By John H. Foote

In a move I applaud and have challenged for years the Academy has renamed their Best Foreign Language Film, altered the criteria slightly to include English language films from English speaking countries such as Australia, Canada, England, Ireland, Scotland and wherever English might be spoken. 

The Foreign Language Oscar has been renamed Best International Feature Film.

In the past, great films from other countries have not been included among the nominees because a foreign language was not used. Thus brilliant films from Canada such as Away from Her (2007), The Apprenticeship  Of Duddy Kravitz (1974), The Sweet Hereafter (1997), Last Night (1998), and The Red Violin (1998) were snubbed. The brilliant Scottish film Trainspotting (1996) was ignored, as well as fine British cinema such as The Third Man (1949) and countless others.

Though many French, Inuit, and Hindi speaking films from Canada have been nominated for Foreign Language Film, no English speaking film, however deserved, has earned the honour. Great move Academy.

Seriously! Smart, inclusive move.

Leave a comment