Oscar 2024: “I did not understand this violence”… the director of the film chosen to represent France, Dodin Buffan, reacts

Let’s remind you that a little over a month ago, we learned that Dodin Buffan’s Passion would be a candidate for the French representative at the Oscars. Although Justin Triet’s Anatomy of Autumn was considered the big favorite in the selection, with its Palme d’Or, the choice of this other film to be awarded at Cannes (the director’s prize at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival) caused a lot of reactions. Surprise, even harsh criticism.

For the first time, Dodin Buffan’s Passion director Tran An Hung is talking about the Oscars in the column. Პirveli.

“No one came up with the decision of the Cannes Festival jury to award the Palme d’Or to Justin Triet’s film, and that’s completely normal. Why should we now question the committee that appoints the French representative for the Oscars? I did not understand this violence“, he emphasizes.

Dodin Bouffant’s passionate, gourmand film, directed by an internationally acclaimed actor such as Juliette Binoche or Benoit Magimel, tells the story of love and passion for taste… the story of Eugene, an eminent chef and 20 years old. A famous gastronome in the service of Dodin. Over time, a romantic relationship was born from the practice of gastronomy and mutual admiration. From this union, dishes are born, each one more delicious and delicate than the other, which goes so far as to amaze the greatest people in the world. However, freedom-loving Eugene never wanted to marry Dodin. Then the latter decides to do something she has never done before: cook for him.

Premiere magazine was also invited Tran Anh Hung Commenting on the very French aspect of the film, which emphasizes good cooking. “I think, in fact, that I translated it with the passion of Dodin Buffan, because of this excitement and mastery. However, my influence remains Japanese. Humanity’s constant search comes from Ozu’s love of sequential shots and Mizoguchi’s device. Finally, the very complex structure of Kurosawa’s screenplay, where thought and emotion are intertwined…“

Shortly after this article was published, producer Said Ben Said, known for producing Paul Verhoeven’s Benedetta, or more recently Catherine Breilla last summer, took to Twitter to express his general opinion on the French film selection process. at the Oscars.

We reproduce its text below:

“Many of us reacted with unbelievable outrage to the choice of Dodin Bouffant’s The Kidnapping to represent France in the race for Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars.”

We were told that this film, even if it was not the best candidate, was chosen by a commission of seven people who voted mainly for it with complete independence and integrity and that this choice should be respected.

But the question we asked was not. No one doubted the good faith of the elected people. It was a question knowing that some of them had not decided whether or not they deliberately threw their vote in favor of Tran Anh Hung’s film to punish Justin Triet for his Cannes performance.

Shouldn’t the French members of the Oscar Academy choose the film representing France to avoid possible (low) political maneuvers?

Therefore, the question asked today is primarily about the voting method. Shouldn’t the French members of the Oscar Academy choose the film representing France to avoid possible (low) political maneuvers?

This method of voting, which is difficult to imagine in some countries where very few citizens are members of the Academy, is quite possible in France. Its implementation is relatively simple.

In 2016, Kleber Mendonca Filo’s Aquarius, which I co-produced and distributed, was supposed to represent Brazil in the race for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, but the Brazilian Ministry of Culture refused because of the filmmaker’s support. Dilma Rousseff (coup victim) before the screening of her film in Cannes. Nobody remembers the title of the chosen Brazilian film, but I remember the hell that Kleber and Emilie Lesclos, his producer, went through: defamation, punitive audit of his company, cancellation of subsidies, etc.

Of course, France is not Brazil, and Dodin Bouffant would have real legitimacy to fight for an Oscar, in the absence of Justin Triet’s film. So don’t be paranoid. But one of the pitfalls of life is that the paranoid eventually turns out to be right.”

The Passion of Dodin Bouffant will be released on November 8, 2023. For reference, the Oscar Academy will reveal a short list of fifteen feature films from around the world on December 15. The five nominees will then be announced on January 23, 2024, and the grand winner will be announced on March 10.

Finally, let’s note that the aforementioned Justin Triet film, Anatomy of a Fall, was released in the United States last week after showing at several festivals around the world. Its American distributor, Neon (already responsible for the successful American distribution of Parasite and Portrait of a Girl on Fire), is leading an intensive campaign to introduce the film to American audiences.

Anatomy of the Fall: ‘The Movie That Won’t Make It’ at the Palme d’Or… Why the Director Was Surprised by This Success

As mentioned above, the American release of Anatomy of the Fall is quite convincing, and Neon wants the film to be nominated for an Oscar in categories other than Best Foreign Language Film.

Anatomy of a Fall was released on August 24, 2023 in France and has now surpassed 1.2 million in our regions.