The Centre national de la cinématographie has selected Antonin Baudry's historical film La Bataille de Gaulle: L'âge de fer as one of five candidates shortlisted to represent France at the 2027 Academy Awards for best international feature film.
The movie is the first installment of a two-part cinematic diptych centered on General Charles de Gaulle, who led the Free French Forces during the Second World War and later served as President of France. Starring actor Simon Abkarian in the title role, the production carries a combined budget of around 75 million euros for both films, making it the most expensive French film project of the year.
The Centre national de la cinématographie, known as the CNC, is the state agency operating under the French Ministry of Culture to oversee and support the national film industry. Its designated selection committee evaluates candidate films each autumn and chooses France's official submission to compete for the Oscar in Hollywood.
Shortlisted contenders and rival productions
Baudry's film, which mixes historical drama and grand spectacle with a touch of offbeat humor, faces competition from four other titles on the CNC shortlist. The candidate films include the animated feature film Le Corset by director Louis Clichy, Marine Atlan's film La Gradiva, and Arthur Harari's project L'Inconnue.
The fifth contender is Minotaure, a psychological thriller directed by exiled Russian filmmaker Andrey Zvyagintsev. Minotaure enters the national selection process with strong international momentum after winning the Grand Prix of the jury at the 79th Cannes Film Festival.
Minotaure is a loose adaptation of the 1969 film La Femme infidèle by French New Wave director Claude Chabrol. Scheduled to open in French cinemas on October 14, the story follows a wealthy pro-Putin corporate executive tasked with sending a portion of his workforce to the Ukrainian front during the opening hours of Russia's 2022 special operation, who simultaneously discovers that his wife is having an extramarital affair.
Zvyagintsev, an acclaimed director known for his critical portrayals of contemporary Russian society, has lived in exile since 2022 and shot Minotaure in Latvia using French production funds. During his acceptance speech at Cannes, the filmmaker addressed Russian President Vladimir Putin directly and called for an end to the war in Ukraine.
Audition timeline and France's Oscar record
Producers representing all five candidate films will present their projects directly to the CNC commission during formal auditions scheduled for September 16. The panel evaluating the candidates is composed of several prominent professionals from across the film industry.
Industry observers note that the CNC commission could choose between Baudry's popular, large-scale production and Zvyagintsev's politically resonant thriller when finalizing its selection for Hollywood.
The selection process comes after a disappointing outcome for France at the previous Academy Awards. Last year, the CNC selected Un simple accident by Iranian director Jafar Panahi, a French co-production that won the Palme d'Or at the 78th Cannes Film Festival. However, the Oscar went to Valeur sentimentale by Norwegian director Joachim Trier, which had earned the Grand Prix at Cannes.
France has experienced a long drought in the Academy Award category for best international feature film, formerly known as best foreign language film. The nation has not won the honor since 1993, when director Régis Wargnier took home the statuette for Indochine, a historical drama starring Catherine Deneuve. Following the auditions on September 16, the CNC commission will determine which film will attempt to end France's multi-decade drought at Hollywood's 2027 ceremony.
