In reaction to the controversy surrounding their choice for the Best International Film category last year, the French Oscar committee made some major modifications. France’s National Film Board, or CNC, declared on Friday that the seven-member committee that chooses the nation’s Oscar submission will now include eleven members, plus five alternates. In addition, the CNC chairman will no longer monitor meetings and committee members will serve two-year terms instead of one.
The objectives of these modifications are to “promote the collegiality of the debates, the diversity of points of view, and the secret nature of each member’s vote,” according to a news statement from the CNC.
The decision to submit Tran Anh Hung’s The Taste of Things rather than Justine Triet’s Anatomy of a Fall the year before sparked strong criticism, which led to the modifications. The film Anatomy of a Fall took home the renowned Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, although it was overshadowed by The Taste of Things, which failed to receive a nomination for Best International Feature. On the other hand, Anatomy of a Fall was highly acclaimed; it was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress for Sandra Hüller, and Best Film Editing, and it won the Oscar for Original Screenplay.
“These three amendments will help to strengthen the independence of the commission, both with regard to public authorities and professional interests,” said acting CNC chairman and director general Olivier Henrard.
Henrard’s appointment to the position comes after Dominique Boutonnat, the former head of CNC, resigned on June 28 after receiving a three-year jail sentence for charges of sexual assault.
In response to prior criticism, the committee has made changes to its structure and procedures to ensure a more transparent and inclusive selection process that more accurately represents the range and quality of French film.
Leave a Comment