France selects exiled Russian director's ‘Minotaur’ for 2027 international Oscar submission

The choice was made by France’s Oscar committee following auditions with the producers, international sales agents, and U.S. distributors behind a list of five films.

President of the National Film Board (CNC) Gaetan Bruel noted that the selection emphasized France’s role in major global co-productions and its support for filmmakers.

“In what promises to be a highly competitive field, this selection underscores both France’s unique role in major global co-productions and our country’s commitment to supporting the great filmmakers of our time, while maximizing our chances of winning the Oscar for Best International Feature Film,” Bruel said.

Minotaur beat out a competitive shortlist that included Antonin Baudry’s two-part historical epic De Gaulle, Arthur Harari’s The Unknown, Marin Atlan’s La Gradiva, and Louis Clichy’s animated film Iron Boy.

Zvyagintsev’s Minotaur, which explores corruption in modern Russia, won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival in May. Zvyagintsev directed the project in collaboration with the French production companies CG Cinéma and MK Productions.

The 2027 Oscars race also marks the first year under new Academy rules allowing non-English-language films that win the top prize at one of six designated international festivals – Berlin, Busan, Cannes, Sundance, Toronto, and Venice – to enter the international feature race without being their country’s official submission.

The Academy is set to unveil its 15-film international feature shortlist on December 15, with nominations announced on January 21. The 99th Academy Awards will take place March 14, 2027.