Oscars: Canada Announces ‘Eternal Spring’ As Its Best International Film Entry

deadline.com:

The pan-Canadian Selection Committee has chosen director Jason Loftus’ Eternal Spring as its entry for the Best International Feature Film Oscar.The animated documentary highlights the work of internationally renowned comic book illustrator Daxiong (Justice League, Star Wars) who, as a member of the banned Falun Gong spiritual group, was forced to flee China after police raids in the city of Changchun.Combining present-day footage with 3D animation inspired by Daxiong’s art, Eternal Spring retraces the events that precipitated the crackdown on their 20th anniversary, with eyewitness accounts of persecution and details of the fight for political and religious freedoms.Eight Canadian films have been official nominees in the Best Foreign Language Film category: in 2013, Rebelle by Kim Nguyen; in 2012, Monsieur Lazhar by Philippe Falardeau and  In Darkness by Agnieszka Holland (a minority co-production with Poland and Germany); in 2011, Incendies by Denis Villeneuve; and in 2007, Water by Deepa Mehta.

The list also includes three films by Denys Arcand: Le Déclin de l’empire américain in 1987, Jésus de Montréal in 1990 and, in 2004, Les Invasions barbares, the only Canadian film to have won the Oscar in this category.The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences accepts only one film per country for the Best International Feature Film category.

Submitted films must have been produced outside the U.S. in a language other than English and must have been theatrically exhibited in the submitting country for at least seven consecutive days between January 1, 2022, and November 30, 2022.

A shortlist of 15 films will be unveiled on December 21, 2022, and the chosen five official nominees will be announced on January 24, 2023.Last