We mention Canada's entries to the Oscars when we talk about the Best Foreign Language Film | Best International Feature Film at the Academy Awards.
Other outlets mention In Darkness, the Poland entry at the same Oscars where Monsieur Lazhar also made the top 5 cut in the ceremony on February 26, 2012.
In Darkness | W ciemności is primarily a Polish production along with Germany and Canada. Canadian screenwriter David F. Shamoon wrote the screenplay based off the Robert Marshall book In the Sewers of Lvov.
The major actors are mostly Polish and German, no surprise given the story of hiding Jewish people in the sewers during World War II.
There may be producers on the film or financial support from Canada along with Shamoon's screenplay contribution. This is a lighter footprint that other co-production Canadian films such as Brooklyn.
We don't count In Darkness in Canada's list because the film is not a Canadian entry. If that film had won the Oscar, the award would go to Poland, not Germany or Canada. In Darkness and Monsieur Lazhar both lost out to A Separation (Iran) in the Academy Awards category in 2012.
The 84th Academy Awards was also big for Canada because Christopher Plummer won his first and only Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for Beginners.
Deepa Mehta's Funny Boy is Canada's Oscars selection
In Darkness qualifies as a Canadian film in similar ways to Ava, Brooklyn, and countless others. Canadian co-productions make those films better even if they are not visibly Canadian. They have a well-deserved placement in the Canadian film world.
Room is a Canadian co-production but a rare film in that Canada was a primary player in the production, even though that film is not visibly Canadian.
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'Visibly Canadian' is a reasonable goal for Canadian film
Canadian films should tell more stories about Canada
Telefilm Canada shouldn't limit funding by language but reward films shot in Canada with Canadians
The 93rd Academy Awards, scheduled for April 25, will have at least 2 entries in the Best International Feature Film category that are Canadian productions. Neither are visibly Canadian.
Telefilm Canada picked Funny Boy, the latest Deepa Mehta film, as Canada's entry. La nuit des Rois by Philippe Lacôte is a Canada co-production that is primarily produced by Côte d'Ivoire and is that country's Oscar nominee.
Canadians wrote and directed Funny Boy where the Canadian support for La nuit des Rois isn't as significant.
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As we've noted, the average filmgoer sees a film made in Canada and thinks that is Canadian and sees films that don't look Canadian be identified as Canadian film. Funny Boy is more of a Canadian film than Ava and Brooklyn for the rules than define a film in the world.
photo credit: In Darkness film
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