The Oscar for foreign-language film may ostensibly represent world cinema at an evening otherwise largely dedicated to Hollywood, but it’s marked by its own form of cultural hegemony: Eurocentrism.Of the 70 foreign-language films (including special award winners) honored as the year’s best by the Academy, a whopping 56 have been from Europe.
For the less math-inclined, that’s 80% — a figure attributable in part to the relative density of developed film industries on the Continent, whatever other biases may be at play.
Of the national submissions for this year’s award, for example, more than 40% are European productions — including many of those most hotly tipped for a nomination.Related Content Critical Analysis: Japan, South Korea in Vanguard of Oscar TitlesArguably the film leading this year’s European charge comes from a recent winner in the category: Poland’s Pawel Pawlikowski, whose arthouse smash “Ida” cut a clear path to victory in the 2014 season.
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