The American Academy awards bring attention to the best of Hollywood cinema. In the pre-Oscar buzz, directors who have made a splash abroad are also being recognized. Danish Director Thomas Vinterberg, the director of The Hunt, is one of this year’s nominee for Best Foreign Language Film.

The Hunt made a splash recently at the Cannes Film Festival. The film took home a European Film award and a British Independent Film nod, according to Variety. The Hunt also earned the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury and the Vulcan Award of the Technical Artist for cinematographer Charlotte Bruus Christensen’s lensing.

Vinterberg broke into the international spotlight some 16 years ago for The Celebration, a drama that won the Special Jury Prize at Cannes in 1998. The film was known for its minimalist production techniques.

Vinterberg’s The Hunt is a strong contender for the Academy Award this year. According to the Associated Press, the film will compete against Felix van Groeningen's Belgian entry The Broken Circle Breakdown and Italian Paolo Sorrentino's bittersweet, The Great Beauty.

The Academy Awards will be held on March 2 at the Dolby Theatre.

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