German films at the Oscars
Shining brightly on the world stage
![Actor Ulrich Mühe Actor Ulrich Mühe](/resources/files/jpg675/the-lives-of-others-intro-formatkey-jpg-w320m.jpg)
Every year, the announcement of a fresh batch of Academy Award nominees sparks a fresh round of shock and surprise. Some films are overlooked, despite picking up prizes elsewhere. Others receive recognition, including some considered an outside chance. When the 2018 nominations were revealed, Germany’s ‘In the Fade’ fell into the first camp. After receiving the best actress prize for star Diane Kruger at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, and then the Golden Globe for best foreign-language film, it was expected to make the final Oscar contenders. Indeed, in December, from the 92 features submitted from around the world, it had progressed to the nine-title shortlist.
While Fatih Akin’s film didn’t earn a nod, Germany is still represented among the 2018 Oscar nominees. Composer Hans Zimmer received his eleventh nomination for his work on Dunkirk’s score, and German filmmakers earned spots in two of the short film fields: Jan Lachauer and Jakob Schuh for Revolting Rhymes in the animated category, and Katja Benrath and Tobias Rosen for Watu Wote: All of Us in the live-action camp. They help build upon the country’s considerable history at the Academy Awards — including winning the first-ever Oscar.
THE FIRST OSCAR
When the Academy Awards debuted on May 16, 1929, film history was made. When the first trophy was handed out at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, German film history as well. Emil Jannings was in the winner’s seat, receiving the first Oscar statuette at the initial ceremony. Anointed the year’s best actor for his work in The Way of All Flesh and The Last Command, he’s still the only actor from Germany to win in that field nearly 90 years later.![On the set On the set](/resources/files/jpg675/the-last-command-interim-formatkey-jpg-w320m.jpg)
JUMPING A HURDLE
Das Boot and Amour’s inclusion among the best director candidates were significant achievements, with films in languages other than English rarely garnering nods beyond the foreign-language film category. Both titles picked up several nominations — six in total for Das Boot (including cinematography, editing, sound, sound effects editing and adapted screenplay), and five for Amour (including best picture, actress, original screenplay and foreign-language film, the latter of which it won).![Production photograph Production photograph](/resources/files/jpg675/das-boot-interim-formatkey-jpg-w320m.jpg)
THE FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FIELD
Of course, when it comes to the main category that recognises foreign-language filmmaking, Germany has flown its flag quite prominently since the field’s inception in 1956. During its divided status, West Germany picked up one win and seven further nominations, while East Germany earned one nomination. Since 1990, the unified country has amassed two more wins, eight other nominations, and four spots on the shortlist. It ranks among the top ten recipients, though Italy and France lead the way with 14 and 12 trophies respectively.As for the recognised titles themselves, if the German features winners and nominees were to comprise their own film festival strand, they’d make for quite the exceptional array of viewing. The nation’s most recent nominee, Toni Erdmann, is also one of the best, though its strong 2000s run that — including winners Nowhere in Africa and The Lives of Others, plus nominees Downfall, Sophie Scholl — The Final Days, The Baader Meinhoff Complex and The White Ribbon — provides a stirring snapshot of modern German cinema.
![Actor Peter Simonischek Actor Peter Simonischek](/resources/files/jpg675/toni-erdmann-interim-formatkey-jpg-w320m.jpg)