It may not be a category that gets an enormous amount of attention, however the Oscar (and even the nominations) for best foreign language film, has introduced the public to many fine movies: Ida (Poland), The secrets in their eyes (Argentina), The Lives of others (Germany) etc.

And Miyazaki’s career had a great international boost thanks to winning the Best Animation Oscar for Spirited Away. Sometimes the Academy really can choose the right film.

In the world of television there has been a sea change as regards viewers’ willingness to watch subtitled series: The Bridge, Spiral, The Killing etc.

Is the same true as regards feature films?

Over on the Film that No one Dislikes Threadasaurus, more than a few foreign language films have been mentioned. I liked this comment from KDH, who waxes lyrical about Betty Blue:

“Beatrice Dalle was never lovelier. … At the time it felt like a zeitgeist movie, one of the last foreign language movies to do some real box office in English language territories, one that sold a lot of posters, but has now slipped (unfairly) from public consciousness.”

What I would like to know is: can a foreign language movie do good » Continue Reading.