[REVISION HISTORY]
France selects ‘Minotaur’ for Academy Award consideration
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2026-10-13 14:03 UTC → 2026-10-20 16:33 UTC ·
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French France selects ‘Minotaur’ for Academy Award selection for Minotaur consideration
France has selected the political thriller ‘Minotaur’ (or ‘Minotaure’) to represent the country in the Best International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards. The film, directed by exiled Russian filmmaker Andrey Zvyagintsev, was chosen by a professional jury chaired by film historian Charles Tesson following an independent selection process. process involving an 11-member committee appointed by the National Centre for Cinema (CNC). A winner of the Grand Prix at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, the production is a co-production involving French companies MK Productions and CG Cinéma, alongside German and Latvian entities. Loosely adapted from Claude Chabrol’s 1969 film ‘La Femme infidèle’, the drama is set against the backdrop of the 2022 Russian mobilization following the invasion of Ukraine. The film is also scheduled to be presented at the Rome Film Fest. The story follows Gleb, a logistics entrepreneur, as he navigates personal infidelity and the moral compromises of military recruitment. To protect his existing staff from service, Gleb recruits new drivers with promises The narrative serves as a contemporary tragedy, critiquing the Russian ruling class and exploring how institutional corruption and the systematic use of high wages, only to see them sent to euphemisms regarding the front lines. war impact individual ethics. Zvyagintsev, who has lived in France since 2021, described the film as an “artistic response to the conflict.” He noted that as a Russian-speaking director born in Russia, he felt compelled to address the most significant event of recent years. While the film has achieved critical success, Zvyagintsev expressed skepticism regarding its ability to shift public opinion within Russia, where military support remains high. Due to its subject matter, the film will not receive an official release in Russia.
Versions
- 2026-10-20 16:33 UTC France selects ‘Minotaur’ for Academy Award consideration
- 2026-10-13 14:03 UTC French Academy Award selection for Minotaur
- 2026-10-04 03:12 UTC French Academy Award selection for Minotaur
- 2026-09-17 10:13 UTC French Academy Award selection for Minotaur
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