Oscars: A Fantastic Woman makes Foreign Language shortlist

Daniela Vega in A Fantastic Woman. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
A Fantastic Woman, starring actress Daniela Vega, was among nine films that advanced to the next round of voting in the Foreign Language Film category for the Oscars.  The nine films were narrowed down from 92 submissions.
The films, listed in alphabetical order by country, are:
  • Chile, “A Fantastic Woman,” Sebastián Lelio, director
  • Germany, “In the Fade,” Fatih Akin, director
  • Hungary, “On Body and Soul,” Ildikó Enyedi, director
  • Israel, “Foxtrot,” Samuel Maoz, director
  • Lebanon, “The Insult,” Ziad Doueiri, director
  • Russia, “Loveless,” Andrey Zvyagintsev, director
  • Senegal, “Félicité,” Alain Gomis, director
  • South Africa, “The Wound,” John Trengove, director
  • Sweden, “The Square,” Ruben Östlund, director

As a transgender woman, let alone one of the rare transgender film critics, it is so exciting to see A Fantastic Woman make the shortlist for the Oscars.  Transgender representation in the media is an area that’s been sorely lacking and needs to improve.  It’s telling when there were only 11 transgender characters on television last year and Amazon’s Transparent accounted for the large majority.

I hope we reach the day where the studios will have transgender characters–played by transgender actors–in leading roles or even major supporting roles.  Representation is very important and they are doing the LGBTQ community a big disservice but now allowing us to be represented more.  If we had the representation years ago, I wouldn’t have been in the closet for so damn long.

Films were screened for the Phase I committee between mid-October and December 11.  The top six choices were joined by three films selected by the Academy’s Foreign Language Film Award Executive Committee.

Eligible Academy members will now be able to screen the nine shortlisted films over a three day period, taking place in theaters over January 12-14, 2018.  Those members will see three films a day in New York, London, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.  Those international members will have the chance to stream the films but all nine are required to be seen before submitting ballots.

The nominations for the 90th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2018.

The 90th Oscars will  be held on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be airing live on the ABC Television Network, starting with the red carpet at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.

Danielle Solzman

Danielle Solzman is native of Louisville, KY, and holds a BA in Public Relations from Northern Kentucky University and a MA in Media Communications from Webster University. She roots for her beloved Kentucky Wildcats, St. Louis Cardinals, Indianapolis Colts, and Boston Celtics. Living less than a mile away from Wrigley Field in Chicago, she is an active reader (sports/entertainment/history/biographies/select fiction) and involved with the Chicago improv scene. She also sees many movies and reviews them. She has previously written for Redbird Rants, Wildcat Blue Nation, and Hidden Remote/Flicksided. From April 2016 through May 2017, her film reviews can be found on Creators.

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