As it currently stands, the nomination process for the Oscar’s Best International Feature Film is unlike any of the other categories. The submission policies require countries to submit one film to represent their nation in the Academy Awards competition, with this year’s submissions already finalized last month. Most countries employ a nomination board, usually associated with local governments, to ensure proper international representation.
One of the unfortunate results of this nomination process is that a number of films are left out of the competition, mostly because countries simply have too many great titles to narrow down to one nominee. In some instances, a film may be left out because it criticizes a government’s policies or a nation’s history. It might stray from “positive” feel-good representations or heart-warming storybook endings.
This year’s controversy spotlights Mexico. The country’s submission for the 96th Academy Awards, Lila Avilés’Tótem(2023), is similar to a few nominees from last year’s pool, namely Belgium’sClose(2022) andIreland’sThe Quiet Girl(2022), as it captures a family drama from the perspective of a child. After premiering at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival,Tótembecame Mexico’s official entry for its strength in artistic merits and pensive musings on death and mortality. However, the flawed nomination process prevents other great Mexican films from sharing the Oscar stage. Films like Christopher Valla’sRadical(2023) are of equal artistic merit and critical success and carry important cultural relevance that aligns with the Oscar’s values and interests.
Based on a Wired article titled “A Radical Way of Unleashing a Generation of Geniuses,“Radicalcenters on a sixth-grade teacher, Sergio Juarez, from Matamoros, Mexico, as he embraces unorthodox teaching methods in order to tap into his students’ true potential. Starring and produced by Eugenio Derbez,Radicalhas already seen early signs of success. After winning the Festival Favorite Award at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, the Mexican film sustained the biggest local language opening since the pandemic. This past weekend, the movie punched in at number five at the US box office, only affirming the film’s momentous traction.
Anchored by a brilliant screenplay and fortified with strong acting performances and artistic prowess,Radicalis all deserving of an Oscar nomination but will, unfortunately, be left out due to current submission policies.
Lesson in Acting
In his first dramatic leading role, Eugenio Derbez delivers a harrowing performance worthy of a Best Actor nomination. Derbez embodies teacher Sergio Juarez with such vitality and vivaciousness that he propels the film forward through its brightest moments and darkest downfalls. Balancing his comedic tendencies with the film’s dramatic core, Derbez’s own strength and conviction as an actor spread infectiously to the other performers, most of whom werecast as non-actors.
Although he has been featured in small supporting roles in a few popular American movies, Derbez is widely known throughout Mexico for his work in television and other hit films likeNo se aceptan devoluciones(2013) andLa misma luna(2007). Derbez’s superstar persona certainly accentuated the appeal of Sergio Juarez, the radical teacher who stands as a superstar in his own right. Throughout the film, Juarez yearns to capture the imaginations of his students and inspire them to use their minds to launch them into their futures. The development of his alternative teaching method is predicated on his ability to connect with his students in a radical new way. Leveraging the superstardom of Derbez helps legitimize that connection on screen.
As mentioned, most of the young actors playing the roles of the young students were cast without having previous acting experience. Though this may seem counterintuitive, casting for non-actors can supplement a sense of realism that trained actors sometimes fail to reach. In this case, the relationship between Derbez/Juarez and the students becomes self-reflexive and materialist, where thestudent-teacher dynamicis mimicked in real life as it is on-screen. Derbez becomes the guiding figure to the troupe of non-actors, while Juarez becomes a similar figure in the lives of the students.
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This casting style, the combination of professional actors and amateur non-actors, pays homage to the traditions of Italian neorealism and the creative tendencies of social cinema, which further strengthensRadicalas an artistic achievement.
Lesson in Neorealism
Italian neorealism was birthedout of the rubble of World War II as the Italian film industry struggled to regain its footing, and Italian filmmakers took to the streets. Directors like Roberto Rossellini, with his trilogy ofRome, Open City(1945),Paisan(1946), andGermany, Year Zero(1948), developed the style of neorealism, which utilized documentary-style camerawork, cast non-actors, and shot on-location. These films would also target pertinent social issues, especially those commenting on the war. This technique would go on to influence filmmakers in Asia and Latin America, as well as inspire the cinematic style of the French New Wave.
Valla’s filmRadicalis a contemporary example of neorealism. Along with its cast of non-actors, the film documents the school happenings with a sense ofvérité, capturing the students with a calm, handheld observance. The shots don’t feel constructed, almost as if Valla and the camera team walked into an existing school and photographed what they saw. The result is a riveting story rooted in realism. It draws the audience in and allows them to connect with the characters at a deeper level. This style of cinematography is similar to films such asY tu mamá también(2001),Short Term 12(2013), andMoonlight(2016).
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This machination is vital to the success of this film, for the story is based on true events and real people. Placing the film within a world of realism heightens the emotional effect of the script. By blending elements of romantic storylines, underdog character arcs, and comeback victories,Radicaltransforms a real story into a triumphant narrative depicting the power of faith and belief.
Though the nomination process for Best International Feature Film remains in question, the success ofRadicalamidst its exclusion fromthe Academy Awardswill hopefully inspire change. For Sergio Juarez, inspiration and change continue to be the centerpiece of his academic methods, for he has stayed loyal to his sixth-grade students in Matamoros.
If you want to see more ofRadical, check out the extended clip featured below.
