Those who keep a close watch on the Academy Awards’ international feature category probably noticed two things this year.
First, the overall number of countries submitting for the award dropped to its lowest number since 2018, the year “Roma” was nominated for best picture. While that number contracts slightly, down from an all-time high of 93, non-English-language movies are making a stronger showing in other categories — including best picture — each year.
Second, Variety reviewed more of the category’s contenders than ever before this year, covering 68 of the 85 submissions — that’s 80% of the eligible films. That record number is part of an ongoing effort by Variety to honor those international films selected to represent their home nations (which, in terms of international co-productions like “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,”…
