The film 'Minotaur' (Minotaur), directed by Andrei Zvyagintsev, a critical and dissenting Russian director, has been selected as France's representative in the Best International Feature Film category of the 2027 Academy Awards. This selection was made by a professional jury chaired by film historian Charles Tesson, and it was the result of an independent process overseen by the Academy of Cinema Arts and Sciences.
Grand Prize of Cannes and Social Issues
This film, which won the Grand Prize at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, was produced by French companies MK Productions and CG Cinéma, with collaborations from Germany and Latvia. Gétan Bruel, head of CNC, commented on the selection of this film, saying: "This choice reminds us of France's unique role in major global collaborations."
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The film 'Minotaur' is indirectly adapted from Claude Chabrol's film 'La femme infidèle' (The Unfaithful Wife) from 1969, and its story revolves around the collapse of a couple against the backdrop of the mobilization declared by Vladimir Putin in September 2022, seven months after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia began. In this story, Golb, the head of a company, gradually distances himself from his wife, who is interested in a young photographer, and is forced to hand over some of his employees to the Russian army to fulfill "quotas" in operational areas and to prevent Moscow from mobilizing Muscovites.
Film Critique and Social Messages
Zvyagintsev, like many of his works, has dealt with the use of myths. By comparing Golb to Aegeus, the king of Athens, who had to send seven sons and seven daughters to the Minotaur in his labyrinth, he shows that Golb is willing to accept any compromise to maintain his position.
From the critics' perspective, this selection for the Oscars has been described as a "clever and measured" choice. Jean-Philippe Domecq, a writer and member of the editorial team of the magazine 'Positif', acknowledged that he was strongly influenced by Zvyagintsev's previous works, especially 'Leviathan'. He stated that the revisiting of 'The Unfaithful Wife' and the increase in ambiguity regarding the mobilization creates a vast gray area that is the dominant color of the film.
However, the feedback on the film has not been entirely positive. While Zvyagintsev directly called on Vladimir Putin to stop the "massacre" when receiving the Grand Prize at Cannes 2026, he has faced significant criticism from Ukraine and among anti-war Russian migrants. In his speech, he declared: "Millions on both sides of the contact line only wish for one thing: for the killings to finally stop."
The film 'Minotaur' will be released in French cinemas on October 14, and its distribution is handled by Les Films du Losange. Additionally, the international sales of this film are managed by MK2 Films, and it is set to be released in the United States by Mubi. The 90th Academy Awards ceremony will also take place on March 14, 2027, in Los Angeles.
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