And the Oscar Goes To…: French Co-Productions Take Center Stage at the 98th Academy Awards 

Nine French productions and co-productions were nominated this year, including It Was Just An Accident (France’s submission for Best International Feature), Butterfly (Best Animated Short), Little Amélie or the Character of Rain (Best Animated Feature), Arco (Best Animated Feature Film), Two People Exchanging Saliva (Best Live Action Short Film), Sentimental Value and The Secret Agent (Best Picture), and The Voice of Hind Rajab (Best Documentary).

Among the nominees, two films took home awards: Two People Exchanging Saliva won Best Live Action Short Film, while the French minority co-production Sentimental Value received the Best International Feature Film award on behalf of Norway. 

This year was particularly landmark as all five nominees in the Best International Feature category were French co-productions.  Additionally, 2022 Villa Albertine resident Kaouther Ben Hania was also recognized with a nomination for her moving documentary The Voice of Hind Rajab.  

Other highlights included Cannes festival favorites Sentimental Value (Grand Prix winner), It Was Just An Accident (the Palme d’Or winner), and The Secret Agent (Cannes’ most awarded film), reflecting both critical acclaim and international recognition.  

These winners and nominees underscore the remarkable presence of French cinema in Hollywood, celebrating the artists, producers, and partners who brought these stories to U.S. audiences. 

Learn more about the Academy Award-winning films below! 

Sentimental Value (Neon)

Directed by Joachim Trier
Winner of the Best International Feature Film (Norway)

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8 Nominations: Actor in a Supporting Role (Stellan Skarsgard), Actress in a Leading Role (Renate Reinsve), Actresses in a Supporting Role (Elle Fanning, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas), Directing (Joachim Trier), Film Editing (Olivier Bugge Coutté), International Feature Film (Norway), Best Picture

The Norwegian drama centers on two sisters, Nora and Agnes, who reunite with their estranged father Gustav, a once-celebrated filmmaker, in the family home in Oslo, where past wounds resurface as he prepares an autobiographical film that blurs the line between memory and performance.

Through intimate conversations, rehearsals, and small domestic moments, Trier explores inherited trauma, artistic legacy, and the fragile possibility of reconciliation without resorting to easy catharsis.

Two People Exchanging Saliva (Manifest)

Directed by Alexandre Singh and Natalie Musteata
Winner of the Best Live Action Short Film 

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Nomination: Live Action Short Film 

Set in a society where kissing is outlawed and transactions are completed through slaps to the face, the film follows Angine, a discontented woman whose fascination with a playful salesgirl draws suspicion from a jealous colleague.

This 36-minute short film examines themes of repression, desire, and surveillance, using an absurdist premise to explore how intimacy functions in a controlled environment.

Featuring Zar Amir, Luàna Bajrami, Aurélie Boquien, and the voice of Vicky Krieps.

The film is executive produced by Isabelle Huppert.