It’s no secret that films made in American English culturally dominate the global film industry, with over one billion dollars spent annually on advertising in the U.S. motion-picture industry. As a result, the idea that less sophisticated films often originate in the U.S. and are frequently in English has some merit.
How do the Oscars define ‘international’?
When the Academy Awards considers a film for the International Feature Film category, eligibility is defined largely by the language of a film’s dialogue. To qualify, a film must be longer than 40 minutes, produced outside the United States, and consist of dialogue that is more than 50% in a language or languages other than English.
However, in recent years, critics have criticized the category’s nomination process. By heavily emphasizing a film’s language, the Academy creates a gray area wherein films that unmistakably celebrate non-Western culture are still overlooked.
Why language became a criterion for international films
The earliest films, produced between the 1890s and 1930s — known as the Silent Film Era — had no dialogue at all.
Due to the lack of dialogue in early films, scholars have argued that the emergence of films with dialogue actually divided the world. Prior to the advent of speech in films, the artform was globally accessible because viewers didn’t need to speak any particular language to enjoy films.
With the advent of sound in film, Hollywood rose to the top of the industry beginning around 1932. At roughly the same time, the Academy began establishing itself as an authoritative voice in film. Yet, the first Oscars were still a local affair, with awards given and ceremonies held in the heart of Los Angeles.
In the early years, international films were only occasionally awarded Oscars at the Academy’s discretion. By 1956, when the Best Foreign Language Film Award officially became a category, films with sound were less than 20 years old, making language a logical benchmark when characterizing a film as foreign.
English as a global lingua franca
As the Oscars were becoming a cultural arbiter in film, English wasn’t yet the world’s lingua franca. In fact, in 1922, the League of Nations almost adopted Esperanto, a human-made language, as the world’s universal tongue. Though Esperanto wasn’t chosen, the debate demonstrates just how uncharted the process of globalization was.
Today, English functions as a primary language in a multitude of countries outside the United States. This phenomenon can be attributed primarily to British Colonialism and the US economy’s power on the world stage.
How the English language rule falls short today
Given the worldwide reach of English, it’s not uncommon for international films to be written in English, even when they reflect global realities far beyond the influence of Hollywood.
Some poignant examples of movies that fall into this gray area are Hotel Rwanda, which recounts the country’s 1994 genocide; Hunt for the Wilderpeople, which tells the story of a Māori boy navigating New Zealand’s foster care system; and Slumdog Millionaire, which traces the life of an Indian boy in Mumbai.
These are just a few examples of films that were ineligible for Best International Film Feature because their dialogue tracks were primarily English.
Why filmmakers choose English
In the end, filmmakers have to consider a variety of circumstances when choosing a film’s primary language.
English is an undeniable global reality. Writers and directors may not have the luxury of asking whether a film should be in English when it’s widely spoken in the cultural setting they’re depicting.
Likewise, political considerations can play a role in the choice. In countries where filmmakers hope to raise international awareness regarding local issues, English naturally serves as a bridge for storytelling.
Financing and distribution are also practical concerns that writers and directors can’t afford to ignore. Because English is widely understood across international markets, producers and distribution partners may be more likely to fund and support films with English dialogue. This broader accessibility can significantly improve a film’s commercial prospects.
The future of the Oscars’ language rule
As global cinema continues to evolve, hopefully the Academy will reconsider just how important language is for their International Film category. Dialogue may no longer be adequate to determine a film’s cultural identity.
