to five shortlisted films and choose its submission on Sept. 16.[Variety]
- Homegrown titles contending for the submission include László Nemes' 'Moulin', Antonin Baudry's 'de Gaulle: Resistance', and Arthur Harari's 'The Unknown'.[Variety]
What remains uncertain
- It remains uncertain whether the committee will select a foreign-language film by an exiled director or opt for a traditional French-language production.[Variety]