cross-posted from: https://kbin.social/m/movies/t/665349

Spain’s ‘Society of the Snow,’ Bhutan’s ‘The Monk and the Gun,’ and Iceland’s ‘Godland’ all make their case for the Academy Awards shortlist. The 2023 contenders for the international film Oscar are filled with tales of real-life struggles from the Ukraine war (Ukraine’s “20 Days in Mariupol”), the Holocaust (United Kingdom’s “The Zone of Interest”) and the European migrant crisis (Italy’s “Io Capitano”). The following three contenders — from Spain, Bhutan and Iceland — fall into that category in many respects, as their stories unfold along distinct and stunning landscapes.