France Chooses Cannes Winner 'Minotaur' for Oscar Contention

WHO:

Deadline - France's Oscar committee selected Andrey Zvyagintsev's film.

Variety - Andrey Zvyagintsev is an exiled Russian director.

WHAT:

Deadline - France has chosen the political thriller "Minotaur" for the Best International Feature Film category of the 99th Academy Awards.

Variety - "Minotaur" is a Cannes Grand Prize winner.

WHERE:

Deadline - The selection was made in France.

WHEN:

Variety - The choice was made on Wednesday by France’s Oscar committee.

WHY:

Variety - The selection followed auditions with producers, international sales agents, and U.S. distributors of the shortlisted films.

HOW:

Variety - The selection process involved auditions with producers, international sales agents, and U.S. distributors behind the five shortlisted films.

(UPDATED September 16, 2026 19:05 UTC)

France has selected Andrey Zvyagintsev's political thriller "Minotaur" as its entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards. The decision was made by France’s Oscar committee after auditions with producers, international sales agents, and U.S. distributors of the shortlisted films. Notably, "Minotaur" is a Cannes Grand Prize winner, showcasing the film's critical acclaim on an international stage.